Sticks And Stones
I've always thought that the old saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me’ was odd. Even as a kid I could see how hurt people can be from the words of others. So then I always assumed the saying only applied to being physical hurt. But it turns out that words can indeed physically hurt you. And your doctor or therapist may be unintentionally responsible.
Let me explain.
You see, pain is weird, pain is complex, and your brain must make decisions about loads of incoming neural stimuli all the time (like the pressure of the ground on your feet, if that object you're holding is sharp, or hot, or cold, or if your undies are itchy). But your brain doesn't always pay attention to a painful stimulus (from a sensory nerve called a nociceptor).
It takes shortcuts and uses other context like past experiences, beliefs about your safety or vulnerability, your mood, etc, to decide whether a nerve impulse should be perceived as painful or whether it gets ignored.
This is where words can hurt.
If you are told that an injury or pain is from some dysfunction or disease, or syndrome, or that you must not do a certain task, it can cause a fear of movement and activity. It can lead to catastrophizing or belief that your body is fragile. In essence it primes your brain to be more vigilant and protective and can increase or prolong your experience of pain.
So, below are some of my most hated and unsupported claims or sayings about injury of the human body that are still often told to people.
You have degenerative disc disease
Bending is bad for your back
Running will wear out your knees
Lifting weights will stunt your growth
Don't let your knees go over your toes when squatting
You have a Syndrome (Patellofemoral pain syndrome, shoulder impingement syndrome, etc)
Sit up straight (read my post here)
You have a slipped disc
Your joint is bone on bone
Labeling normal age related changes seen on scans as damage or abnormalities
The list goes on.
If you've ever been told something similar to these phrases and it led you to be more cautious or avoidant of activities, or made you feel worse about your injury or pain. Then you too have likely experienced how words can hurt.
Hopefully more and more health professionals are now more cognisant of how their words can cause harm to their patients. And as a patient, I hope you are now aware that words and the feelings they invoke matter. So, if you have felt worse or more fearful after seeing a health professional, go and research whether their claims are actually supported by evidence. Or seek a second opinion.
Thanks for reading.
Helpful links for further reading.