Clayton Giles RMT Langley

Hello everyone.

In a recent study that I read it talked about how patient outcomes are greatly increased just by explaining how pain works. So today I'd like to talk about how pain works in the body.

Pain is like your body’s alarm system. When something potentially harmful happens—like a cut, a burn, or even strain in your muscles—your body wants to let you know, so it sends out a warning signal to your brain. Here’s how it works:

1. The Start of Pain: Detecting a Problem
Specialized nerve cells in your skin, muscles, and organs are on alert, ready to pick up signs of trouble. These cells, called nociceptors, detect things like heat, pressure, or chemicals. When they sense something unusual or dangerous, they create an electrical signal.

2. The Pathway: Sending the Signal to the Brain
Once a nociceptor detects a problem, it sends the signal along nerves to your spinal cord, which acts as a highway to the brain. The spinal cord sends this pain message upward to the brain for processing.

3. The Brain: Making Sense of the Pain
When the signal reaches the brain, the brain's job is to figure out what’s happening and how to respond. Different parts of the brain work together to understand the pain's location, type, and intensity. Some areas of the brain also handle the emotional reaction to pain, which is why pain can make you feel anxious, upset, or drained.

4. The Response: Reacting to Pain
Once the brain identifies the pain, it may send out instructions on how to respond. For example, if you touch a hot stove, the brain tells your hand to pull away quickly. Or if you have muscle pain, the brain might signal you to rest or stop what you're doing to prevent further damage.

5. After the Pain: Sensitization
In some cases, if the body has been in pain for a long time, it starts to become extra sensitive to pain signals. This is called "sensitization." The nerves and brain can become so primed for pain that even gentle touches or small triggers might hurt, which can be a part of chronic pain conditions.

In summary, pain is a protective system that helps keep you safe. It alerts you to danger or injury and encourages you to act, whether it’s pulling your hand away, resting, or seeking medical help. When pain lasts a long time, though, it can become complicated and affect how your body and mind process it, which is why chronic pain often needs a comprehensive approach to treatment.

Stay tuned for a follow up post where I will discuss pain modulation, your bodies natural ability to use built-in painkillers, like endorphins and enkephalins, to decrease the sensitivity to and reaction of pain.

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Hello again, everyone! Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there.

If you have been in a recent motor vehicle accident and have an open claim with ICBC, this post is for you.

Not a lot of people are aware of this, but when you get into a motor vehicle accident, you are automatically eligible for a range of health care services. For Registered Massage Therapy, you are automatically given 12 sessions. For kinesiologists, psychologists, clinical counsellors, and acupuncturists, you are also entitled to 12 sessions each. Additionally, you get 25 sessions for physiotherapists and chiropractors respectively.
I was very surprised myself with everything ICBC offers. So if you have been in a recent motor vehicle accident or know someone who has, please share this with them so that they can take full advantage of what ICBC offers. It’s what our insurance premiums go towards.

Thank you, and stay tuned for more posts! (If there is a relevant topic you would like me to write about please mention it in the comments section and I will do my best to write about it).


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