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It’s estimated that over 600 million people1 suffer from low-back pain, with it being the single leading cause of disability worldwide. But the good news is, the World Health Organization says low-back pain is also the condition for which “the greatest number of people may benefit from rehabilitation.”
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The “pebble in your shoe” metaphor perfectly describes how small annoyances can slowly wear you down and ruin your day. Here are common pebbles that might be in your shoe and the best ways to remove them.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, but no one said you had to wear uncomfortable shoes
If you’ve ever been on a long hike, then you know the importance of comfort and how even one minor annoyance can make the whole journey far more difficult. You walk for miles and miles then suddenly experience an intense pain in your foot. You sit down, remove your shoe, and find a hard rock tightly wedged between your sweaty socks and shoe leather – ouch!
“It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out – it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.”
This is a popular motivational quote that is commonly attributed to the famous boxer Muhammad Ali, but the original has been published as far back as 1916 under anonymous authors.
The main idea is that even when it comes to huge goals, it’s often the tiniest things that hold us back and prevent us from accomplishing them. These minor annoyances may seem inconsequential at first, but over time they can cause significant discomfort, irritation, and weakness.
What pebbles are in your shoe? What’s one small change that would make your life infinitely easier? Here’s a list of everyday examples of tiny things that may be holding you back.
The “pebble in your shoe” can take many forms — physical, mental, social, and emotional. It can be any small discomfort that grows into a bigger problem over time.
Here’s a list of common everyday examples with potential solutions for each one. Often times the sooner you remove the pebble, the easier things will be in the future.
Workplace Annoyance – A colleague’s constant habit of humming or tapping their pen can be a minor distraction that becomes increasingly irritating over time.
Solution: Mention your distraction in a nonjudgmental way without getting upset at the other person. Hopefully they will be more mindful in the future.
Messy Environment – Messy environments can have a subtle but significant effect on our stress levels and clarity of mind, especially a messy bedroom or car.
Solution: We often underestimate how much better we will feel once we clean something. We put off washing the car for weeks, then when we finally do it we think, “Why didn’t I do this weeks ago?”
Losing One Hour of Sleep – Just losing one hour of sleep can have a spillover effect on the rest of your day, causing you to be more tired, distracted, and moody.
Solution: Try to go to bed one hour early. Set up a nighttime routine that encourages relaxation. Find sleeping preferences that work best for you (temperature, clothes, pillows, etc.) Establish a consistent sleep routine that works for you.
Procrastinating on To-Do’s – The more you put off daily chores or obligations, the more pressing and stressful they become.
Solution: Cultivate a healthy sense of urgency toward easy tasks you can complete in 5 minutes or less. It’s easier to just get a simple task out of the way then to let it sit in your mind for days.
Minor Health Issues – Dealing with ongoing but minor health issues like a slight headache, back pain, or seasonal allergies can be a constant, low-level irritation.
Solution: Plan day accordingly. Take any doctor recommended medications or supplements. Let people know if you’re having an especially bad day, so you may be more cranky than usual.
Negative Personalities – People with negative personalities who constantly nitpick, complain, and talk about problems too much can be draining to be around for extended periods of time.
Solution: We’re influenced by the people we choose to be around through emotional contagion and network effects. If those you spend time around tend to bring out the worst in you, it may be time to find a new group of friends or environment.
Long Lines and Wait Times – Waiting in long lines at the grocery store, DMV, or for public transportation can be a persistent and annoying part of daily life.
Solution: If possible, go to places during times of the day/week when you know they are less busy. Check to see real-time traffic on Google and plan accordingly. Consider getting groceries delivered.
Tech Glitches – Regularly experiencing minor technical problems with gadgets, such as a phone that frequently freezes or a laptop with a temperamental battery, can be very frustrating.
Solution: When possible, fix or replace faulty tech that causes daily errors and frustrations. For awhile my keyboard had a couple broken keys, and it took me far too long to finally get a new one that operated way smoother.
Spam Calls and Emails – Receiving numerous unwanted telemarketing calls or spam emails can interrupt daily activities and become a persistent nuisance.
Solution: Immediately block and remove all spam numbers and emails. Set up caller ID, email filters, and other methods to block spam and advertisements from reaching you.
