Episode 18 -Are there lifestyle changes that can help alleviate symptoms of chronic illness?”

Sex & Wellness with Dr. Mary

Today let’s get into how you can manage chronic pain and illness. There are many things that Western medicine cannot explain. For example, if you’ve had back pain for seven years and you go to a clinic or a healthcare professional, chances are they will ask you to have an X-ray, MRI, and some blood work. If they don’t find anything, you will continue to have symptoms and you will be dismissed.
This is what I see in the clinic day in and day out when people come to me for help. With alternative treatments, we look into the mental health component and your lifestyle to hopefully help with your management for chronic pain and illness.
I personally experienced going through chronic pain and illness that’s why I want to help you get through it the way that I did! Give this episode a listen to learn more about how physical therapy and other alternative treatments can help you!
Let’s talk about:

• 0:35 – Introduction to today’s topic
• 0:54 – Some truth about western medicine
• 1:46 – The components that are not often looked into for people who have chronic pain and illness
• 2:41 – My own experience with going through chronic pain and illness and how it all started
• 4:40 – What I find in majority of people I see that have chronic pain and illness and the effects of being in a fight or flight mode all the time
• 7:01 – One of the biggest things that helped me with trauma that I went through growing up
• 8:38 – When did my first symptoms of chronic pain and illness appeared
• 9:24 – Gaslighting: What is it and how I was gaslit before
• 11:48 – How a psychotherapist helped me and how it can help you too
• 13:06 – Looking into the central nervous system: What happens when you’re in fight or flight mode, symptoms that you might be in that mode, why is it important to realize if you’re in this mode, and how you can get out of this mode
• 17:39 – Looking into your nutrition and lifestyle: How food and lifestyle affects your chronic pain and illness
• 22:21 – How does therapy actually help you: Breaking down the benefits
• 24:21 – Therapy and medication: When does medication usually come into play
• 27:30 – Looking into the people that you’re around with all the time, how they affect you, and how to bring back joy in your life
• 29:36 – The importance of understanding how you’re talking to yourself day in day out and understanding what triggers your chronic pain and illness
• 30:23 – Importance and benefits of tracking your period cycle
• 32:06 – How can you support yourself once you’ve identified your triggers
• 33:16– Why people with IBS tend to get triggered more
• 34:43 – How will the emotional diary and tracking help you in managing your symptoms
• 37:15 – Conclusion

If you have any other questions or topics you want to talk about, send me a message on Instagram. And if you loved this episode, please leave me a rating and a comment with your feedback. Please share this with your friends and loved ones, too!

I also have a free resource for you if you're struggling with bladder urgency: https://resilient-rx.com/bladderdiary/

I’ll see you in two weeks!