{"id":1348,"date":"2012-10-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ati.local\/?p=1348"},"modified":"2024-12-17T17:33:27","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T17:33:27","slug":"simple-pain-science-how-physical-therapy-can-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atipt.com\/simple-pain-science-how-physical-therapy-can-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Simple pain science & how physical therapy can help"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Everyone experiences pain from time to time. \u00a0But what is it? \u00a0What causes us to feel that unpleasant sensation, and why does it sometimes last much longer than we want it to? \u00a0Well, understanding pain can be simple!<\/p>\n

The number one thing to understand about pain is that it is an output from the brain. \u00a0No, this does not mean that it is fake or imaginary! \u00a0It is real, and it is a sensation much like thirst or hunger. \u00a0It tells you to take action.<\/p>\n

So why is my brain telling me to feel this way?<\/p>\n

Our body is loaded with nerves, which are everywhere. \u00a0They are there to tell the brain what is going on all the time. \u00a0They are telling your brain things right now like what the fabric of the shirt you\u2019re wearing feels like, how warm or cold the room is, if your muscles are working or relaxed, etc. \u00a0All information from the body travels from them to the brain. \u00a0Then the brain decides what to do with that information.<\/p>\n

The brain may say, \u201cHey, everything\u2019s fine down there, carry on.\u201d \u00a0This is happening constantly, and we never even realize it.<\/p>\n

Or, it might say:<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, something\u2019s going on down there. \u00a0I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s safe, and I think you should do something about it.\u201d \u00a0When this happens, the brain sets off an alarm system. \u00a0This alarm system is pain. \u00a0It creates an unpleasant sensation to tell you to take action. \u00a0The process of potentially dangerous signals being sent up to the brain is called nociception. \u00a0However, hurt does not equal harm; it is only the brain\u2019s understanding of the information it is getting. \u00a0This begins when the nerves in the body become irritated.<\/p>\n

This can only happen a few ways:<\/p>\n