Misplaced Items – Frequently losing keys, glasses, or other essential items can create a recurring source of irritation and delay.
Solution: Dedicate a single place for certain items. Don’t take them off your person unless you are placing the item in its designated spot.
Household Chores – Small but recurring tasks like taking out the trash, doing the dishes, or folding laundry can feel like never-ending, nagging obligations.
Solution: Get small and easy tasks out of the way early and often. Learn the right mindset for doing things you don’t like, including listening to music or watching TV while doing something boring or tedious.
Repetitive Noises – Ongoing construction noise, a neighbor’s loud music, or people talking loudly can be minor disturbances that cumulatively cause significant discomfort and distraction.
Solution: When possible, block out unwanted noise with headphones, music, or white noise. Find ways to eliminate distractions by changing your environment.
Traffic Jams – Regularly encountering heavy traffic during commutes can be a daily irritant that wastes time and increases stress levels.
Solution: Do some research and find the best and fastest routes during certain times of the day. Have plenty of music or entertaining podcasts you can listen to if you get stuck in traffic.
Uncomfortable Room Temperature – Hot and humid temperatures can make us feel tired and lethargic, hurting our ability to concentrate and get work done.
Solution: Use fans and air conditioner to cool down. Open windows for ventilation. Wear light and breathable clothing. Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water.
Constant Notifications – Continuous alerts and notifications from apps, emails, or social media can disrupt concentration and productivity, becoming a persistent annoyance throughout the day.
Solution: Block or mute ALL notifications that aren’t urgent (texts/calls from family or friends). Create a digital environment that doesn’t have you on hyper alert 24/7.
In general, identifying and removing the pebbles in your shoe can make your life a whole lot easier. Here are core principles to keep in mind:
Remember that pebbles can take many forms which aren’t mentioned here. Take the time to step back, reflect, and ask yourself, “What are the pebbles in my shoe that can be removed?”
Of course, life can be annoying and we can’t always remove every single pebble.
Certain problems, frustrations, and stressors are just a part of everyday life – a nosy coworker, a loud neighborhood, reporting for jury duty, or the minor inconveniences of daily chores and responsibilities.
When you can’t control something, try to accept it with grace. After difficult days, feel free to go back to your comfort zone to recharge yourself.
The key lesson behind the “remove the pebble” philosophy isn’t that life should always be a cakewalk, but that we shouldn’t make life any harder than it needs to be.
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Steven Handel
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Gohil says in most cases recovery shoes can be worn all day—but it’s essential to ensure they provide the necessary support and fit for prolonged wear. “Some recovery shoes may lack the structure needed for all-day use, so it’s advisable to alternate with other supportive footwear if necessary,” she adds.
Podiatrist Anne Sharkey, DPM, agrees adding that for walking, exercise, and activity, her recommendation is to wear “activity appropriate shoes.”
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Tuesday, April 23, 2024 2:19PM
Main Line Health outlines preventative methods and their treatment options for hand injuries.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — When you think about all the types of repetitive motions we perform and the time we spend using our wrists and hands, it’s no surprise that the constant activity in this area can cause pain and injury over time.
Injuries to the hand and wrist are common, often caused by trauma or overuse.
Main Line Health orthopedic surgeon Dr. Philip Petrucelli talks to Local Spotlight about who is at risk and what common conditions or injuries may lead to wrist or hand pain.
He will also discuss some things people can do for preventative methods and all about the treatment options available at Main Line Health for some of the most common hand and wrist injuries.
To learn more visit MainLineHealth.org/WellAheadPhilly.
Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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WPVI
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Occupational therapist
Lis Bahr, OTD, MS, is an occupational therapist, freelance health writer, and educator. A graduate of NYU and BU, she also holds a 500-hour therapeutic yoga teacher certification and is a multimedia artist. She is driven by a commitment to health equity and accessbile wellness. She regularly contributes to academic and professional publications on neuroscience, creativity, and art-based practices for health.
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Richard Lewis wasn’t the first neurotic stand-up comic, but he was one of the best—and, as contradictory as it sounds, probably the most comfortable. “When I’m on stage, I’m the happiest I could ever be,” he told me in 2022, during an interview about his friend Warren Zevon. “I’m just in touch with who I am, and want to express it. It’s just calm. It’s like the eye of a hurricane.”
