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Holistic ways to help manage aches and pains with Dr Mark Hyman
Written byWholyMe
Reviewed byDr. Mark Hyman, MD
Is it possible to ‘tune in’ better to your body? And how can this help with aches and pains? Discover ideas from a doctor specialising in functional medicine
Summary
1What is holistic pain management?
If these terms are new to you, then here’s a quick overview. ‘Holistic’ means looking at treating the person as an individual...
2What about managing aches and pains?
There’s a phenomenon called hormesis,” says Dr Hyman, “which [essentially] means a stress that doesn't kill you makes you stronger...
3How can we keep up good habits?
“I always say if you want to change your habits, make them easy and actionable and automatic,” Dr Hyman says. “I always make...
According to a recent survey, over 10 million1 of us Brits are in chronic pain, while many others suffer with standard aches and pains that come and go. And naturally, a trip to your GP is the best place to start your path to relief.
However, if you don’t have an underlying condition, you might want to seek out more holistic – or fully connected – ways to manage or try to prevent those symptoms. That’s why WholyMe, a brand focussed on natural solutions for muscle and joint health, recently interviewed Dr Mark Hyman, an international leader in the field of ‘functional medicine’ (which involves looking at the root causes of pain and illness from different angles, and should only ever be considered alongside advice from your own medical professional).
The views expressed here are those of WholyMe and Dr Mark Hyman, so let’s find out what they had to say...
What is functional medicine and holistic pain management?
If these terms are new to you, then here’s a quick overview. ‘Holistic’ means looking at treating the person as an individual rather than focusing on the injury or disease – some of which may be experimental – and functional medicine means putting this approach into practice. He talks regularly about inflammation and the role it might have in many health complaints today.
“There are many different ways to deal with pain or discomfort”
For Dr Hyman, everything begins with listening to your body. “Most of us don’t stop and tune in or check in and listen,” he says. “I was trained that if someone has pain you give them an anti-inflammatory drug, so, we didn’t really learn anything else about how to take care of pain.”
“But there are many other ways to deal with pain or discomfort”, he continues. “Acupuncture, massages, different kinds of body work or physical therapy treatments can all be very effective.”
What role can post-workout recovery play in managing aches and pains?
“There’s a phenomenon called hormesis,” says Dr Hyman, “which [essentially] means a stress that doesn't kill you makes you stronger. In terms of exercise, it means the more you do, the more you can push yourself a little further the next time. Exercise is a stress to your body where you’re tearing muscle fibres (not an injury) or you’re exerting yourself. Your body has to recover from that in order to repair, rebuild and make you stronger.”
“If you want to change your habits, make them easy, actionable and automatic”
“One of the things that people don’t recognise is the importance of post-exercise recovery,” he continues. “Try hot and cold therapy – cold plunges are great for inflammation. Also, different kinds of body work, stretching and lymphatic draining can all be very helpful. And personally, I find that an Epsom salt bath is my go to thing.”
How can we keep up good habits, including those related to pain management?
“I always say if you want to change your habits, make them easy and actionable and automatic,” Dr Hyman says. “I always make sure what I need for my routine is right there.”
“For example, I have all the ingredients for my protein shake on my kitchen counter and my workout equipment in my living room,” he explains. And the same goes for those anti-inflammatory ideas too: “rather than buying a cold plunge, I have a bathtub that’s filled with cold water.” And our tip? If you’re already comfortable with cold water, try freezing bottles of water for extra ice appeal...
The final say
Finding ways to proactively manage or prevent aches and pains – in combination with advice and treatment from your medical professional – doesn’t have to be complicated.
One of the best ways could be spotting the symptoms early and taking time to relax and recover when you need to, especially after exercise.
This content is paid for by WholyMe and based on their interview material.
The information in this article should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies.
Before taking any supplements or minerals, it’s best to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients through your diet first.
This article contains the thoughts of Dr Mark Hyman and Holland & Barrett cannot be held responsible for them.
- Media Resources | British Pain Society [Internet]. www.britishpainsociety.org. Available from: https://www.britishpainsociety.org/media-resources/
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