When discussing the concept of healing the body, it becomes apparent that we’ve recognized a need but may not always proceed with best practice. Healthcare is a multi-billion-dollar industry that focuses on how to feel better when a problem occurs. One concept that’s often missed is what’s taking place in all parts of your body.
We drive cars, operate appliances, use electrical tools, and focus on computers. Often, the body is overlooked as one of the most intricate machines around. Instead of focusing on each part individually, it’s important to remember that you have multiple working systems, and your body functions as a whole.
This idea is realized but is often overlooked due to how our medical system is constructed. Doctors go to school for many years to become specialized in a certain area. Therefore, it is common for you to see multiple doctors for various aches, pains, or issues. While their training promotes better quality and knowledge of specific parts of the body, it lacks the generalizations of a whole view. This is even true with general practitioners at times and can be detrimental when you have multiple needs.
In This Article
General Overview for Healing the Body
Our widespread medical overlap cannot be blamed on an individual, but rather our recording and medical systems. Each specialist is using their training, but it’s our lack of ability to combine the input that drives the issue.
Although each of us is not specially medically trained, you do have one superior point of view from any medical professional. You know your own body. This should be the main focus for all types of healing no matter what areas are involved.
It would be impossible to address every situation here that may need medical attention. Our intention is to better understand the importance of a physical healing viewpoint.
Let’s look at an example. Patient A has been feeling very fatigued, has confusion, headaches, occasional chest pains, a change in appetite, and intermittent tingling in his fingers. After going to multiple physicians, the issue is still a mystery. He has received input from specialists as to what might be taking place, yet weeks later is still experiencing symptoms.
One afternoon, patient A laid down to take a nap. As his wife was working nearby, she realized that he was restless and holding his breathe while sleeping. After reporting this to the doctor, he received a sleep study and equipment to help with sleep apnea. Almost all his symptoms disappeared in the weeks that followed.
While healthcare may include testing different approaches, this scenario shows that we have important input as a part of the situation. Always remember, without thorough information to the medial professional, issues can easily be missed or overlooked.
As mentioned, your body should be addressed as a whole, and each area considered when identifying points for healing.
Physical
Physical ailments more commonly receive attention simply because they are usually the first and most notable when there’s an issue. This could include aches, pains, musculoskeletal disorders, skin situations/wounds, heart and lungs, and joint/tissue inflammation just a name a few. We’ll consider anything that is detectable physically within your body systems as a part this category. It may be seen by you, or internally via scan, bloodwork, or test. We’ll take a closer look at this point in this article.
Mental and Emotional
This category is sometimes more difficult to detect but is of equal importance to your physical being. We’ll consider mental situations as stemming from the brain. This may affect your thinking, mood, and/or behavior. It could include hormone imbalance, neuropathway interruption, and brain function among other things. Since our emotions stem from thoughts, we will include them here as well. Some terms you may have heard associated with this category are anxiety, depression, personality disorders, dementia, etc. In addition, it is possible to experience degrees of these situations without having a clinical diagnosis. View this article on healing the body from a mind and emotional perspective.
Spiritual
The spiritual category is not recognized in traditional medicine but plays an important role. Although opinions abound with this idea, it’s impossible to leave off the concept of being grounded at your core when addressing whole body health. While a variety of beliefs exist, the point that we are part of a bigger entity is vital when looking at healing. Your spiritual being can be “injured” or “ill” just as the rest of your body. If we only focus on the mind and physical aspects, we miss the foundational concepts that exist for clarity and overall wellness. View this article about spiritual healing for a deeper understanding.
What to Recognize for Physical Healing
We’ve looked at three areas that are each a part of your whole body. Here, we will address the category of physical healing. You’ve seen an example in this category and have likely leaned in toward any issue you currently recognize. Consider it as we move forward.
In this section, we’ll go over points for attention, how you view them, and action steps to begin taking for healing.
What’s Your Healing Focus?
This discussion is one of the most vital to consider before ever attempting a diagnosis, making an appointment, or starting a healing process. Although we’re covering physical healing, it’s impossible to separate the mental aspect. A view of what you’ve already experienced, are dealing with currently, or any assumptions you’ve established readily come into play. Because you’re a whole person, you cannot separate these concepts.
Aside from a health emergency, before taking the first—or next—step, recognize your own view of the situation. You should never rely fully on others, even medical professionals, to determine your insight or opinion of the situation.
Deciding to take control of your thoughts and decisions is a key point in maintaining balance of your physical healing. This often surfaces with patients when they have aimlessly followed every recommendation given and have health regret. It is especially common when you have multiple doctors or others giving you input. While it’s not always easy, it’s an imperative part of healing and wellness to understand that you have rights when it comes to your health. This is true when dealing with friends, family, healthcare workers, and anyone else that seems determined to guide your health steps for you.
The sooner you take control and become an advocate, the more whole you’ll begin to feel. It’s alright to rely on professionals to give their input, but never assume they should solely make your decisions. Every recommendation comes with an opportunity. In addition, we should stay alert to what goes on behind the scenes in healthcare.
Pain and Interruptions Before Healing
Now that we’ve established how critical your ability to advocate and decide is, let’s put that into action.
It’s not uncommon to feel an ache or pain, or more severe issue, and ignore it. A continuous question we hear is, “Should I have this looked at?” Let’s identify two categories of people where ailments are concerned.
One group is quick to jump at anything they feel, or suspect, may be an issue. This group is known to the general population as hypochondriacs. Medical workers may feel that they are frequent flyers. This group assumes anything that seems different must be a problem.
