About a month and a half ago, I injured my neck and subsequently went through one of the most physically painful events of my life. Though, extremely unpleasant, I was given a unique opportunity to try out a number of the holistic treatments for pain that I so often recommend for patients. What’s more though, I was extremely blessed by how this circumstance built community and connection between myself and those around me!

So you may be wondering how I injured my neck…if so – I’m happy to tell you. It is a cautionary tale in trusting your instincts, and following through with what you know to be true.

Early last week, I took a big Physio Ball home. I had wanted to show my son, Samuel, how to use it to stretch out his back. Instead of stretching however, we ended up playing with the physio ball outside… We tried throwing it, kicking it, and after no time at all, my son began ‘heading’ the ball like they do in soccer. As a father, my instincts kicked in and I warned him that it was not the best choice – as he could injure his neck. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t heed my own advice and I decided to give it a try! …and I tweaked MY neck. It only hurt a little bit so I wasn’t overly worried. I went to bed thinking it would probably be better in the morning.

But I was wrong.

Holistic Treatments For Pain

At 3 am I awoke with excruciating pain. As you would expect, I have a host of holistic treatments for pain at my disposal. I took them ALL. These included:

• Condura – an herbal energetic remedy for pain, inflammation and injury
• Guna – Anti-Interleukin 1 – a homeopathic for pain
• Guna – Spasm
• T-Relief
• Relief RX – A topical gel for pain relief
• Burbur/Pinella
• Parsley

The thing that helped the most, however, was doing a Vinegar Sea Salt Scrub with infra red heat. Once I had the remedies in my system and combined it with the scrub…The pain was reduced to a level where I was finally able to fall back to sleep.

The following morning was slightly better, but as the day went on the pain began to increase once more. My wife and son performed a Ki therapy on me which helped quite a bit. However, the 2nd night was again very rough. I used all of the same holistic treatments for pain, with the addition of an epsom salt bath with apple cider vinegar (which decreases inflammation). As I lay in the bath I also did the Wim Hof Breathing Method which relaxed me into a nice sleep.

The Importance of Community & Connection

On the third day, my amazing wife, who had been encouraging me during this time, decided that I needed more help. Concerned, she asked Dr. Flagg to treat me. Dr. Flagg is an Osteopathic mentor of mine and a longtime friend who just happened to be visiting. I honestly believed the pain would subside at any moment, and hadn’t mentioned to him the level of discomfort I was in.

Dr. Flagg was happy to help. He gave me an osteopathic treatment. Our nurse treated me using the Stim Flex device. This device is used to touch points of the ear that are connected to the acupuncture meridians. It was originally recommended to me by a pain specialist. It works to free up the energy that is stuck in the painful area and brings relaxation. After the treatment I was so relaxed I actually fell asleep. Dr. Flagg treated me a couple more times over the next several days and by Monday afternoon I was 100% pain free!

So why do I share all of this with you? Because it is a great example of how holistic care works. It may not mask the pain by suppressing it, but it encourages the body to heal. This can take time, and the use of different remedies & modalities… but it’s well worth the effort.

However, the greatest meaning for me in this injury was in building connection. You have often heard me talk and write about the importance of community…how it can literally impact your health for the better. In this case my experience allowed me to build trust in my friends and family. They stepped up when I needed them, gave me love and support and blessed me beyond measure. My wife reached out for help when I didn’t do it myself. And Dr. Flagg was not only available to treat me, but he came into my office, covered me, and treated my patients on Thursday and Friday. His presence allowed me to step back and reduce my load for an easier recovery. It truly was a divine intervention given to me by God. I am so thankful for His grace and the beautiful community He has given me!

If you are currently suffering with acute or chronic pain. Come see us. We would love to support you in your healing journey. We have many holistic treatments for pain to help you feel better!