Pain types and Treatment

Pain is an unpleasant sensation triggered by harmful stimuli that activate nerve endings. This process is to alert us to a possibility of a injury. This causes the body to react by protecting itself and/or by withdrawing from a harmful stimulus. Pain also stimulates the gamut of physiological changes mediated by the sympathetic nerves system and resulting in the fight-or-flight response.

Types of Pain:

  • Acute pain – pain of short duration. May last seconds or weeks.
  • Chronic Pain – lasting months, years, or a lifetime. May be intermittent.
  • Somatic Pain – arises from stimulating of receptors in the skin (superficial) or from muscle connective tissue (deep somatic pain).
  • Radiating Pain – pain travels from the original site to distant places. Ex sciatica pain.
  • Referred Pain – pain that is perceived in one area of the body when the actual stimulus is in another area.

Massage Effects On Pain:

MASSAGE INCREASES CIRCULATION

  • Increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the cells.
  • Speeds the removal of metabolic waste from tissues.

MASSAGE RELAXES AND WARMS THE MYOFASCIAL TISSUES

  • Has a circulatory effect on myofascial tissue.

MASSAGE ACTIVATES THE GATE CONTROL

  • Pleasurable sensory stimulation of the massage can override the noxious chemical and mechanical stimulus of the pain/spasm reflex.

MASSAGE ACTIVATES CHEMICAL ANALGESICS

  • The bodies own pain killers are activated from massage (endorphins, enkephalins, and serotonin).

MASSAGE PROVIDES A FEELING OF WELL BEING

  • The emotional/psychological impact of massage in relation to reducing the perception of pain should not be underestimated.