
Low back pain is the leading cause for disability globally. It affects more than half a billion people, and the numbers are rising. This may be due to our stressful and sedentary life-style and our disconnection form ourselves. Most common of chronic low back pain causes include arthritis of the spine, spinal stenosis or disc problems.
But more often than not the cause is unknown, or the pain persists after treatment.
Today pain scientists agree that chronic pain is not just an extension of acute pain. Instead, chronic pain is viewed as a separate disease where the brain’s normal circuitry is rewired over a long period of time to keep deliver pain signals – even without obvious tissue damage. Here is the definition of pain by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP): “Pain is the unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage.” Pain has sensory and emotional components, and is influenced to varying degrees by biological, psychological, and social factors.
Chronic pain has many facets.
Pain is not only determined by sensory nerve cells or brain regions where sensory information is processed; the experience of pain also involves cognitive, emotional and reward systems in the brain. Sensory nerve cells are tightly connected to the areas that regulate emotions. Brain imaging studies have verified that chronic pain engages the emotional brain.
Stress greatly affects the experience of pain.
Increased levels of the hormone cortisol during stress enhances pain perception. It changes the way the brain processes signals. Stress also enhances negative emotions like anxiety and depression which again may lead to more pain. Moreover, stress is often associated with tense muscles and spasms which may worsen chronic pain. The relationship between stress and chronic pain is complex and a two-way-street.
Chronic pain is linked to chronic inflammation.
Signaling molecules released during inflammation can directly excite free nerve endings which means inflammation can keep the brain’s signals going and pain continues. There is also a link between obesity and chronic pain as fat cells send out pro-inflammatory signals contributing to chronic pain.
Reflexology and Alexander Technique (AT) address chronic low back pain holistically.
Complementary therapists approach chronic pain in a holistic way including the many facets of chronic pain. In the first Reflexology session, I may mainly focus on the symptomatic areas of low back pain (lumbar spine, sacrum, sciatic nerve etc.) to give the client some immediate pain relief. In subsequent sessions, I emphasize on the underlying causes. It is crucial to work on areas relating to stress levels such as areas for breathing including the diaphragm and connected nerves, and the autonomous nervous system. I work with areas of the brain involved in the brain’s circuitry of pain signals, as well as with the vagus nerve and the adrenals. If inflammation is involved in the process, I also focus on organs such as the liver and intestines.
Postural habits such as slouching or stiffening hips often contribute to lower back pain.
Alexander Technique is another effective body-mind method to address chronic low back pain. AT sessions help people gain more self-awareness and develop strategies to reduce muscle tension, change long-term movement habits and improve postural support. AT sessions assist in redistribution of muscle tone, deep muscle activation and a better understanding how the body works which all contribute to a deep transformation and the reduction of chronic pain. AT and Reflexology both help to get more connected to yourself physically and emotionally to help break the brain’s circuitry of pain.
Curious about Reflexology and AT? Contact me if you have any questions! 778.245.1750
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