Lewis, who died of a heart attack on Tuesday at 76, wasn’t being hyperbolic. Over the course of his career, he spoke and wrote candidly about his strained relationship with his parents, drug use, alcoholism, depression, body dysmorphia, the pain caused by multiple surgeries, and most recently, his experience with Parkinson’s disease. That the Jewish guy with the poofy mane of black (and eventually gray) hair withstood that barrage is both extraordinary and admirable. But what made the self-described “Prince of Pain” special wasn’t his tolerance for personal torment. It was his ability to spin angst into affability. Self-deprecating jokes poured out of Lewis, but the sweat of a desperate hack never did. After all, his act wasn’t a put-on. It was just him.
Lewis was a paranoid person: “On my stationary bike, I have a rearview mirror,” he once quipped. His childhood was rough: when New York magazine asked him about his most memorable meal ever, he said, “It was in 1981—the first Thanksgiving I ever had without a social worker present.” And he always found himself in bad situations: in fact, Yale credited him with popularizing the phrase “the (blank) from hell” after his ’70s routine about a cursed date.
For the last 25 years, Lewis happily turned his inner turmoil outward as a recurring character on Curb Your Enthusiasm. In the HBO sitcom, now in its final season, he played an even more miserable version of himself opposite his real-life friend Larry David. Whenever Lewis popped up on Curb, something memorable happened. His delivery of the simplest lines were laugh-out-loud funny. Like when Larry dipped his nose into Lewis’s coffee in Season 10 and Lewis bellowed, “What are you, a fuckin’ goose?” Or when Lewis was shocked to find Larry selling cars at a dealership and shouted, “What are you, fuckin’ Willy Loman?” None of the show’s guest stars, it seemed, were better at breaking David. Often, when the two were meant to be arguing in a scene, you could tell how giddy they both were to be going back and forth with each other. “Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me,” David said in a statement on Wednesday. “He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that I’ll never forgive him.”
Lewis was good at making other comics laugh. He was a regular on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Howard Stern Show, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and The Daily Show. He was also one of David Letterman’s favorite guests, appearing on Late Night 48 times. To Lewis, Letterman’s support was a miracle. But it made sense. “It was just an amazing break for me that he understood me,” Lewis told me. “I bring that up because I’m so self-deprecating, and so is David. He’s so hard on himself.”
Lewis’s late-night ubiquity and his first two stand-up specials, I’m in Pain and I’m Exhausted, combined to help make him famous. By 1989, he was costarring in a sitcom with Jamie Lee Curtis called Anything but Love, a will-they-or-won’t-they rom-com that ran for four seasons on ABC, in which Lewis played a magazine columnist named Marty Gold. The fact that an anxious comedian could carry a hit show about a journalist is a bitterly hilarious reminder of the hold both of those professions used to have on America. It’s also proof of how likable Lewis was, even when he wasn’t spilling his guts in a comedy club.
I was too young for his comedy back in the early ’90s, but I remember seeing Lewis in commercials for one of the decade’s strangest products: BoKu, a juice box … but for grown-ups. In the long-running campaign, the eternally black-clad comedian basically just did his stand-up act, simply holding one of the soft drinks in his hand for 30 seconds at a time. When I interviewed him, he said that he had a hand in writing the ads—and he had a ball doing it. Leave it to Richard Lewis, the only man who could sell non-alcoholic juice boxes to adults.
Lewis could relate to people who’d gone through hell. Listening to him talk about Zevon, it was obvious that he revered the musician, and obvious why. “Some of the songs were very self-deprecating,” he said. “He was an exquisite writer.”
“A couple years before I bottomed out and got sober, I remember I was at the Palm restaurant in L.A., and there was a great table of a lot of rockers,” Lewis continued. “Warren was there, and I had never met him before. I wasn’t at the dinner, I was just wandering around the restaurant. It was about six guys, and I knew most of the table. But when I saw Zevon, I was just thrilled that I had the chance to just tell him what I thought about him.”
