“I am like this because of what I have done.” Unlike the hostile reaction the patient does not openly express this idea unless we first gain his confidence, and then bring him to talk quietly about his inner thoughts.

I have already explained this mechanism, and we have discussed the way in which pain becomes associated with punishment and then with guilt.

Have you had feelings like this, that somehow the pain is connected with the thing that happened long ago? If you have, face it openly. Remember that we have all done things that are wrong. And remember that psychological forces within us tend to bring these things to our mind, even when we suffer from pain that is due to simple and natural causes. So accept your pain for what it is—a warning of some injury to your body—a warning that has gone wrong and become too severe and prolonged.

The Philosophical Reaction to Pain-”It can’t be helped. I shall get over it.” This is the philosophical reaction. When we are free from pain we can see that this is the only sensible and mature way to respond. But when the time comes, and the pain is upon us, it is not quite so easy.

The philosophical reaction to pain is the attitude of mind that we must aim for. When we have this we have a firm base, at is were, from which to launch our self-management of pain.

How do we get it? By all the influences, great and small, that lead us to maturity. And of these influences there is none greater than understanding. And by understanding I mean something that is not necessarily of words, or of logic or of religion. It is that quality that the distressed patient refers to when he rises and says, “Thank you. I understand better now,” when in fact I have said nothing to him about understanding. But he does understand better. It is shown in the way his distress has eased. This Is what I mean by understanding.

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Q. You mentioned that people with ulcerative colitis were more prone to cancer of the large bowel. What is this condition?

A. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition of the large bowel, the colon and rectum. It is more common in women, especially in the 20-40 year age group. It is more common in western populations.

Q. What are the symptoms?

A. There are recurring bouts of diarrhoea with blood and mucus, usually associated with cramping pains in the lower abdominal region. Often attacks come on causing severe symptoms and considerable ill health.

Q. How is it diagnosed and treated?

A. As with other disorders of the large bowel the doctor resorts to x-rays (in the form of a barium enema which gives a clear picture of the outline of the bowel), the sigmoidoscope and the colonoscope. This allows direct viewing of the bowel. The colonoscope, like the endoscope, is very versatile and may penetrate as far up the intestinal system as desired. The sigmoidoscope is mainly used for the lower bowel, it being shorter and less manoeuvrable. The examining physician gains an incredibly clear view of the bowel lining. Treatment is prescribed for the patient according to the degree of the disorder and symptoms. An adequate diet is prescribed, corticosteroid drugs given usually in the form of an enema, but also orally, and a drug called sulfasalazine is often beneficial. Diarrhoea is controlled by codeine, loperamide and other well known forms of medication. Surgery is used in some severe cases. As recurrences are common, sulfasalazine therapy long-term is often used. Persons with long standing ulcerative colitis (ten years and more) appear to run a higher than average risk of developing bowel cancer.

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This is one of the newest weapons in the battle against back problems. Essentially, as defined by a pre-eminent scientist, floating is ‘a method of attaining the deepest rest that humankind has ever experienced’, and this is accomplished by spending an hour or so lying quietly in the dark, suspended in a warm solution of Epsom salts, about 10″ deep, and so dense that you float without effort.

According to its proponents, floating can bring many benefits:

In the gravity-free environment the body balances and heals internally as all the senses are rested. It is claimed that one hour of floating has the restorative effects of four hours of sleep.

Old injuries and aches – and especially backache – experience relief as floating helps blood circulation.

Additionally, research has shown that floating measurably reduces both blood pressure and the heart rate while at the same time also lowering the levels of stress-related chemicals in the body.

Studies having shown that during a float, people produce slower brain-waves patterns, known as the theta waves and normally experienced only during deep meditation or just before falling asleep. This is usually accompanied by vivid imagery, very clear, creative thoughts, sudden insights and inspirations or feelings of profound peace and joy, induced by the release of endorphins, the body’s natural opiates.

Just how good a treatment for sciatica or other back problems floating is, still remains to be fully proven. As it’s a comparatively new approach, there just aren’t enough documented case histories to provide meaningful statistics. However, as it is a therapy that is unlikely to do harm and may help a lot, it may well be worth a try.

Floating, however, doesn’t suit everybody as it requires a willingness on your part to let go and see what happens, and you may need to float a few times before you are able to relax completely, both physically and mentally. Incidentally, your skin won’t wrinkle like a prune when you float because the water contains high salt levels and therefore doesn’t rob your skin of salt, which is what causes wrinkling. Instead, floating leaves your skin soft and silky.

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