Imagine a future where your consciousness is stored in a hard drive attached to your neck. Your physical body is just a disposable “sleeve.” Something happens to it, who cares? You can just download yourself into a new body.
That’s the premise of a new show on Netflix, Altered Carbon, based on the 2002 novel of the same name. If such a future came to pass, you could live as recklessly as you want – dangerous activities, no exercise, eating whatever you want as much as you want whenever you want.
(Provided you have the money for that new sleeve – it doesn’t come free).
But here is the reality in which we live. One of our patients recently had to undergo surgery to address a severe disc herniation. They were in extreme pain and their condition was beyond their body’s ability to heal, even with Chiropractic care.
When surgery is the only resort
We’ve written before about the amazing machine that is the human body. It has a tremendous capacity to heal provided you give it a chance and a little help.
But there are limitations to matter. Sometimes, the damage is just too severe for the body to heal without resorting to more invasive methods – surgery.
A few weeks back, we looked at studies about the effectiveness of surgery for back pain, with the counsel that surgery should always be considered a last resort. Far too often, surgery is prescribed as the solution to chronic back pain without a precise diagnosis as to the cause of that pain. This carries the risk that the surgery will not provide adequate relief and/or may lead to other complications.
Sometimes, there is no doubt
But as was the case with that patient with the herniated disc, there is sometimes no doubt. The nature and effects of the injury are obvious. In this worst-case scenario, the severity of the injury is clearly beyond the body’s ability to heal.
Or at least, heal well. Even if surgery delivers the expected results, they may never be the same again. They may have to rely on a regular program of rehabilitation for years, maybe forever, to maintain as much function as possible. This can be difficult to accept.
How do you avoid this? Short of downloading your consciousness into a new “sleeve”, all you can do is take the best care of the body you have.
That begins by listening to what it tells you. Pay attention to those aches, pains, and complaints that grow more persistent over time. Having to take a painkiller on a regular basis, even if it is just one dose a day, is a red flag.
The cause of pain isn’t always obvious
Consider too that it’s sometimes difficult to pinpoint the cause of pain at an early stage. This makes it that much more vital to seek qualified medical help rather than shrug it off.
This is the time of year for all sorts of injuries – back strain from shoveling snow or slipping on ice, injuries from taking a tumble on the slopes or a hit to the boards during that hockey game, or whiplash from a fender-bender.
Listen to your body
If you have an accident or you are in pain, don’t ignore it. Seek medical attention. Perhaps Chiropractic is the answer?
The main thing is don’t let the problem worsen until surgery becomes your only recourse and your body has reached the point where a full recovery might no longer be possible.