It turned out that Lewis and Zevon were practically neighbors. They even shopped at the same expensive Laurel Canyon grocer. “I loved it when I ran into him at the store buying $20 granola,” Lewis said. “I would walk around with my cart with him, and try to keep him there as long as possible. When I would make him laugh, I could see his face. He would laugh so loudly, but he took that first one or two seconds to breathe and take it in. Then he just let it out. It was like he really appreciated funny. I knew that, as a friend. Of course I loved that he admired me. You feel like a million bucks.”
Toward the end of Zevon’s life, when he had cancer and had fallen back into his old habits, he stopped talking to Lewis. It was the singer’s way of protecting his friend. “Because he knew I was sober …” Lewis said. “He was a tough guy, but that was what he did to me, and I understood it, and I loved him for it. I didn’t want to force the issue and call him. I did email him, though, and tell him what I thought about him, and that I understood, and that I loved him.”
Lewis compared Zevon to someone else he’d gotten to know in New York. “I used to hang out at Mickey Mantle’s bar and restaurant,” Lewis said. “It was near my hotel in Central Park South. Mantle and I were both alcoholics. I would often times bring my work with me and sit at the bar or in a booth, and go over concert material for hours and drink. He really dug me, Mantle. He had two pictures of me hanging. I say this with a great deal of pride: I was the only non-sports figure to be in that restaurant. There were hundreds of pictures of ballplayers, and me. What’s wrong with this fucking picture? It was crazy.”
Lewis recalls watching Bob Costas’s emotional TV interview with Mantle. It was 1994, about a year before the Yankees great died of liver cancer. The Hall of Famer spoke openly about his alcoholism and failings as a parent. “Here’s the guy going out and wanting to tell people that he might have been worshiped,” Lewis said, “but he could have lived his life a much better and a much healthier way.” That summer, Lewis told me, “I got sober.”
As permanently anguished as he was, Lewis knew he was fortunate to have an outlet for his pain. It’d be a cliché to say that comedy saved him, but it did seem to keep him going until the very end. In the face of a Parkinson’s diagnosis, he returned for the final season of Curb. In last week’s “Vertical Drop, Horizontal Tug,” Larry and Lewis are in the middle of a golf round when Lewis tells Larry that he’s putting him in his will. Larry, of course, is mad about it. He doesn’t need his friend’s money. He says he’ll just donate it to charity. The incredulity, of course, leads to another delightfully familiar argument.
“I’m giving it to you anyway, pal,” Lewis says.
“Oh my God, fuck you,” Larry replies.
That was Lewis. Even when life was cursing him out, he refused to give up.
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Alan Siegel
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If you suffer from lower back pain, the Venom 2 Back is a worthwhile investment (especially with our discount code MBGHYPE). The instant, soothing relief has significantly improved my work days, and I love knowing I have it as an option when my aches and pains start acting up.
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Long periods of sitting are inevitable—but they don’t need to cause pain.
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Science has proven cannabis has benefits and more research is being done to learn more. For over a thousand years, the plant has been valued as medicine and for its psychoactive properties for religious and recreational use. It has a longer history than pasta, beer and Hallmark movies. From medical help to anxiety relievers, it has a way of making life better. Here are 9 ways cannabis enhances your day.
While cannabis is usually associated with relaxing, many people use cannabis for energy. Some cannabis strains contain terpenes like limonene and pinene can boost your mood and energize your mind. Look for strains with specific terpenes found in Sativa-type strains to help give you extra boost to conquer your day.
If you aren’t eating enough food, you won’t have sufficient energy to make it through the day. If you struggle with low or loss of appetite, cannabis could be just the thing for you. Cannabis is highly effective at stimulating appetite, helping you enjoy all your favorite foods on a regular basis.
Cannabis has been used to soothe pain for at least 5000 years. Both cannabis and CBD contain gentle pain-relieving properties, but a purposeful dose of either CBD or cannabis can relieve aches and pains.
Cannabis is the perfect substance to improve your social experiences because it helps you relax, boosts your mood, and makes you laugh. One of the most common ways to enhance your day with cannabis is to enjoy your favorite product with a friend.
