So you finally made time to get a massage, or try this new treatment plan with your doctor, or even cut out sugar. You saved the money, you’ve prepped the house, and you emotionally prepared yourself to make a big change.
And then you go to the treatment, or you give it a good week or so, and instead of feeling better, you actually feel worse!
While this can feel very defeating and like a waste of time and money, let me suggest that what you are feeling couldn’t be negative at all. It could actually mean you are on the right track, fulling engaging in your healing process.
Say what?! I know that sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out.
Now with this, there is a line here that you need to tune in to determine. You will know if something really isn’t right. But before you automatically jump to that conclusion, there are some other things to consider.
There is a legit thing called the Healing Crisis. This is usually referred to during a detox process of some sort. You see, when a healing intervention of any kind happens, it is shaking up a way of operating that has been going on for a long time.
You have all sorts of things going on in your body that you have trained it to rely on. Be it dietary, a system dysfunction of some kind, or even a protective holding pattern with your muscles. When you try to reprogram this, it can be quite unpleasant. And there is going to be a time of recalibrating.
I don’t have as much personal experience with this on a detox level, but I do see it quite a bit with my bodywork clients. When tension is released, it can resolve an issue in the happiest of ways, but sometimes it can cause instability and confusion in the body.
Working to heal body pain can also activate or wake up latent issues. And if there isn’t time taken to keep working out that activation, it can be quite painful and feel like your issue was made worse instead of better.
So what to do?
First of all, at the first signs of discomfort, contact whomever you’ve been working with. It’s more than ok to contact your practitioner to get their perspective on why you may be feeling that way. It is rare when a practitioner is bad enough to seriously injure you. So reach out and get their perspective, or reach out to a more qualified practitioner, if needs be.
Second of all, be patient. Deep healing is slow medicine. It probably took a long time to get that issue, and it can take a long time to really heal it. Give the healing crisis a chance to run its course. Follow your home care instructions and stay with it. And receive a few more treatments if that is the case.
Let me reiterate that at the end of the day, you know your body the best, and if you really feel like something isn’t serving you, then let it go. But know that healing can be uncomfortable and there usually isn’t a quick fix or short cut.
Deep healing is always worth it, even if it’s uncomfortable, and even if it takes a while. Trust the process. Trust the high’s and low’s. And trust your inner wisdom.