Lyme Disease Tip Summary:
Ben Ahrens from Re-Origin, an organization dedicated to teaching brain retraining for health recovery, shares a valuable tip on the Tick Boot Camp Lyme Hackathon for those suffering from fatigue and muscle pain due to Lyme disease:
- Understanding Lyme’s Impact on the Nervous System: Lyme disease often results in increased tension within the nervous system, manifesting as physical tension and pain in the body.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique: Ben recommends an approach called progressive muscle relaxation to address this issue. Contrary to instinctively trying to relax, which can sometimes worsen the tension, this technique involves a different approach.
- Application of the Technique: When feeling the tension build-up, instead of simply trying to relax, actively increase the tension by flexing the muscles. Then, take a deep breath and release the tension. This process helps in resetting the nervous system to a new, more relaxed baseline.
- Benefits: This method provides relief from muscle pain and fatigue associated with Lyme disease by helping the body and the nervous system to recalibrate and relax.
Ben Ahrens’ tip on progressive muscle relaxation offers a practical and effective way for individuals with Lyme disease to manage and alleviate muscle tension and fatigue, contributing to better overall well-being and recovery.
Watch Video:
Video Transcript:
“Hey, Tick Boot Campers, Ben Ahrens here from Re-Origin where we teach people how to reclaim their health by retraining their brains. And today, I want to give you a quick tip on something that you can do if you’re dealing with a lot of fatigue and muscle pain as a result of Lyme disease, something I know very well myself. This is something called progressive muscle relaxation. One of the things that can happen when we have Lyme is we get a lot of tension in the nervous system, and this manifests in the body and in the tissue. Now, somewhat counterintuitively trying to relax can actually make this tension a little bit worse. So here’s what I want you to do. Instead, when you’re feeling that tension build-up, actually take a moment, increase the amount of tension so actually flex your muscles, and then take a deep breath. Let go and you’ll find that your nervous system has stepped down to a different baseline.” – Ben Ahrens