The best way to enhance your day with cannabis is to get a great night of sleep. Studies show sleep deprivation and stress go hand and hand. Sleep deprivation can impact your endocannabinoid system making you feel more stressed out. And stress can negatively impact your sleep quality. Cannabis products help people sleep better and longer. One of the main reasons people use cannabis for sleep as it helps them fall asleep faster. Many people find products high in CBD, CBN, or THC are highly effective at improving their sleep. You can experiment with different products or cannabinoids (and record your experiences on the Jointly app) to find out which combination works best for you.
RELATED: Is Marijuana A Depressant?
A cannabis-infused bath is a great way to combat daily stress. Your body will soak in the cannabinoids while your mind unwinds. As we discussed in cannabis ingestion methods, topical THC products won’t get you high. However, topical cannabinoids may help you relieve mild aches and pains, not to mention help you relax at the end of a stressful day.
In small amounts, cannabis can enhance your creativity due to its ability to alter blood flow to the brain. Specifically, cannabis consumption is associated with increased blood flow to the frontal lobes of the brain. The frontal lobes are thought to be the center for creativity and divergent thinking.
With all the busyness of daily life, an efficient work stream may be one of your top priorities. While you may not associate cannabis with improved work efficiency, many people use cannabis for energy. Additionally, CBD products can help you smash your goals, keeping you energized and focused until everything is complete.
RELATED: Forgo The Wake And Bake — And 4 Other Cannabis Productivity Hacks
Meditating is a great way to clear our mind so we can be more present in our daily lives and with our loved ones. Meditation is also linked with other positive benefits like promoting concentration and elevating mood. Try meditating while high to supercharge your meditation sessions.
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Sarah Johns
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It is fun and can be on the spur of the moment. Some have sex to have a people, most have sex because it is fun – especially with the right person. But a little info, here are 5 ways steamy sex benefits your health. An unexpected perk to something already enjoyable!
Related: 8 Essential Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Have Sex With Someone
The leading cause of death in the US could have a very simple solution. Statistics show that men between the ages of 40 – 70 who have sex twice a week show an incredible 50 percent less risk of developing heart disease. It makes sense, since sex burns from 70 to 100 calories per half hour and it also reduces stress, anxiety, and frustration.
A research that observed over 100 students discovered that those who had sex twice a week had a better immune system, having a 30 percent increase in their igA levels, an antibody that protects them from outside bacteria and germs. When it comes to women, sex also promotes their health and fertility.
Sex is also an amazing natural pain reliever, helping out with migraines and menstrual cramps. A survey that was conducted in over 1,000 people showed that 60 percent of them believed that sex relieved their headaches, even those who had a migraine attack during the act itself. Women also find relief from their cramps with orgasms. This happens due to the contractions of the uterus when an orgasm happens, releasing endorphins and providing temporary relief.
Sex also produces dopamine, an endorphin that provides a feeling of euphoria and helps with pain management.
RELATED: People Who Use Weed Also Do More Of Another Fun Thing
It’s well known that sex makes people sleepy and this is due to several things: the production of prolactin, a hormone that’s closely related to sleep, and also the release of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces stress. Sex also makes you physically tired, so the summation of all of these things can only mean good things for your sleeping habits.
Physical exercise and immunity boosts are important when it comes to fighting off cancer, but research shows that sex can help in preventing some of these diseases. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute believe that sex is good for the prevention of prostate cancer, keeping things moving down there for men, and helping in the elimination of harmful substances.
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Maria Loreto
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Period cramps can be brutal, but there are several ways to reduce their severity and frequency. Keeping your body hydrated by sipping on drinks that contain anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic ingredients, such as magnesium drinks, beet juice, ginger tea, and chamomile tea, may be an effective way to reduce period cramp pain so you can get back to your normal routine. Certain supplements can also help ease painful symptoms—here are a few to look into.
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Amazing things happen when you cultivate more awareness in your body in order to figure out where you need to stretch and where you need to strengthen. And this past year, as I completed my second yoga teacher training over the course of 11 months, I had plenty of time to do just that.
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A pedestrian died after he was hit by an LAPD patrol car in Los Angeles on Friday evening, authorities said.
The crash was reported shortly after 5 p.m. at Century Boulevard and McKinley Avenue, Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Tony Im said. An ambulance was requested for the pedestrian, who was not conscious or breathing, he said.
