Pain and inflammation are healthy responses to an acute injury; we may not always like them, but the body frankly does not care whether we like our recovery or not. Based on millions of years of immunological, neurological and physiological evolution, our body will do it’s best to heal… if we just leave it alone! (…there are of course many exceptions)
In an ideal world, we would not fear pain and inflammation and not overly emotionally react to an injury. In an ideal world we remain calm, rational and patient after an injury and we would simply listen to our pain. We would rest when needed and move the injured body part as much as tolerated. We would return to function as soon as allowed based on pain not fear!
Here is a crazy, insane idea, perhaps after an acute injury we should be grateful for pain and inflammation; welcome them as our protective saviours rather than an enemy to battle, kill and destroy using “pain-killers” and “anti-inflammatories”, ice or tingling machines.
The desperate attempts to reduce inflammation may be one of the many potential contributing factors to developing chronic pain following benign acute soft tissue injuries. (View my 2-min. video on this idea).