Pain is a negative feeling that can affect our life, emotions, and our ability to work. Millions of people suffer from chronic pain, either physical or emotional, sometimes both.

Most of us understand that pain is a natural response to something in the body that is not right. But when the pain is affecting our quality of life, we need to find a way to either remove it, or reduce it.

Physical pain can lead to emotional pain; emotional pain can lead to physical pain. Conventional medicine can offer temporary relief usually by the use of pain killers, but this offers no long-term solution.

Long term use of pain killers can do harm to our body, our brain, and our emotional health. Therefore, many people have been seeking natural methods to reduce pain, and even to eliminate pain.

There are several kinds of the pain: physical pain, emotional pain, pain from somatic memory, and drug or substance induced pain.

Physical pain can be caused from previous injuries either chronic or acute. It may be caused by poor posture, or even poor posture in the past.

Pain can be caused by weight issues that affect body joints, muscles and the spine. It may come from structural problems such as scoliosis, pressure on nerves from a bone spur. Anxiety and stress create tension in the body leading to pain.

Pain can also be caused by inflammation; such is the case with arthritis, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, and other inflammatory ailments. Physical pain in the body is a symptom of stagnation. In Chinese medicine, we call this: “stagnation of Qi and Blood” (Bu Tong Ze Tong).

Emotional pain can often be the main source of a lot of physical pain. Many people don’t understand the relationship between emotional pain and physical pain, but it is very important to understand this.

Research studies have shown that there is evidence that emotional and spiritual pain does cause physical pain. Emotional pain can be of the type called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It can also be caused by depression, anxiety, and quite often, stress.

Other causes of pain may be related to social causes. These include having trouble trying to assimilate to the culture, trying to fit in. Cultural differences can make people feel self-conscious, cause issues in personal relationships, and cause job related issues.

Some pain can be from somatic memory, which means that the body remembers the pain from the past. The person can feel the pain even while there is no clear physical reason for it.

This kind of pain can be worsened when the individual thinks about the past. In the other words, the pain is amplified when you recall negative experiences even from the distant past.

Some pain can be caused from over using drugs or other substances that affect the mind and the body. Many people have probably already experienced this, or know someone who has.