The other end of the spectrum is a group that never thinks they have an issue, even when it’s clearly detected. Instead of yearly checkups, they bid they’re in perfect health. Always. Even when an issue arises, they excuse away the possibility that something is awry. This group also includes those that suspect a situation but would rather “wait it out” to see what happens.
As you can imagine, a middle ground approach is the healthy one to choose. Balance is key.
Waiting or Acting?
So, when is it appropriate to make a move? This is part of the point of advocacy and patient’s right. It’s great that we’re able to approach this anytime due to availability of healthcare facilities. Unless awaiting a referral, we don’t have to delay an initial visit for physical intervention, although it does happen.
The most common reasons given for delaying care are cost, inconvenience, and fear of answers. While these are all possibilities, decision making should be considered based on physical need rather than other circumstances. Some physical ailments are more serious than others and shouldn’t be ignored. Taking correct steps can keep you from developing chronic injuries or further issues. A general rule is that you should likely have something checked if you are questioning it. This can decrease health regret.
Steps for Change When Healing the Body
We’ve established overall mindset for a healthy approach. Now let’s look at action steps that can be used for physical healing.
1. Be Proactive
In addition to advocacy when initiating and attending medical visits, it’s important to take a daily approach to physical healing. In addition to a particular diagnosis, there are other situations that need attention.
This includes any physical point that creates a setback, alters your normal situations, or interrupts your status quo of the body’s systems. Instead of assuming it’s nothing, or overlooking it, try a sharper focus. It might be necessary for you to write down symptoms, aches, pains, and levels where you’re affected. This creates a way to look back on and review any issues.
Staying proactive allows you to identify areas that need attention, especially when minimal or in the beginning stages of a situation. Take time to focus on and listen to your body daily.
2. Assess Your Physical Needs
Once you identify any area of physical issue, you can decide next steps. Is it something that should be seen by a professional such as in physical therapy? Are there interventions that you can take to help the situation? Some examples of this could be ice, heat, stretching, hydration, increasing sleep, and many other ideas.
The point is not to solely manage your healthcare, and ignore larger medical needs, but to actively address any areas you personally can. This also helps to recognize more weighted circumstances when they arise. A common complaint involves medical gaslighting when attempting to address needs. Stay aware and proactive to avoid this situation.
One example is to consider what you’re eating. This is always an important point, but especially when there’s a need for bone healing, joint integrity, and to decrease inflammation. There are numerous food guides that can assist you in these steps. One that brings attention to decreasing inflammation is specifically useful. As always, consult your physician if you question any choices.
3. Follow Through for Physical Healing
We’ve looked at taking control of your health, recognizing physical needs honestly, and the importance of assessing them. Once these steps have been taken, your follow-through is the key to success. It’s easier to recognize issues and realize that you can make changes, but doing it is another story. Especially continuously. It must be a daily intention.
Part of this category is having the motivation to keep taking steps. Healing takes time, especially if there’s a more involved situation. If it’s something that you’re personally addressing, make sure you’re doing it correctly, and keep going. Try not to get overwhelmed with outcomes.
One important point to mention is that physical healing can change from a personal focus to needing a medical professional. This may be the case if you have not seen change or are experiencing additional issues. Even so, if your care is addressed by a medical worker, remember you’re still in control of decisions and personal advocacy.
Goals for Successful Physical Healing Outcomes
We’ve established action steps when considering physical healing, now let’s look at long-term outcomes and how to be successful.
1. Make and Keep a Plan
If your healing involves a professional, they will recommend next steps. A key to success with physical healing is consistency. This is the case especially if you’re individually handling the situation. The more consistency you have, the more balanced you can become and stay.
Ideas for intervention include anything from stretching tight muscles, to range of motion for limited joints, and even treatment of open skin or wounds.
When setting a plan, deeper understanding of interventions is important. Although people often think of one or two points for healing, we need to remember the concept of overall body health. When keeping the right mindset, we continue to experience consistency with complete involvement. That means eating, sleeping, physical activity, hydration, and any specific point of focus for healing your issue.
Body awareness is important when setting and keeping a plan for healing.
2. Assess Your Physical Progress
Like a proactive fitness plan, you should commit to the physical healing plan you set. Once you’ve established an avenue that can be used to promote this, keep going. During the progression, it’s important to assess your success.
This can be done by journaling progress or even times when you don’t see much change. Don’t become discouraged but instead use the data to continue or alter your steps.
Since healing is usually a slow progression, it’s important to maintain good record of any changes that take place and formulate a secondary plan if not much happens. Honest and continuous assessment is imperative to progress. This is the same technique that takes place therapeutically in medical settings.
3. Allow Others to Motivate Not Enable
One difficult reality that I hear mentioned over again when dealing with physical healing is discouragement when changes aren’t seen quickly. This is especially true when there are expectations for healing as is commonly the case.
It might be understood to be a slow process. However, that doesn’t usually fit with our desire when trying to feel better or reach a conclusion to the situation. Finding this out the “hard way” creates discouragement, difficulties emotionally, and even depression when an issue is prolonged.
A point for focus is to consider allowing others to encourage or motivate your progression. This is a great way to keep moving forward and even have help assessing. One key to remember is that you’re still the best advocate for your health. With that, allow others to boost your confidence, but stay in control of decisions and the pathway you’re taking.
Final Thoughts About Physical Healing
It’s important to realize that your body systems are connected and can be affected. There are many ideas that go into physical healing, and these should be intentional and pointed. Health and healing include physical, mental, and spiritual.
Various ideas we discussed are those for change and success of healing. After numerous years of dealing with therapeutic healing, it has become apparent that expectations run high, and disappointment quickly sets in. A high percentage of people feel that their healing is slow and invasive. It’s important to continue progression and stay consistent with healing. Use these points to gain a healthy focus on physical healing and wellness.