So how does massage reduce pain? – Part 2

Previously I explained the scientific theory for  “How does massage reduce muscle pain?” in the short term .  But what about the long term?

I would like to introduce to you the “descending pain suppression mechanism.”

The brain is not a passive receiver of sensory messages, but rather a centre that interprets them and makes constant adjustments accordingly. For example, everyone knows that the way you perceive pain will be influenced by whether you focus on it or think of something else instead. And it seems reasonable to suppose that evolutionary selection may have favoured those individuals who could ignore pain signals for long enough to take actions that let them escape and survive danger.

Unpleasant cutaneous sensations stimulate nuclei within the mid brain.  These nuclei in turn initiate activity in the descending spinal tracts that release endogenous opiates (inhibitory neurotransmitters) within the spinal segment receiving the painful input.  This diminishes the intensity of the pain transmitted to the higher centres. Sports and Deep Tissue massage techniques can reinforce a naturally occurring discomfort, causing much greater release of opiates and achieve a more profound pain suppression.

References

Basbaum A, Fields H.  (1978) Endogenous pain control mechanisms: review and hypothesis.  Ann Neurol 4: 451-2.

Watson J (1982) Pain mechanisms: a review.  3. Endogenous pain mechanisms.  Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 27: 135-43

Related Posts

  • The Impact of Sitting All Day – Part 6

    Studies have shown that an alert body and active lifestyle boosts not just productivity, but also happiness and satisfaction levels. There is now an explosion of research studies that demonstrate the harmful effects of sitting all day, which I have covered in past blog posts.

    In my last blog post, "Taking a Break", I explored the reasons for taking a break and looked at the latest research on the length of break you need to take and the frequency. So now I want to focus on strategies to get you moving… Use an Exercise Ball for a Chair Unlike sitting in a chair, sitting on a exercise ball engages your core muscles and helps improve your balance & flexibility. Occasionally bouncing can also help your body interact with gravity to a greater degree than sitting on a stationary chair. Use the Stairs Walk up and down stairs, rather than take the lifts.  Even if you only walk up or down one flight of stairs and then take the lift the rest of the way it will have a positive impact on your health. Walk & Talk Meeting If you have an informal meeting with a colleague why not suggest a walk & talk meeting, weather permitting you could always go outside and get some fresh air too! Pedometer Using a pedometer will help you asses how many steps you take throughout the day. Taking a roundabout way to your desk, taking the stairs or walking to the next tube station as part of your commute will help you increase the number of steps you take daily. Exercise while you Sit at your desk An Amercian start up company, FitnessCubed, has come up with Cubii, an under-desk elliptical trainer that allows you to do basic exercise while you sit at a standard office desk. (It requires no changes to your existing desk set up.) They have also produced a mobile app that allows you to track your workout and you can also share your work out results – so you could even hold an inter-office competition.

  • Muscle Soreness after exercise

    We all know that postural muscles get tired and that creates knots. But muscles also get tired after exercises, this is called DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. DOMS is characterised by a dull, aching pain in the affected muscle, often combined with tenderness and stiffness. The pain is typically felt only when the muscle is stretched, contracted or put under pressure, but otherwise the muscle feels fine. The soreness usually increases in intensity in the first 24 hours after exercise. It peaks from 24 to 72 hours, then subsides and disappears up to seven days after exercise. DOMS can be the reason why sporty people feel aches and pains when they are treated if they have recently been pushing themselves when exercising. Unfortunately stretching or warming up the muscles does not prevent DOMS but gradually increasing the intensity of the exercise does. If treatment is desired, any measure that increases blood flow to the muscle, such as hot baths, sauna or a massage may help.

  • Why sometimes you need light pressure in a massage not just deep tissue?

    Our instinct as humans when we feel tight and stiff is to feel we just need someone to just get into the muscles.  By" get into the muscles", [...]