Is Reiki a Placebo? – Part 4

I said in a previous post that scientists are interested in finding out how massage works.  So if we accept that massage reduces muscle pain, that leaves the question, "How does massage reduce muscle pain?". In 1965, Ronald Melzack and Patrick Wall outlined a scientific theory about psychological influence on pain perception; the ‘gate control theory’.  According to the gate control theory, pain signals are not free to reach the brain as soon as they are generated at the injured tissues or sites. They need to encounter certain ‘neurological gates’ at the spinal cord level and these gates determine whether the pain signals should reach the brain or not. In other words, pain is perceived when the gate gives way to the pain signals and it is less intense or not at all perceived when the gate closes for the signals to pass through. Cutaneous mechano-receptors are stimulated by touch (massage) and transmit information within large never fibres to the spinal cord.  These impulses block the passage of painful stimuli entering the same spinal segment along small, slowly conducting neurons. This theory gives the explanation for why someone finds relief by rubbing or massaging an injured or a painful area. For example, the pain gate theory explains "how"  a child feels better after mum or dad intuitively rub their knee when they have fallen over. In summary massage produces short term pain relief by being a particularly effective trigger for the pain gate process. References Melzack R, & Wall PD (1965). Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science (New York, N.Y.), 150 (3699), 971-9  Moayedi M, & Davis KD (2013). Theories of pain: from specificity to gate control. Journal of neurophysiology, 109 (1), 5-12 Jacobs M. (1960) Massage for the relief of pain: anatomical and physiological considerations.  Physical Therapy Review, 40: 93-8 Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science. 1965 Nov 19;150(3699):971–979. Wells PE, Frampton V, Bowsher D. (1988) Pain: Management and Control in Physiotherapy.  Heinemann Medical.  Chapter 13. Watson J. (1982) Pain mechanisms: a review.  1. Characteristics of the peripheral receptors.  Australian Journal of Physiotherapy.  27:135-43

Like a trusty guard dog, your smart phone probably rests right next to you (or even under your pillow) every night when you go to sleep. You’re able to answer calls, texts and emails at a moment’s notice – even during the wee hours of the night.  And isn’t that the best part about technology? Always being connected and never truly shutting down or logging off?  Not so fast. You probably don’t even realize how your smart phone habits are affecting your sleep. 1. It keeps your mind psychologically engaged Smart phones were designed to make us more productive and our lives easier. They’re designed to entertain us and provide information. But when it’s time to turn off the lights and go to sleep, the last thing our brain needs is more information and more entertainment. (And that seems fair enough – we give our brains enough to think about during the day!) The smart phone era has forced us to feel like we can never really log off, even when we’re sleeping.   Your mind can stay active and engaged long after you’ve scrolled through Instagram or responded to a few work emails. Going to bed and falling asleep should be a peaceful, happy and relaxing experience. Engaging with your phone too close to bedtime can negatively impact those feelings. 2. The blue light from the screen suppresses melatonin Blue light from screens of laptops, tablets and smartphones supresses melatonin.  Melatonin is a hormone responsible for controlling your sleep-wake cycle. So when your body runs low on it, you can experience insomnia, tiredness during the day and irritability. 3. Alerts delay REM sleep Knowing your smartphone is at hand can mean you are aware of new email alerts or social media alerts.  These alerts or simply waiting for these alerts can delay REM sleep. So if you want to improve the quality of your sleep simply have 1 hour technology free before bed. Reference https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.01413.2009  

Globally more than 10 million people die each year from conditions related to high blood pressure.  In clinic we notice that high blood pressure medication is one of the most common medications that are clients take (outside the contraceptive pill). The Hygia Chronotherapy trail, looked at 19,084 Caucasian Spanish men and women over a period of 6 years.  Patients were split into two groups, with one asked to take their high blood pressure medication in the morning and one in the evening. The patients that took their blood pressure medication before bedtime are 66% less likely to die from heart and circulatory conditions, according to the researchers. Experts believe a person’s circadian rhythm or “body clock” can change the effect of the medication.  The study found that blood pressure dipped lower at night in those who took the medication before bed compared to those who took it in the morning. Researchers say that further studies looking at people of different ethnicities should take place before doctors change their advice to patients on when to take blood pressure medication. Reference https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz754/5602478