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Just Breathe!

Have you ever noticed that your body tends to "tense up" in response to discomfort?  If not, maybe it's worth paying attention to.  Many of us actually hold our breath during those difficult moments...





I recently read a column written by Sarah Anne Shockley about this very topic.  Ms. Shockley suffers from thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition in which nerves, muscles and blood vessels are compressed in her thorax, making something as simple as breathing very difficult to do without pain.
After years of attempts to treat the condition with physical therapy, medications, meditation, exercise and such, she found little to no relief.
With a little thought and some experimentation, Ms. Shockley came to discover a whole new approach to her condition. Her breathing awareness technique evolved; this has done much to help her cope with her condition. 

I have often stated in this blog that it takes some trial and error on the part of the patient to find what is optimal for a given situation.  Thank you Ms. Shockley for illustrating this point so perfectly for all of us!

You can read Ms. Shockley's full column by clicking here.

Sources: Pain News Network; Flickr
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