Health, Weight Loss & Diet Plans General Blog: 6 Surprising Ways You're Causing Yourself Pain

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="hero">
<div class="info-header">
<section class="info"><br /></section>
                </div>
</div>
<article class="left ">
      <div class="article-section top-article-section">
                                          <div class="main-image">
<div class="image-inner">
<div class="pinit">
<img alt="causes of pain" src="http://www.prevention.com/sites/prevention.com/files/styles/article_main_image_2200px/public/articles/2016/02/gettyimages-508122467-lacking-sleep-tomml-opener.jpg?itok=dvID5Ldp" title="causes of pain" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div>
<span class="photo-cred">Photograph by TommL/getty images</span></div>
</div>
<div class="sharebar-wrapper">
 
                                <section class="field-body">When 
you're in pain, it's difficult to focus on anything else. And Mother 
Nature designed it that way. "Pain is like the oil light on your car's 
dashboard—it signals that your body needs attention," says Jacob 
Teitelbaum, MD, author of <a href="http://www.realcauserealcure.com/nc/?cm_mmc=pvn.com-_-editorial_contextual-_-site_link-_-real_cause_real_cure&keycode=176876" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em>Real Cause, Real Cure</em></a>. "Most doctors prescribe medicines to mask the pain. A better solution is to treat the problem."<br />

Whether you have chronic pain—the kind that lasts for at least 6 
months—or acute pain from an injury, pain relievers aren't your only 
alternative to toughing it out. Here are six surprising pain triggers 
and how to fix them. (<span class="s1"><a href="http://www.thepowernutrientsolutionbook.com/?cid=bwo_pvn.com_text_254416&keycode=254416" target="_blank"><em>The Power Nutrient Solution</em></a> is the first-ever plan that tackles the root cause of virtually every major ailment and health condition; get your copy today!</span>)<br />
<strong>Pain Trigger #1: Anger</strong></section></div>
</div>
</article><div class="article-section bottom-article-section">
<section class="field-body"><div class="media media-element-container media-default">
<div class="main-image">
<div class="image-inner">
<div class="pinit">
<img alt="cause of pain anger" class="media-element file-default" src="http://www.prevention.com/sites/prevention.com/files/styles/article_main_image_2200px/public/gettyimages-57421684-anger-image-source.jpg?itok=-eW0oYiW" title="cause of pain anger" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div>
<span class="photo-cred">Photograph by Image Source/getty images</span></div>
<figcaption class="photo-caption"></figcaption></div>
</div>
<br />
 Holding in anger can be a pain in your back—literally. In one study, people with chronic lower-back pain
 were harassed and then asked to either verbally express their anger or 
hold it in. Those who kept tight-lipped experienced more tension in the 
muscles along their spine. Tight muscles hurt whether you have ongoing 
back pain or aches from lifting too much, so follow the old adage and 
blow off some steam. Talking with others about your anger—or even 
writing it down—can help, experts say.<br />

And the next time you see red, pay attention to whether your jaw is 
tightening or your breathing is getting shallower. These are signs that 
you're resisting your feelings, so do the opposite and let your jaw go 
slack or take deep breaths. Find a private place where you can allow 
yourself to really feel your anger and have a good hissy fit to release 
your emotions—and ward off tension in your back. <br />

<strong>Pain Trigger #2: Your Smartphone</strong><br />
 Your cell may make it easier to stay connected to friends or surf the 
web, but it could also be a source of pain. If you hold your phone 
between your shoulder and your ear so you can multitask while talking, 
it forces your neck to be held in what is called the "lateral bending 
position" for long periods of time, says Teitelbaum. This causes neck 
and shoulder aches—and even tingling down your arm. Hunching over a cell
 phone too much can also cause neck pain.<br />

If you're going to be talking for more than a few minutes, use a 
headset or Bluetooth instead of cradling your cell with your shoulder. 
Holding your phone up to eye level—or just staying off it—can also cut 
down your pain.<br />

