What would you say if you knew that a pain management program had a remarkably high success rate? And what if the program could treat you without drugs or surgery? What if it’s also simple and involves no heavy equipment? I’d say, “tell me more!”
While training for a summer week-long bike ride a few months ago, I injured my back. I was in major pain a mere month out from our trip. The fact that I have a childhood scoliosis diagnosis wasn’t helping.
Are you one of those who suffer from chronic back or neck pain?
No matter how much I trained or rested, adjusted my bike seat and handlebars, the pain was moving all over my back and into my neck. Over margaritas with friends, (margaritas do take the edge off 🙂 ) one of them asked if I was familiar with a pain management program called the Egoscue Method. (pronounced “eh-goss-cue”) Had never heard of it and I’m pretty in tune to the many healing modalities out there. My friend raved about how much it had helped her while living in LA with previous pain issues and noted that they had a Denver location! With a month out until the trip, what did I have to lose?? And guess what I learned and have gained! I have to share! I am one of those success stories!
At my first appointment, therapist Eric Tighe had me walk across the room a few times. “Did you know you’re a little knock-kneed?” he asked. And because of that, I tend to walk on the insides of my feet. That in turn negatively affects my knees, hips, back and shoulders. WHO KNEW??? Within two additional appointments, I wasn’t hurting by 50%! Eric walked me through a custom group of exercises designed just for me and my body, followed by a printout to follow at home. I was going to be okay, and actually ENJOY this trip. At the end of eight sessions I was walking and biking pain free. He also gave me exercises to do on the long flight. Plane rides can really lock us up, right?! I love Eric’s enthusiasm and passion for honestly wanting to help his clients feel better. Not only is he professional but easy to be with and very kind.
Did you know that medications and injections will quit working at some point?
What I LOVE about this program is that it was developed so that a person can actually manage, minimize and alleviate their pain on their own. I wouldn’t need an emergency visit to see my chiropractor. I continue to see Eric here and there so that he can help me make tweaks where muscle memory hasn’t quite taken hold. I’m standing taller, my feet are more balanced, my knees, hips and shoulders are better aligned and I’m pain free! Without pain medication!! If you are committed to living without pain and you follow the exercise program, you do have the opportunity to live pain free!
I’m so excited to share this pain management healing modality with you my readers and so I asked Eric if he’d write a guest blog post and tell you more.
Welcome Guest Blogger Eric Tighe!
Could your posture be causing some of your pain?
As a child, your mother likely told you that you needed to, “stand up straight,” or, “stop slouching.” She probably also said something similar to, “if you keep making that face, it will get stuck that way.” Well, this is not the first time you are hearing this, but your mother was right. Our bodies are pattern machines. We learn how to walk, talk, write, sit, stand, run, and everything else through patterns. And these patterns are what allow us to walk down the street at the same time that we text without tripping over our own feet (most of the time). You can often see this pattern development when watching young children learn to stand or walk. Our bodies regularly accomplish physical actions through the patterns that we have learned. But what happens when there is pain during movement? What are our patterns doing then?
Many knee surgeries can be avoided with proper exercise and re-alignment through the Egoscue method.
It is likely that you or someone you know is experiencing persistent and even debilitating pain. Maybe it is sciatic pain, or maybe you have a chronically achy knee, or maybe you are one of the 80% of Americans that will experience low back pain during their lifetime. You have tried seeing the doctor, you have tried physical therapy, you may have even had a surgery or be scheduled to have one soon in an attempt to relieve this pain that limits you. But what if I told you that your bum knee might not have anything to do with your knee? Or that your hip position might be the culprit that causes your back pain? This is where the Egoscue Method comes to into play.
Cuts will scab over and heal; broken bones will mend; bruises will fade away. These are all examples of your body healing. But why doesn’t your body heal the chronic pain that you feel? Well, what if I told you that the patterns your body has learned were what was causing you pain? Would that sound totally unrealistic to you? If it does, I completely understand. It is hard to admit that something as simple as the way you stand or the muscles that you use to walk down the street might have been the menace behind your pain. It is hard to admit that it could be that simple of a solution. However, this is what I see day after day with the people that practice the Egoscue Method.
Young teens are at higher risk of back and neck pain with poor posture and the hours spent with computers.
I have a challenge for you. This may be uncomfortable, but lets give it a shot. Go find a full-length mirror and stand in front of it. What do you notice about your body? Once you get past the inevitable “I could stand to lose a few pounds”, you may start to notice that your body does not seem balanced. Does one of your shoulders sit higher than the other? Do your arms sit at your sides or do they start to drape towards the front of your body? Now look from the side. Do your hips sit directly over top your ankles or are they pushed forward? How about your head, does it sit right over top your shoulders, or is it also pushed forward? These simplistic things could be the key to unlocking your limitation-free life. I encourage you to give a call to your local Egoscue clinic or check out a copy of the book Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain by Pete Egoscue. Be one of the millions that have taken care of pain without drugs or needles or pills. Be pain free.
About Eric Tighe
Eric enjoys the common sense, whole-body approach to health and happiness that the Egoscue Method provides. Seeing how chronic pain has affected close family and friends, Eric is passionate about helping others end their agony. According to Eric, “with this method, the client is given the controls to steer their own ship instead of being a backseat passenger. I really believe that anyone truly desiring to be out of pain will have the ability to achieve that goal.”
Raised in Maryland enjoying the outdoors as an Eagle Scout, Eric was drawn to Colorado for the endless adventures. In his spare time he enjoys snowboarding the epic peaks of Colorado as well as rooting for his Maryland sports teams. He attended the University of Maryland where he received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an Honors Citation. He also worked in a Physical Therapy office for two years, further expanding his knowledge of the human body and its movements.
Who is Pete Egoscue?
Created by Pete Egoscue in the 1970s, the Egoscue Method is the world leader in non-medical pain relief with over 25 clinics worldwide. This method has helped thousands of people tap into their own body’s ability to heal itself of chronic pain. Pete was wounded in Vietnam, with pain and limitations he wasn’t willing to accept. He believes that alleviating pain by injecting drugs, replacing joints or simply resting an injury rarely corrects the underlying problem. And thus, his quest. His program focuses on the role of alignment and posture in improved bodily function. At the heart of the Egoscue philosophy is the belief that the human body was designed to move.
Pete’s other books include: The Egoscue Method of Health Through Motion, Pain Free for Women, and Pain Free at Your PC.
With the Egoscue Method, you can heal yourself and live pain free!
If you’re interested in learning more about the Egoscue Pain Management system, I encourage you to go to the website and see if there’s a clinic near you. And if there isn’t a clinic nearby, they can help you through Skype and FaceTime! Trust me, if you’ve been suffering for years or even just a few months, this is a program well worth your time! It’s a longer-term solution and YOU do have the ability to heal yourself. If you wake up with that usual back pain, guess what-you can be taught some simple tools for getting relief immediately. How great is that!
Peace and good health!
Sources:
http://egoscue.com
http://www.egoscue.com/denver-co – Eric Tighe, Denver, CO location
http://www.egoscue.com/boulder-co – Boulder, CO location
http://www.shareguide.com/Egoscue.html – Interview with Pete Egoscue
http://www.sonima.com/author/pete-egoscue/
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