Often the pains want to indicate that there is something wrong with the body that seeks a way to protect itself, but there may also be psychological pain from previous trauma. This is the case of kinesiophobia, in which the patient is afraid to move so as not to generate pain and this is usually because he has had a previous experience of pain.
Pain almost always limits movement. Therefore, it is also important to have some health care such as leaving sedentary lifestyle behind, not exaggerating physical activities, maintaining a good posture, stretching, taking care when carrying weight, choosing a suitable mattress and even having a correct posture. while sleeping.
Physiologically, it is called nociceptive pain. Nociceptive pain is an interpretation of the brain to certain stimuli. The skin, muscles and tendons, connective tissues and deeper tissues (viscera) have nerve endings for pain, called nociceptives.
Once the nociceptors are activated, they will conduct nerve impulses through the afferent fibers (which run from the extremity to the brain). These fibers can be A-delta, which are myelinated and thicker (that is, nerve impulses are transmitted at a higher speed) or C, which are not myelinated.
Nociceptors can be activated through sensory pain stimuli, thermal stimuli, harmful stimuli or even stretching a muscle excessively. The response of a nociceptor, when there is no physiological change, begins in seconds and can last for hours (acute pain) or for days (chronic pain).
When visceral pain is felt, it is because these deeper nociceptors were activated due to an irritation of the mucosa, a distention or contraction of the viscera or even a direct mechanical trauma. Because it is a poorly located pain, it can be felt in other regions of the body. For example, trauma to the pancreas or endometrium may refer to back pain, just as pain in the liver (usually by metastasis) can cause referred pain in the right shoulder. The referred pain is also present in cases of trigger points, which are points of muscle tension. This type of pain occurs due to a misinterpretation of the nervous impulse or because some nerve fibers innervate somatic structures and visceral structures.
Physical therapy to treat pain
To treat pain, there are some resources in physical therapy. Remembering that it is necessary to investigate and treat the cause of the pain, not only to mask it. However, the pain is often so severe that the patient ends up with movement limitation and hinders the evolution of physical therapy treatment. It is possible to use portable TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), which acts in two ways: by the afferent and the efferent ways. Through the afferent path or theory of the pain gate, in which the TENS stimulation reaches the brain via the A-beta neuron, which has a larger caliber and is more myelinated. As a result, the TENS signal reaches the brain first and blocks the nociceptive signal. Via the efferent route, in which the brain sends a message to the hypothalamus to mediate the release of endogenous opioids (hormones responsible for decreasing pain and causing well-being).
A physiotherapist who transforms lives
Physiotherapy can still be considered a new profession in Brazil, with less than 60 years of regulation. This is because in the 1930s, in Brazil, physiotherapy services were performed by “rehabilitation doctors”, as they were called at the time. Over the years, the study of movement has been transformed into science thanks to the dedication of professionals to develop their knowledge and techniques in the execution of activities in the field of Physiotherapy.
However, initially many people confused and believed that physiotherapists were only massage therapists, so confidence and recognition for treatment of injuries, pain and rehabilitation took time to happen.
What is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a health science applied to the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of functional kinetic dysfunctions of organs and systems of the human body. The performance of activities requires an understanding of the structures and functions of the human body, so to work in the area, higher education in Physiotherapy is necessary.
