PAIN

What is pain excately? We all have suffered pain to various degrees, but what is it and how does it work. Unfortunately, it is a bit complicated to explain to a lay person. Ok, basically pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. This discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is really not that simple. It is not just a matter of sensation or the physical awreness of pain. Pain is something that is very subjective and can be interpretated in different ways. Perception plays a major role in the degree of pain felt, it gives us the location, intensity and can give us something about its nature. Pain can further be defined by emotional response and unconscious responses to both sensationa and perception. Look at it this way: if you think it is going to hurt it probably will, you have already subconsciously told the your body that what is going to happen is going to hurt and your body will respond to that.

There are many reasons for pain, injury, illness and may accompany a psychological condition, such as depression. It can even occur in the absence of any known trigger (insidious).

The neurology of pain:
Nerve cells, or neurons, perform many functions in the body. Certain types of neurons are capable of transmitting a pain signal to the brain. These are called nociceptors and pretty much every surface and organ in the body has them. There are several types of nociceptors:
- thermoreceptive - stimulated by temperatures that are potentially dangerous
- mechanoreceptive - respond to a pressure stimulus that may cause injury
- polymodal - most sensitive and can respond to temperature and pressure
- also respond to chemicals released by the cells in the area from which the pain originates

The receptors, are at the front end of pain sensation. When stimulated the nociceptor sends a cascade of neurotransmitters (chemicals that transmit information within the nervous system) in the spine. Each of these neurotransmitters has a specific purpose. Neurotransmitters may also stimulate nerves leading back to the site of the injury. This response prompts cells in the injured area to release chemicals that can trigger an immune response (swelling, heat and/or redness),but also influence the intensity and duration of the pain.


Types of pain: Accute and Chronic/Abnormal

Accute Pain:
- pain that goes away when the cause is removed,timeframe is within 3 months
- caused by tissue damage eg: a burn or broken bone, can also be associated with headaches or muscle cramps

Chronic/Abnormal Pain:
- pain that persists after an injury heals - timeline more than 3-6 months
- examples include cancer pain, pain related to a persistent or degenerative
disease (eg. severe arthitis), and long-term pain from an unidentifiable cause(eg. Fibromyalgia)
- may be caused by a body's inappropiate response to acute pain
- continued stimulation of nociceptors changes occur within the nervous system
- at the molecular level these changes can be very dramatic
- including alterations in genetic transcription of neurotransmitters and receptors -- changes may also occur in the absence of an identifiable cause
- one of the most frustrating things about chronic pain is that the stimulus may be
unknown - which makes getting a diagnosis very difficult, and also it can be very
very difficult getting Doctors and others to believe that you are suffering and to
understand what you are going through

Abnormal Pain:
- include allodynia, hyperalgesia, and phantom limb pain.
- often arise due to damage to the nervous system (neuropathic)
- Allodynia: a feeling of pain in response to a normally harmless stimulus
will experience unbearable pain from just the light weight of clothing etc.
- Hyperalgesia: a response to a painful stimulus is extreme
a mild pain stimulus, such as a pin prick, causes a maximum pain response
- Phantom limb pain: occurs after a limb is amputated and the nervous system continues to perceive pain originating from the area

Ok.... enough for now... we will continue with Pain Gate Theory and its relationship with Massage next time.

So do You NEED a Massage?

Personally, I think everyone should have massages on a regular basis. Whether it is done by your mother, father, friend, or partner. We all need to be touched, it is part of normal human development. So you say you have never had a massage... did your mother rub your back, tummy or even head when you were younger... yes... well then you have had a massage. Have you ever had a stiff neck and rubbed the muscles that were sore... yes... then you have given yourself a massage. What sets a Massage Therapist apart is that they have gone through a very difficult program to become a professional. Anyone can learn to give a massage, but it takes years of training and schooling to truely be able to give a Massage.

In my first post I gave a list of things that massage greatly helps with. In today's society I think that the major issue for people is STRESS. Stress in small amounts is normal, it actually helps, it is when those stresses overwhelm the body and mind that it can do damage. Stress causes the body to release a chemical called cortisol, it is the body's "stress hormone" and initiates the "fight or flight" response in people. On a shortterm basis this is normal, but when one suffers from chronic stress the cortisol levels in the body do not decrease and can cause many negative effects on the body, including:
Impaired cognitive performance
Suppressed thyroid function
Blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia
Decreased bone density
Decrease in muscle tissue
Higher blood pressure
Lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, as well as other health consequences
Increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of , higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems!

Massage can help keep cortisol levels healthy and under control,as it activates the body’s relaxation response.

So in otherwords... go out and get a Massage!! You won't regret it. As always, please see a Registered Massage Therapist.

Up Next: Pain, pain, and more pain - a look at acute/ chronic pain and Massage and just maybe a lesson on Pain Gate Theory. Oh my.

A Brief History of Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy may be one of the oldest and simplest forms of medical care. It has been practiced in Eastern cultures continuely since ancient times. The Ancient Egyptians painted scenes of people being massaged in their tombs and the Chinese have books dating back to 2,700 BC that recommend breathing exercises and massage as treatments for chills and fevers. Julius Caesar was said to have daily massages to help treat neuralgia(a painful nerve disorder). In the fifth century BC, the father of Western medicine, Hippocrates wrote that rubbing could tighten a joint that was too loose and loosen a joint that was too tight.

Thoughout the ages massage has been used to help relax, heal and to maintain a person's general well being. Today many people are turning to this ancient form of health care to help treat stress, pain and a variety of ailments as a compliment to their regular health care practioner. Massgae can be used for the very basic of complaints - stress, relaxation - to being used after moter vehicale accidents, surgery and sport injuries.

There are a variety of types of massage:
Relaxation Massage:
A smooth, flowing style that promotes general relaxation, improves circulation and range of movement, and relieves muscular tension.

Remedial Massage:
A paramedical treatment that helps to restore function to injured "soft tissues" (muscles, tendons and ligaments). Therapy may involve the use of various types of Massage, as well as a range of other physical treatments to assist your recovery. In addition, you may be asked to perform some activities at home to assist the process of recovery.

Sports Massage:
Combines different Massage techniques to enhance sports performance and recuperation. An effective component of any training program.
Aromatherapy Massage:
Combining the therapeutic properties of essential oils with specific Massage techniques to promote health and well-being.

Reflexology:
Using thumb and finger pressure on the reflex points of the feet (which correspond to all areas of the body) to assist in achieving balance within the body.

Oriental Massage Therapies:
Oriental-based systems of finger pressure Massage, such as acupressure and Shiatsu , that treat points along the acupressure medridians, aiming to release discomfort and rebalance energy.

It is recommended to research and discuss any alternative therapy with your primary health care practicioner. Also please note, in British Columbia and Ontario Canada - for any therapy related massage a practicioner must be a member of the province's College of Massage Therapist - this proves that the person has attended a registered school and has completed a minimum of 2200 hours of course and practical work and has also completed succesfully the province administered exams.