The man died at the scene, Im said.
An ambulance also was requested for a 30-year-old officer, who suffered pain to her body and was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Im said.
Additional details about the crash were not available.
The incident remained under investigation, Im said.
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Alex Wigglesworth
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As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I often see patients who have dealt with pelvic symptoms for years without realizing that treatment is available. By the time they come to see me, they tell me, “I wish I had known about this sooner!” Well, consider this your guide to dealing with pelvic floor issues before they become a problem, using exercises that are appropriate for you.
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There has been plenty of recent research affirming that medical cannabis is indeed a suitable alternative to opioids, with many users finding they are able to reduce or eliminate opioid use entirely after maintaining a medical cannabis regimen. Now, one study is taking a closer look at the specific holistic effects that both medical cannabis and opioids provide to get more insight on the efficacy of each substance as it pertains to chronic pain management.
The recent study, “The holistic effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in Finnish patients with chronic pain,” was conducted by a team of researchers from Åbo Akademi University, who looked into the effects of medical cannabis and opioids for chronic pain treatment.
Published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, the study aimed to take a closer look at how effective medical cannabis is compared to traditional opioids in treating chronic pain, as cannabis use for symptom management has become increasingly more common in recent years. Results suggested that opioids and cannabis are both “equally efficacious” at mitigating pain intensity in patients with chronic pain, while cannabis offered more “holistic” relief in improving sleep, focus and emotional wellbeing
To investigate the efficacy of both substances, researchers had subjects complete retrospective surveys to measure the positive and negative phenomenological effects of both cannabis and opioids.
The sample included 201 chronic pain patients, with 40 who used medical cannabis and 161 who used opioids to treat pain. Each group had some crossover, with about 45% of medical cannabis patients reporting the use of opioids to treat pain and about 4.3% of opioid users having used medical cannabis.
Participants were asked to evaluate statements detailing positive and negative effects of their medications, with researchers comparing scores from the two groups.
While neither opioids nor medical cannabis are first-line treatments for chronic pain, researchers noted that both are commonly used when other treatments cannot provide sufficient relief. Recreational users of cannabis or opioids or people who used either substance to treat conditions other than chronic pain were also “explicitly asked not to partake in the study.”
The analysis revealed three experience factors: negative side effects, positive holistic effects and positive emotional effects. The medical cannabis group received higher scores than the opioid group in the positive emotional effects and holistic positive effects, with no difference in negative effects.
Ultimately, researchers concluded from the self-ported data that, while both medical cannabis and opioids were “perceived to be equally efficacious in reducing pain intensity,” medical cannabis positively affects broader factors related to pain, like emotion, functionality and an overall sense of wellbeing.
“Both MC and opioids were perceived to reduce pain intensity equally well. The group differences support the hypothesis that the effects of [medical cannabis] on pain are more holistic than those of opioids,” authors state. The study also notes that the strongest difference between the two groups — which were more commonly reported in the medical cannabis group — were deeper relaxation, better sleep, improved mood and the ability to feel pain without reacting to it.
“In sum, the results lend support to the notion that the psychoactive effects of MC are relevant to its therapeutic effect on pain, in line with suggestions in previous literature,” authors said. However, they noted that their use of “psychoactive” isn’t in reference to something producing an altered state of consciousness or distorting perception, but “instead something that holistically alters consciousness to a more positive direction, or towards ‘normality.’”
Researchers also said that there were no indications of medical cannabis distorting cognitive processes. Instead, it was perceived to improve memory, focus and clarity of thought.
“The results of the present study underline that the psychoactive effects of [medical cannabis] can be therapeutically positive and have beneficial effects on mood and functioning,” authors conclude. “However, this conclusion would require more robust testing, ideally in randomized controlled trials.”
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Keegan Williams
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The Chinese language is difficult, and perhaps no one has struggled more with it than the inkers and bearers of America’s Chinese-character tattoos.
Most infamous was probably the tattoo on Britney Spears’ hip, which intended to be the character for “mysterious,” but ended expressing something closer to “strange.”
