Impinged Nerve? Or is it Fascia?
How often have you heard I have an impinged nerve? My doctor says don’t get soft tissue work it will only irritate the area. Why would a doctor say that? Could it be they might not understand lymphatic therapy and fascia therapy reduces spasm and takes away the pain? Understanding what is causing the “nerve impingement “ is imperative for healing but most often there is a lack of understanding which causes fear, so you do nothing, and that fear will create more pain or long term injury.
From SFT (Stretching Fascia Therapy) perspective. It is not always vertebrae impinging on the nerve that causes pain or dysfunction, although this is possible. Looking at all the structures that are involved is the most effective for long-term results. Often it is impossible to see what structures are involved with imaging. So you may often hear that there is nothing wrong. The pain tells you something different.
In any neuro-orthopedic disorder, all structures are involved. The fascia, muscles, tendons, lymphatic and nervous system. All react to protect and heal.
Reflex Spasm
Have you ever yawned and created what is called “a reflex spasm” in your neck? Now you can’t move your neck. The longer you don’t move your neck, more structures become involved, associated muscles, nervous system and the fascia begin to change. All are adapting and most often not in an optimal way for function.
Nervous System
The nervous system is involved directly or indirectly in all injuries, as well as the fascia, muscles and lymphatic system. The nervous system considered one continuous track, as is the lymphatic system and the fascial system. Structures require a constant blood supply, which brings nutrients to the area. Nerve fibers are dependent on an uninterrupted supply of blood for normal function. What prevents this flow of blood, restricted fascia which can feel like cement, muscles that are in spasm or a slow lymphatic system. Which washes and provides waste disposal, you do not want a backup in the lymph.
Fascia in the body, stronger than steel but allows movement
I cannot say enough, that the pain if often a symptom is not the cause. So treating the pain will not heal the injury. It may create immediate relief for the symptom, but do you want to continually go back for treatment?
Working with a fitness professional who had shoulder pain, shared ART helped him so much. My question is then why are you seeing me if it worked so well? ART and scraping did help relieve temporality the pain. And pain gets all the attention, but the relief did not last. Why not?
SFT ( Simone Fortier Technique) perspective
Let us look at all the structures. Look at the lines of tension in the body, until you relieve those lines of tension or compensations that may have lead up to that particular injury, the injury will still be lurking in the background and present itself as a weakness. Who knew that working on the fascia in his calves and thoracic regions would reduce his pain and improve functioning? Knowing the body and using my philosophy that all structures interconnect -addressing these relationships is the secret when looking for long term solutions.
The Fitness guy asked ok this is great. How do I maintain this when I can’t get treatment appointment? Self-care is the answer to staying healthy and pain-free and must be done daily. He said I have never used foam rollers, (there are many other methods for self-care this is just one I showed him). I said because most people don’t know how to use them to stretch and maintain elongation in the fascia. I taught him how to use the foam roller; WOW. Now I get it, and I can help myself.
3 Strategies to Healthy Nerves
- Keep moving – Walking provides circulation, the blood flow nerves need for normal function
- Gentle stretching – daily movement stretching
- Take your Vitamin B’s a great nutritional source for the Nervous System when under stress.
The key to healing and staying pain-free is self-care. What do you do to take care of your body? You only get one.