2019 March
How do you communicate your pain level with someone else?
Have you ever thought about this?
In this day and age of texting, fb-ing, tweeting, and who knows what else, in the end we want others to hear and understand what we say, don’t we?
Going from ‘in pain’ to ‘pain-free’ is a huge accomplishment. To be able to communicate that one’s neck does not hurt the way it did before is an amazing statement and to say that sometimes requires new vocabulary. Let me tell explain.
When a person has been used to saying “I hurt” for so long and then needs to express themselves differently, the way to do that may not be on the tip of their tongue.
I love the word ‘different’ to describe the process of going from ‘in pain’ to ‘not in pain’. Different seems to say “I feel so much better” AND does not ignore the fact that there still may be unresolved pain.
The person might fear the hearer thinks they are ‘fine’ when indeed they are ‘in process’. Wanting to communicate an accurate description of themselves, wanting to acknowledge remaining pain, not knowing how what they say is received, and wanting to make sure their massage therapist knows they still need more treatment a person might be tempted to refrain from saying they feel better because they don’t want me to be less therapeutic during their session.
It is always OK and safe to glory in your progress! I understand Rome was not built in a day and that the tip of the iceberg is just that — the tip. Letting me in on your progress is helpful feedback for me. So, let me celebrate small steps with you and be confident that I have not shut off my heat seeking laser!!!
Here are few ways to describe progress.
See if one works for you:
1. If feels different in a good way/in a bad way.
2. On a scale of 1-10, when I came in it was a 9; now it is a 5.
3. I’m not there but I’m going in the right direction.
4. This was helpful but not enough; I need more.
5. Tomorrow morning I will be able to tell more clearly; I have to let it sink in.
How do you describe your process?
Have a ‘different’ sorta day,
Monica
PS – I still have not made that banana bread! Oh my goodness! What I wouldn’t do for a piece!
Have you seen Columbus?