Why Symptoms Are Messengers, Not the Enemy

When something hurts, keeps us awake, upsets our digestion, or leaves us feeling exhausted, our first reaction is often: How do I make this go away?

But symptoms are not always the enemy.

Sometimes, they are the body's way of asking us to pay attention.

Pain may be telling us that something is irritated, overworked, or needs rest.

Fatigue may be reminding us that we have been doing too much for too long.

Digestive changes may reflect food choices, stress, medications, or other changes happening in the body.

Poor sleep can be a sign that the nervous system is having difficulty settling down.

In Chinese Medicine, we look at symptoms as part of a larger picture. Rather than focusing only on where the discomfort is, we also ask questions such as:

When did it begin? What makes it better or worse? How are you sleeping? How is your digestion? What has been happening in your life?

The goal is not to blame every symptom on stress or emotion. Symptoms can have very real medical causes and sometimes need medical evaluation.

But instead of immediately seeing the body as something that has failed us, I prefer another question:

What is my body trying to communicate?

Our bodies are constantly adapting and trying to maintain balance.

Sometimes the symptom we dislike so much is simply the messenger.

And healing can begin when we stop fighting the message long enough to listen.

Your body is not your enemy. It may simply be asking for your attention.

To your health!

Danièle Saint-Cyr, DOM, LAc, AP, LMT