5 Whys

Summary

The speaker shares a personal story about waking up with headaches and using Motrin as a temporary solution. Realizing it was a symptom of a deeper issue, they investigated further and discovered that their old, worn-out mattress was the root cause of their neck and back pain, which in turn caused the headaches. By replacing the mattress, they resolved all related issues, illustrating the importance of identifying and addressing the underlying cause rather than just treating the symptoms.

Takeaways

• 🛌 The speaker initially experienced recurring headaches and used Motrin as a quick fix.
• 🤔 They realized that Motrin was only masking the symptoms, not addressing the root cause.
• 🔍 The speaker started asking 'why' to dig deeper into the cause of the headaches.
• 😖 They discovered that their neck pain was causing the headaches.
• 😲 Further investigation led to the realization that a tweaked back was causing the neck pain.
• 🛏️ The root cause was identified as an old and damaged mattress affecting their sleep and posture.
• 🛍️ Purchasing a new mattress resolved the back, neck pain, and headaches.
• 🌟 The story illustrates the importance of finding the root cause of a problem rather than just treating the symptoms.
• 🙅‍♂️ The speaker clarifies they are not criticizing chiropractors, acknowledging their value in certain situations.
• ❓ The 'five why's' technique is highlighted as a useful method for probing deeper into the root of an issue.

Q & A

What was the initial problem the speaker faced every morning?

The speaker was waking up every morning with a headache.

What was the speaker's immediate solution to the headache problem?

The speaker's immediate solution was to take Motrin to alleviate the headache.

Why did the speaker's headaches persist despite taking Motrin?

The headaches persisted because Motrin was only a short-term fix, masking a deeper issue.

What did the speaker do to identify the root cause of the headaches?

The speaker started to self-reflect and ask questions about why their head and neck hurt upon waking.

What was the speaker's discovery regarding the cause of their neck pain?

The speaker found out that their neck pain was likely causing the headaches and that their back was also hurting.

What was the ultimate cause of the speaker's back and neck pain?

The ultimate cause was an old and damaged mattress that had springs sticking out in different ways.

What action did the speaker take to resolve the root cause of their pain?

The speaker bought a new mattress to replace the old one.

What were the positive outcomes of the speaker's decision to change their mattress?

After changing the mattress, the speaker experienced better sleep, relief from back and neck pain, and the headaches stopped.

Why did the speaker compare the situation with going to a chiropractor?

The speaker compared it to illustrate that even if a chiropractor temporarily fixed the pain, it would likely return without addressing the root cause.

What is the 'five why's' technique mentioned by the speaker and how does it apply to this situation?

The 'five why's' is a problem-solving technique that involves asking 'why' repeatedly to get to the root cause of an issue. In this case, the speaker used it to identify that the mattress was the root cause of their recurring headaches.

How does the speaker's experience relate to the importance of addressing the root cause in problem-solving?

The speaker's experience demonstrates that merely treating symptoms without identifying and addressing the root cause can lead to recurring issues, emphasizing the need for deep analysis in problem-solving.

Outlines

00:00

🛌 Identifying the Root Cause of Recurring Issues

The speaker shares a personal story about waking up with headaches and initially using painkillers as a temporary solution. They describe the realization that the painkillers were only masking a deeper issue, which turned out to be an old, damaged mattress causing discomfort in their back and neck, ultimately leading to the headaches. The narrative emphasizes the importance of identifying and addressing the root cause of problems rather than just treating the symptoms.

Keywords

💡Root Cause

Root cause refers to the underlying reason for an issue or problem. In the video, the root cause is identified as the old mattress causing discomfort and headaches. The concept is central to the video's theme, emphasizing the importance of addressing the fundamental issue rather than just treating the symptoms, as seen in the speaker's personal experience with headaches and the temporary relief provided by motrin.

💡Symptom

A symptom is an indication or sign of a problem, but not necessarily the cause. In the context of the video, waking up with a headache is a symptom of the underlying issue with the mattress. The video uses the headaches as an example to illustrate the difference between treating symptoms and addressing the root cause.

💡Motrin

Motrin is a brand of over-the-counter medication used for pain relief and reducing inflammation. In the script, it serves as a metaphor for a short-term fix that masks the deeper issue. The speaker used motrin to alleviate morning headaches but realized it was not a long-term solution, highlighting the need to find the root cause.

💡Chiropractor

A chiropractor is a healthcare professional specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of neuromuscular disorders, particularly the spine. The video mentions chiropractors as an example of a professional who could provide temporary relief from the speaker's pain but would not address the root cause, which in this case was the old mattress.

💡Five Why's

The 'Five Why's' is a problem-solving technique that involves asking 'why' repeatedly to delve deeper into the causes of a problem. The video script uses this concept to emphasize the importance of continuous questioning to reach the root cause, as opposed to stopping at the first apparent cause.

