F
Have you noticed lately that the first response to the question,
“How are you?” is typically, “I’m tired.”
There is a general feeling of fatigue, weariness, and even resignation in our minds and bodies, no doubt a confluence of COVID-19, increased polarization of ideologies, melding with our already busy lives. As Billy Joel wrote: “I found that just surviving was a noble fight.”
SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?
I remember an aspirin commercial from many years ago with a voice over saying, “Stress creates tension, puts pressure on sensitive nerves, so take_____” (I forgot the brand!)
My kids thought I was nuts as I yelled at the TV,
“Just take the pressure off the sensitive nerves!!!”
My “light bulb theory”
We have 24 vertebrae which protect our spinal nerves which go to every single cell in the body. When that vertebra goes out of position, the opening that the spinal nerve goes through gets smaller and puts “pressure on sensitive nerves.” When I move that vertebra back into position, the opening gets bigger and there is no longer “pressure on sensitive nerves.”
My light bulb theory is that each of our 24 vertebrae are like dimmer switches on a light bulb. When the vertebrae go out of position, it is like turning down the dimmer switches so that less energy goes to the rest of the body.
My job is to check all the dimmer switches and make sure that they are turned up all the way so your body can get the fullest energy possible.
IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT PAIN!
Of course, pinched nerves are the cause of many types of pain. Neck pain, back pain, burning or numbness into the arms or legs, headaches, just to name a few.
The same pinched nerves that cause pain are the same ones that cause you to be tired, have lower energy, and, to quote Aerosmith:
“My get up and go must’ve got up and went.”
ONE SLIGHT PROBLEM
My light bulb theory continues by saying that, if we are born 100-watt lightbulbs and our dimmer switches get turned down by Life, I can turn them back on to give you back your 100 watts.
HOWEVER, as we age and perhaps get injured, we are no longer 100-watt lightbulbs, perhaps only 75-watt lightbulbs. I can turn up your dimmer switches (move bones back where they belong) but I can only give you back 75 watts.
This is where exercise, healthy eating, stress management, and proper sleep become even more important.
This always reminds me of a funny story about an elderly woman, who, after I explained all of this to her, said to me, “well, I must be a nightlight then!”
AGAIN, IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT PAIN
Schedule an “tune-up and an oil change” while you still have no real symptoms, understanding now that fatigue is a very real symptom.
I will turn up all your “dimmer switches” to full so you can enjoy the most energy of which your body is capable.
