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Magical Medical Tour: Heal

Glenn Wollman

After 30 years in Emergency Medicine and many years as a Medical Guide, it has become apparent that, as a species, we’re much better at getting injured than at healing. Every day, fascination and frustration enter my consciousness while observing people in various stages of dissatisfactory recovery. For example, I treated a young healthy adult who jogged 15 miles each day as part of his training regimen for the police force. He came to me because of severe headaches. After an extensive diagnostic work-up eliminating the very serious causes of headaches, I determined that it might be the running. Of course, anyone who jogs knows and loves that “endorphin high.” He didn’t want to stop jogging but agreed to do so for a month. His headaches disappeared. He was so happy – and yet he started jogging again. The headaches returned.

Here are some of the basic principles I have followed on my own healing journey and offer to my patients and clients for their healing journeys:

In general, I would always include my six categories for vibrant health: proper exercise, nutrition, stress management, sleep management, Spirituality, and patterns of behavior. By addressing these categories, one begins to practice Preparatory Medicine. This ensures that you will be in the best condition before anything detrimental to your health occurs.

The first and most important aspect of healing is KNOWLEDGE. This includes a basic understanding of anatomy. When you hurt yourself, you can figure out what you actually hurt (ligament, tendon, muscle, bone) and what it will take to prevent more hurting and begin healing. It is important to understand the body’s programmed responses to injury and inflammation. This brings up an important point. Although colleagues have varying opinions, I would suggest NOT taking nsaids (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen) at the very beginning of an injury. The inflammatory response is natural and necessary and should be allowed for a certain amount of time. Other treatments and medications can be used to address pain.

The second aspect is to HONOR the injury and the healing. Assume that when you get hurt, that is “time zero.” This is the best moment to start the healing and, even more importantly, stop the injury process. The longer the interval between time zero and the point where you accept the process, the less likely your chances are for optimal healing**. Another aspect needing to be honored is your age and how quickly you recover from anything. As aging progresses, it takes longer to heal.

The Third is CLARITY. Be very clear as to what you really want as a goal after you get hurt. Don’t fool yourself. Your decisions will affect your future and your present. While looking for clarity, consider the possibility that a life lesson was part of the process. If recognized and learned, that is good. If not, there is reason to believe the lessons might become harder and more painful.

Finally, VISUALIZING. Begin the process of visualizing a connection between your mind and your cells (body). A connection between your mind and your Spirit and a connection between your Spirit and your cells (body).

Then, visualize healing.

  • Optimal healing: Return to the state you were in one second before time zero (pain, range of motion, strength, and no medication).

Stay tuned for future blogs on the six categories and other aspects of my Magical Medical Tour:

  • Glenn’s latest CD, Sleep Suite, is now available online. For questions or to visit Dr. Glenn Wollman’s web site, connect with him through YogaHub.
  • [tags]glenn wollman, living suite, Medical Guide, Medical Guide, spirit, Optimal healing[/tags]

    Author: Glenn Wollman

    Glenn Wollman, MD, has always been at the leading edge of medicine. He helped pioneer the specialty of Emergency Medicine and, at the same time, also developed and ran one of the first hospital-based Integrative Medicine programs in the Unitied…

    7 Responses to “Magical Medical Tour: Heal”

    1. W. TONINO says:

      DR. WOLLMAN – HOW THOUGHT PROVOKING !

      LIFE LESSON- ‘TAKE CHARGE’ APPROACH TO OUR BODY’S SIGNALS
      & ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND THEM!
      MAKE THE MOST OF MIND TO BODY CONNECTIONS

      -ALL TO FEEL BETTER & ARRIVE AT EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE DECISIONS.

      SOUNDS REASONABLE -LET’S HEAR MORE… SPECIFICS… TECHNIQUES….

    2. Diane Hill says:

      I LOVE this approach. Can’t wait to read more – I need daily reminders so I can keep looking for (and hopefully sometimes finding) the life lesson.

    3. Mike Wilson says:

      Glenn,

      Very well written and constructed for your readers.

      As a wordsmith for many decades, I think you have done a great job. Thanks to Heidi for forwarding your blog.

      The obvious problem with the young healthy policeman was stated in the first sentence. To much jogging — four or five miles is one thing, 15 is another — simply termed “overload.” I remember in the early 70’s as young men in our nation’s capitol — mutual friend Mike Conaway and another single buddy, Ron Bobel, from Ohio, use to join me for runs around the the famed Washington momuments.

      I would limit my activities to two to four miles each to every-other day, and these two Spartans were running six to eight miles. I told them once they would have to pay for it in later life. Sure enough, two and three decades later they both had hip replacements resulting from to much pounding on the lower body when they were very young. So, for this policeman to think he needs to run 15 miles whenever he goes out, is unwise and ridiculous.

      Look forward to reading more of your blogs, Dr. Glenn. Best to you and Heidi. I will no doubt see you in late October.

      Mike

    4. Tracey says:

      I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on healing. I have long been a believer of allowing my body a short time to experience a fever when I’ve been sick (thinking that it is a natural process that must be necessary or my body wouldn’t do it). But it never dawned on me that I was being completely inconsistent by immediately reaching for an NSAID to relieve an injury’s inflammation. It just never occurred to me that inflammation was (obviously) a natural process as well. Reading this was a real “aha” moment for me, and it makes perfect sense now to allow my body a short time to experience its natural response.

      I really look forward to your future blog posts. I gained quite a bit from this first one. Your mind-body approach is really exciting to read, especially from the perspective of a medical doctor. And your life lesson and visualization ideas are right up my alley!

    5. gr8fulwmn says:

      I’ve forwarded this to some of my clients and everyone, it seems, is giving a thumbs up to this blog. We are waiting for your future blogs with anticipation.
      Thank You!

    6. Tiffany says:

      Wow. Awareness is vital to healing and I got that from what you said. I’ve hear people talk about creating a picture in one’s mind of health but I never though of going back to the moment BEFORE the injury happened and reflecting upon that. Now I notice that it’s usually ego pushing me to injury, but what about those other times. hummmm Thanks glen. Please write more.

    7. meg says:

      Thanks so much for this really thoughtful health blog. I am looking forward to reading more. And, as a couple of commenters above noted, it would be fantastic to have a few more specifics. For example-how is inflammation helpful exactly? And for how long? Can one NEVER take NSAIDS? (In my technical opinion,there is something really awful about them.) Do you have suggestions for the step between intellectual awareness of what one could do for good health and actually putting that into practice? I’ll keep reading to learn more!

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