💡Back Pain

Back pain is a common ailment that can be caused by various factors, including poor posture or an uncomfortable sleeping surface. In the video, the speaker's back pain is a symptom that leads them to investigate further and eventually discover the root cause related to their mattress.

💡Neck Pain

Neck pain, like back pain, is a symptom that can result from various issues, such as strain or an improper sleeping position. The speaker in the video experiences neck pain, which they initially treat as a separate issue before realizing it's connected to the discomfort caused by their mattress.

💡Mattress

A mattress is a large pad for supporting the reclining body, meant to provide comfort and a good night's sleep. In the video, the old and worn-out mattress is identified as the root cause of the speaker's discomfort and headaches, illustrating the importance of addressing the source of a problem.

💡Military

The term 'military' refers to the armed forces of a country. The speaker mentions being in the military to provide context for the condition of their mattress, which had been moved and mishandled multiple times, contributing to its poor state and the subsequent health issues.

💡Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is the process of identifying, analyzing, and addressing an issue to find a resolution. The video's narrative is a case study in problem-solving, where the speaker uses a series of questions and observations to uncover the root cause of their recurring headaches.

💡Temporary Fix

A temporary fix is a short-term solution to a problem, often providing immediate relief but not a permanent cure. The video contrasts the temporary relief provided by motrin and a potential chiropractic adjustment with the long-term solution of replacing the mattress to fix the root cause.

Highlights

The importance of identifying the root cause of a problem rather than just treating the symptoms.

Personal experience with recurring headaches and the realization of a deeper issue.

The use of Motrin as a temporary fix that masked a more serious underlying problem.

The process of self-reflection to understand the cause of morning headaches.

The discovery that neck pain was the actual cause of the headaches.

The connection between neck pain and back discomfort leading to headaches.

The realization that an old and damaged mattress was the root cause of the discomfort.

The impact of military life and frequent moves on the condition of the mattress.

The decision to purchase a new mattress to address the root cause of the problem.

The positive outcome of solving the root cause, with improvements in sleep and disappearance of headaches.

A comparison between temporary solutions like Motrin and chiropractic care, and addressing the root cause.

The potential temporary relief provided by a chiropractor without addressing the root cause.

The inevitable return of pain if the root cause is not addressed.

The introduction of the 'five why's' technique as a method to dig deeper into a problem.

The necessity of asking 'why' repeatedly to reach the root cause of an issue.

Transcripts

so the next thing that we need to do is

we need to determine if we are at rook

cos or not and make sure that we're not

just at a symptom of the root cause okay

so there was a time when I was waking up

every morning with a headache and I and

I'd wake up in the morning and I would

throw and throw some motrin right and

then the next morning it would well it

would go away right and then the next

morning I would wake up again and I

would have a headache again so I would

pop some motrin and it would go away

and then the next morning I'd wake up

again I'd have a headache and I staffed

for a little while I started to thinking

alright what's going on why am i waking

up every morning with a headache it it

was the the motrin right was was a kind

of a short-term fix that was masking

something that was a little bit deeper

right because the problem wasn't going

away it just kept coming back and so I

needed to figure out what's going on so

I had to ask myself why does my head

hurt when I wake up in the morning and

the answer was well my neck kind of

hurts and my neck seems to be causing

the headaches like when mine when my

neck hurts in the morning well then I

had to ask myself well why is my neck

hurting and then I was like well my back

feels like it's a little tweaked but my

back is kind of hurting a little bit so

then I had to ask myself well what why

is my back a little tweaked or why is my

back hurting and then I found I figured

out what if it was pretty obvious but

our mattress was pretty old and the

mattress had the springs were kind of

sticking around and sticking up in

different ways I know it's a little

embarrassing to even admit but it was

and we were in the military too and we

had in the 8 years that I was in the

military we had moved nine times so this

mattress had been like folded up and

like you know put in trucks sideways and

all different things so anyways the

mattress was pretty jacked up to say the

least

and so what I what we did was we went

and bought a new mattress and when I

went and bought a new mattress like I

started sleeping better my back got

better my my neck felt better and my

headaches went away right I had found

the root cause of the issue now I'm not

saying anything bad about chiropractors

because they're definitely necessary and

needed in certain situations but similar

to the motrin if I would have just went

man my neck really hurts my back is kind

of tweaked I need to just go to the

chiropractor and figure this out and the

chiropractor would have cracked my back

and fixed me and made me better it would

have probably worked longer than the

motrin right but what would have

happened eventually the pain would have

came back right because I wasn't at the

real cost I was still at a symptom

I wasn't deep enough yet into the into

this problem to get to the root of the

issue so this is where the five why's

really come in handy is we have to ask

ourselves why as deep as we can until we

get to the root of the issue