Dooley Noted: 11/3/2014
One of my patients is a musician. She gave me permission to share this story.
Her shoulder pain was persistent for a number of years when we recently started working together.
One sees signs of rotator cuff tendinitis on imaging. Her signs and symptoms are consistent with this pattern.
She has full shoulder range of motion. No surgeon wants to touch her, since her range is not limited by structural changes.
I feel lucky that I get to help her.
And recently, she taught me something important.
I asked her when she has the most discomfort. She noted it was intermittent and hard to predict.
I asked if she ever felt the pain during her performances.
Then she said it.
“Oh, no way. I never feel the pain when I play.”
Perhaps it’s the mixture of excitement and thousands of people watching and listening to her.
Or, it’s one simple fact: We only feel what our brains allow us to perceive.
Call it distraction.
Call it adrenaline.
But the pain is not just structural, if you can switch it off by changing your focus.
Do everything in your power not to focus on the pain.
Do everything in your power to focus on creating a movement pathway to see yourself out of the pain.
See if positional changes matter.
See if changes in focus matter.
Don’t assume you’re undergoing structural changes if you do have pain. Don’t fear your pain.
Learn to better understand it.
You’ll have an improved chance of being able to see yourself out of it.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley