The Treatment of Pain
Traditional Acupuncture Micromassage
Pain is a stress/alarm signal within the body indicating that something is wrong. As such, the analysis of pain has great value in diagnostic procedures and can indicate where the causes of the problem lie. This is often not as simple as it sounds because, with internal causes, the site of pain is seldom where the cause is.
In this respect the study of the so-called acupuncture “meridians” or “channels” and the acupoints has immense value. There are described physiological relationships between internal organs and different parts of the body, including its surface.
These “meridians” have both deep, internal and superficial (“external”) aspects. In fact, the original Chinese acupuncture textbook is known as “The Classic of Internal Medicine”. It clearly describes relationships between the interior of the body and the exterior. This also indicates that the interior of the body can be influenced via the exterior aspects.
Once the internal cause is treated there is frequently an automatic remission of pain (i.e. the body's alarm signal no longer needs to operate).
"So the site of pain is very significant."
The nature or character of the pain is also very significant. Is it relieved or aggravated by light or deeper pressure? Is it spontaneous? Is it fixed in one place or does it move? Where does it move to? Is it sharp or dull? Getting the person to describe their own pain in their own words is extremely significant here. Pain is seldom only physical, especially in the case of chronic pain. The sufferer can have an attitude to it. This can either aggravate or relieve the pain subjectively. This true to such an extent that the emotional character or loading of a person's description of their pain can give a clear indication of the internal causes or aspects.
I shall never forget treating an apparently reasonable and mild-mannered Scotsman for knee pain who, when asked to describe it, burst out with “It's bloody infuriating!”. I, of course treated his liver for (heating due to) suppressed anger (all swearing is regarding as anger), along with treating the external cause (injury) and the results were quite remarkable. I am sure that if I had merely treated the physical trauma at the site of pain, the results would not have been so good. Maybe counselling would have helped here, too, if the internal (infernal?) emotion was extreme or chronic.
Also, anxiety or anguish can cause pain to be excruciating and exhaustion of internal stamina can cause it to be unbearable.
This gets into the areas of chronic pain and pain syndrome where (the) pain itself has become the cause of serious, established neuro- and psychophysiological responses. A disease in itself. This can be treated, thankfully, yet it can take some time to achieve satisfactory results.
Even diet can play a significant role here, as some foods aggravate certain types of pain due to their effect on the internal organs and tissue physiology. What I am trying to say is that some foods can add to the physiological pattern caused by chronic pain.
Of course, some foods and herbs can also relieve certain sorts of pain or pain generally. The problem with prolonged use of anaesthetics, including the narcotic and analgesic herbs, is that they can cause addictive syndromes and side-effects in their own right. For instance, many of the drug users who I have treated came to me for lower back pain due to kidney and spleen insufficiency.
Back pain generally is a massive problem in the workforce and relieving the symptoms and causes in any individual has to be immensely worthwhile.
Sometimes, once pain has passed its usefulness as a diagnostic tool, it needs to be alleviated regardless of causes. Examples are found in serious diseases, and in the use of strong medications and their side-effects.
Acupuncture reflex therapy and the use of the microsystems (reflexology) can get remarkable results here. Also, there are various tools of micromassage that specifically relieve particular causes (i.e. they have their own unique effects). These are the “non-needle” tools of the traditionally trained acupuncturist, and, though not well-known, include the bone (traditionally ivory) ball on a steel shaft called “the blunt needle”. Yes, folks, Michael the micromasseur often uses a blunt needle! This “blunt needle” can get needle-like effects and also has some unique properties unobtainable by needles.
Other micromassage types include the moxa stick, rice grain moxibustion, the plum blossom needle (also known as the seven star dermal hammer) and pressure probes of various sorts. Modern electronic acupoint therapies and gadgets originally came out of traditional micromassage. Sometimes the latter can be very useful when not overused, as they disperse the body's own energy.
One of the great aspects of acupuncture and micromassage is that it can seriously extend or even prevent surgical necessity. This has got to be good as surgery should be the very last resort in any therapeutic procedure. If durgery is deemed necessary, acupuncture and micromassage can be employed pre-operatively to support and enhance the surgery as a therapy, and to relieve its side-effects post-operatively. It can even assist in surgical anaesthesia. Great.
Also, the more a person is learning and developing for themselves, the more enhancing the effects of micromassage can be.
Actually, any problem is a bit of a pain, isn't it, until it is solved. Acupuncture and micromassage is not for everyone yet it can assist the majority of people.
I am happy to instruct interested people in the “first aid” treatment of pain and other side effects and in the use of micromassage for home therapy for their family and friends. The more that our own health is in our own hands, the better off we are, and less of a burden on the health system.