Another popular choice is the Chinese character for “freedom,” which mistranslates to mian fei, or “free of charge.” I’ve also seen tattoos intended to represent the Chinese character for “power” represented as dian, which means “electricity” rather than “strength.”
I got my first tattoo in 2014 at My Tattoo in Alhambra, a road map of Los Angeles in black and red. My second came from a tattoo parlor in a neon lit alley in Shihlin Night Market in Taipei, a Chinese family stamp that depicts the meaning of my last name, a bear.
A Chinese dragon is one of the featured tattoos on display at Jelly Los Angeles.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Each tattoo attempts to express something different that is important to me, and I often considered using Chinese. But I could never see the Chinese character tattoo as anything more than an embarrassing stereotype. I associated it with exoticizing Asian culture, robbing it of meaning, except as decoration. I joked that getting one might pigeonhole me as one of those guy who owns one too many kimonos.
There’s probably no need to get this tangled up over a tattoo. But I don’t think I’m alone. Asian Americans often grow up with mocking, racist or alienating representations of our culture. And sometimes that has the ironic, contradictory effect of making us feel stereotyped by our own cultures.
Mainstream culture’s version of Asian American identity can feel like a costume you never agreed to wear. To construct an identity that could contain all parts of myself, I felt like I had to shed that skin and create some distance from it.
Now, conical rice paddy hats, the sound of a gong, and kung-fu have all become things I find very hard to enjoy or appreciate. These basically harmless aspects of Chinese cultures, through the lens of past pain, can still hurt.
When I moved to Venice Beach two years ago, I saw Chinese tattoos on skaters, lifters, pickleball players, surfers and tourists, hardly any with Chinese heritage. Some tattoo parlors advertised with giant posters of translated Chinese characters in the window. None of them seemed self-conscious or apologetic about it, which made my hesitation feel unnecessary. I envied their nonchalance.
I decided to ink a Taoist verse in a line down my forearm. I met my tattoo artist, Shane, at Devocean Tattoo, a tiny storefront shop. He asked a lot of questions about the characters before getting started — as a white tattoo artist he’s all too aware of the inaccurate Chinese tattoo stereotype.
Tattoo artist Mikey Ekimoto tattoos the Korean symbol for “taste, savor, flavor” on Frank Shyong’s wrist at Ocean Front Tattoo in Venice.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
The pain of a tattoo always seems to land just short of intolerable, depending on where you get it. When the tattoo gun’s twin needles pierce your skin, it stings enough that the body instinctively seeks to stop the pain, whether by flinching or flooding your brain with endorphins. It’s enough pain to frustrate your attempts to avoid thinking about it.
But the most important thing about the pain of a tattoo is that it will end, as with most pain in life. What you’re left with is a feeling of victory over suffering. Or at least, a sense that you have less to fear from it than before. I used to see tattoos as talismans of pain, but now I believe they also represent healing.
When the words on my arm healed, my anger faded with the pain.
There are no easy rules that neatly separate cultural appropriation from cultural appreciation because there is no single way to respect people’s pain. Trying to determine which Chinese-character tattoos are the most authentic or appropriate is pointless, because the most culturally accurate thing to do is to never get one.
Preserving the body is considered an important aspect of filial piety within the context of Confucianism, and that precept encourages long hair, forbids suicide and is interpreted as prohibiting tattoos.
Chinese American tattoo artist Em Jia has a Chinese character tattoo on the back of their neck.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
I spoke to a Chinese American tattoo artist, Em Jia, who has a tattoo that plays with this concept. Their mother used to eye Jia’s tattoos with distaste, warning them that all the luck was bleeding out of their body. So Jia inked the words fu chi dou mei you, which means “luckless.”
Tattooing the words was their way of refusing shame and practicing self acceptance, a “way of finding freedom,” Jia said.
But they’re still uncomfortable about seeing Chinese-character tattoos on non-Asian people. They feel protective of their connection to Chinese culture and language. I think it’s a natural reaction for anyone growing up with Long Duk Dong from the 1984 movie “Sixteen Candles” and racist Asian jokes on prime-time TV.
“Now I open a bag of shrimp chips and I don’t give a f— about what anyone says,” said Jia, 26.
