The back has always been a place to carry a burden. Throughout time, people and animals have used their backs to move heavy objects and perform manual labor. Humans have used their back muscles to accomplish difficult tasks since the dawn of the species.
Back pain is mentioned throughout history, but rarely as a chronic or significant event in a person’s life. That is until the last fifty or so years ago, when chronic back pain became an epidemic condition which now affects more than 85% of people at some point in their lives.
Why is the back such a common location to experience severe and persistent pain? During the course of this article, we will find out.
The Back in Literature
Many literary references have been made to shouldering a burden or carrying the weight of the world on a person’s back. These terms are sometimes used to describe an actual physical heavy load, but are far more likely to be used to describe a condition of carrying emotional weight and internal anguish.
The emotions have powerful and far reaching effects on our lives and interact with the logical mind and physical anatomy on a constant basis. Doctors now know that every condition of health and disease are caused, or contributed to, by the interactions of the emotional spirit.
Actually, the very word disease comes from the roots “dis” and “ease”, meaning an emotional state lacking internal peace.
The Back and Suffering
Just as we carry emotional turmoil on our backs, we also suffer the physical consequences of this heavy burden. Back pain is known to strike suddenly and at times of elevated stress. Dorsalgia can be completely debilitating one day and virtually gone the next.
Back ache is the most agonizing event a person will likely suffer in their lifetime, but often exists in a completely functional adult. Back pain creates horrific physical symptoms, but its true power lies in the fear it strikes into the heart and soul of every affected patient. Back ache is also the perfect weapon when used by repressed emotional issues to control the actions of the physical body.
My Personal View on the Back
Throughout my decades spent suffering with back pain, I developed a love/hate relationship with my back. I tried to love it by pampering it and doing everything I could to keep it strong and healthy. However, despite my best efforts, the hate always returned when my back would suddenly let me down and suffer a relapse of acute and blinding pain.
As the years passed, my back developed chronic pain, in addition to the bouts of acute flare-ups and muscle spasms. Towards the last few years of my suffering, I was in complete misery 24/7 and never saw a moment of relief from my poor aching back. I knew that my life was ruined and that back pain would indeed cause me to suffer a cruel and early death. I was sure of this fact just a few years ago.
Luckily for me, I came upon the literary works of Dr. John Sarno and was able to recover from my pain 100%. I used the same techniques to cure my chronic wrist and knee pain, which I had always blamed on martial arts training. Best of all, knowledge therapy also resolved my long standing battle with stomach discomfort.
I have a completely new outlook on the future now and my old battles with pain seem like another lifetime ago. However, I can never forget the pain I endured. Although it has left my body a long time ago, I can still feel the scars in my heart and soul. My back pain left an indelible impression in the core of my very being. It is this memory which drives me to work towards helping others. I know what you are going through. I know your pain. I lived your pain.
Despite having found a true cure myself, I work tirelessly to help others. This website is the result of my efforts and has been credited with helping tens of thousands of people to find lasting relief. Can we help you? Yes. However, you must first help yourself by becoming more active in your own care and learning that the best advocate for your health is truly yourself.