<strong>Pain Trigger #3: Thinking the Worst</strong><br />
<div class="media media-element-container media-default">
<div class="main-image">
<div class="image-inner">
<div class="pinit">
<img alt="cause of pain thinking the worst" class="media-element file-default" src="http://www.prevention.com/sites/prevention.com/files/styles/article_main_image_2200px/public/getty-167686493-thinking-the-worst-yagi-studio.jpg?itok=vyHH3-Yf" title="cause of pain thinking the worst" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div>
<span class="photo-cred">Photograph by Yagi Studio/getty images</span></div>
<figcaption class="photo-caption"></figcaption></div>
</div>
<br />
 "Catastrophizing"—or believing that a situation is much worse than it 
is—can result in stress and mess with your ability to function well on a
 day-to-day basis. Multiple studies have linked catastrophizing (aka 
big-time anxiety)
 to a heightened perception of pain. "Emotion and pain are processed in 
the same area of the brain, so if you're anxious or stressed, it's 
natural to feel physical pain," says Andrew Bertagnolli, PhD, a San 
Francisco–based psychologist with the Spine Care Medical Group. "That's 
not to say your pain is emotional, it's just that there's an 
intersection of the mind and body."<br />

"When we catastrophize, we are focused on our worries rather than on 
finding solutions," says Nomita Sonty, PhD, a clinical psychologist and 
pain specialist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. To counteract this, 
Sonty recommends setting aside 10 minutes a day as designated worrying 
time. When you feel yourself getting anxious about something, tell 
yourself you'll tackle it during those 10 minutes. This helps you 
compartmentalize your anxiety and prevents it from monopolizing your 
time.<br />

<strong>Pain Trigger #4: Skimping on Sleep</strong><br />
 You've got e-mails to answer, closets to clean, and lunches to pack. 
But if you're putting sleep at the bottom of your to-do list, you're 
going to suffer. "In the pre-Internet days, Americans slept 9 hours a 
night," Teitelbaum says. "Today we average less than 6.5 hours." Your 
body makes human growth hormone during sleep, which is needed for tissue
 repair to ease pain, he says. Moreover, people with chronic insomnia 
have nearly three times the risk of chronic pain, according to a study 
in the journal <em>Sleep</em>. (Beat your insomnia with these yoga moves.)<br />

To sleep better
 tonight, start by getting more sun this a.m. Morning sun exposure helps
 recalibrate your internal circadian sleep clocks. Daytime exercise, 
turning down your bedroom's thermostat, and sleeping with a white noise 
machine are all proven sleep aids. (Here are 11 ways to set yourself up for a spectacular night of sleep.)<br />

<strong>Pain Trigger #5: Your Work Area</strong><br />
 <br />
<div class="media media-element-container media-default">
<div class="main-image">
<div class="image-inner">
<div class="pinit">
<img alt="cause of pain work" class="media-element file-default" src="http://www.prevention.com/sites/prevention.com/files/styles/article_main_image_2200px/public/gettyimages-184074008-work-area-musketeer.jpg?itok=NNPHELxE" title="cause of pain work" typeof="foaf:Image" /></div>
<span class="photo-cred">Photograph by Musketeer/getty images</span></div>
<figcaption class="photo-caption"></figcaption></div>
</div>
<br />
 You might not think sitting at your desk can up your pain risk since it
 doesn't feel like you're doing anything strenuous. But everything from 
your posture to the way your work area is set up could potentially cause
 injury. (And take your lunch break, people!)<br />

Stick a blue dot on your computer monitor, and look at it every so 
often to remind yourself to relax your shoulders and neck. Also, ensure 
the top of your monitor is at or slightly below eye level so you're not 
straining your neck to look up. Many workplaces now offer ergonomic desk
 configuration services. If yours does, give them a call.<br />

<br />
 <strong>Pain Trigger #6: Loneliness</strong><br />
 You know that old Streisand tune that says people who need people are 
the luckiest people in the world? Well, denying those needs can lead to 
physical pain. "Experiencing chronic pain can be a very isolating 
experience," Bertagnolli says. "We're social creatures, but pain can 
make you withdraw from others around you and may lead to feelings of 
depression—which has been linked to increased pain."<br />

"It's essential to get out and do as much as you can so you don't 
become isolated," Sonty says. Rather than, say, skip a friend's party 
altogether because you don't think you can handle sitting for 5 hours, 
make it a point to go and stay for only an hour. Also, support groups 
can remind you that you're not alone and give you advice on how to 
better manage pain. Visit the American Chronic Pain Association to find one near you.</section></div>
</div>

6 Surprising Ways You're Causing Yourself Pain

Photograph by TommL/getty images ...