Later that day, I met Mike Cho, a Korean American from Philadelphia and the owner of Ocean Front Tattoo in Venice Beach for the last 11 years. Cho said the store experiences steady demand for Chinese tattoos, as does pretty much every other tattoo parlor on the boardwalk.
Korean American tattoo artist Mike Cho wears, among others, a tattoo on his neck with Korean figures that translate to his last name.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
His skin has enough ink to print a whole newspaper, with tattoos pretty much everywhere but his face. His last name is inked in Korean on his throat, and the Korean characters for the number 17 tattooed on his neck, because he moved to Los Angeles at the age of 21 with just $1,700 in his pocket.
I told him that I wanted to get a Korean word tattooed after traveling to Seoul last year, and wondered what he thought.
At the time I was struggling to find pleasure in food following a difficult breakup. At Gwangjang Market, after I spotted a golden brown seafood pancake sizzling on a flattop grill, I ordered one and devoured it. It was the first meal I remember enjoying in more than a year, and I wanted to memorialize the feeling with a tattoo of the Korean character for “savor,” mas.
Cho, 45, had no problem with me, a Taiwanese guy, getting a Korean character tattoo. Actually, he found the question a bit confusing. He had never thought twice about getting his own Asian-language tattoo.
“Just thought it was cool,” Cho said. “I was more worried about what my parents would say. I didn’t go home for five years!”
I’ll likely meet other Korean Americans who will be bothered by my tattoo. But I can accept that, because I’m trying to imagine a future in which all of these clashing feelings can find some equilibrium. And before pain heals, it has to find expression.
When a tattoo is finished, the area is red, throbbing and swollen. The wound oozes and scabbing cracks the skin. Soon a soft outline of new skin forms around the cuts, peeling and flaking for a while, until one day, you wake up, and there is no scar, just your skin.
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Frank Shyong
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Life with chronic pain can feel hopeless and debilitating. And while no two pain experiences are the same, there are a few practices that have helped many people feel like themselves again. Practicing gentle movement, easing the strain on your adrenal glands by reducing stress, and taking targeted supplements for pain relief and joint comfort can all be effective.
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Cannabidiol (CBD) is marketed by some suppliers as a painkiller, e.g. for osteoarthritis of the knee. Animal experiments have shown that the substance, which is extracted from the hemp plant, has an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect in arthritis. As pain researchers at MedUni Vienna were now able to show for the first time in humans, CBD is not effective as pain medication, even in high doses. The results of the clinical study involving patients from the Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna have just been published in the prestigious scientific journal “The Lancet Regional Health – Europe”.
86 men and women with an average age of around 63 years who suffered from severe pain due degeneration of the knee joint (osteoarthritis) were involved in the study. While one half of the patients received high-dose cannabidiol (CBD) by the mouth, the other group was given a placebo that was not recognizable as such, i.e. a drug without an active ingredient. The strictly controlled study period of eight weeks showed that CBD did not have a stronger pain-relieving effect than the placebo.
This means that CBD is not an alternative for pain therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee, so the search for more effective options must continue.”
Sibylle Pramhas (Division of Special Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesia, General Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy at…
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Pharmaceutical-grade cannabidiol (CBD) relieved symptoms in patients with idiopathic and diabetic gastroparesis and increased tolerance of liquid nutrient intake after 4 weeks of treatment in a phase 2 randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled study recently published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
There is “significant unmet medical need in gastroparesis,” and compared with cannabis, which has been used to relieve nausea and pain in patients with the condition, CBD has limited psychic effects with the added potential to reduce gut sensation and inflammation, wrote Ting Zheng, MD, and colleagues at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
The researchers assessed the symptoms of 44 patients (21 randomized to receive CBD and 23 to receive placebo) – each of whom had nonsurgical gastroparesis with documented delayed gastric emptying of solids (GES) by scintigraphy for at least 3 months – with the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society’s Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) Daily Diary.
They measured GES at baseline, and at 4 weeks, they measured GES again as well as fasting and postprandial gastric volumes and satiation using a validated Ensure drink test. (Patients ingested Ensure [Abbott Laboratories] at a rate of 30 mL/min and recorded their sensations every 5 minutes.) The two treatment arms were compared via 2-way analysis of covariance that included body mass index and, when applicable,…
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