Treatment: Multiple Layers of Pain
Pain is often very complex and rarely attributable to a single cause or factor. For example, in a case of a patient experiencing a tingling sensation down his arm to the finger tips.
At the most obvious layer, the symptom of a tingling sensation is felt down. This symptom may be broken down into its set of related causes and effects. For example in a hypothetical case,
- A common cause of this sensation is due to nerves around the neck (cervical) region being compressed or impinged upon. Take this to be first layer.
- The second layer then considers why the nerves are being compress or impinged. One reasons may be due to tight and tense muscles in the neck & shoulder region. Nerves run between your muscles and when the muscles are in constant tension, they press against the nerves running next or thru them.
- So then the third layer seeks to explain why the muscles are tense. Muscles often become tense when they are overworked and/or under constant tension. An example is muscle cramps experienced by a long-distance runner. In this example, the tension was caused by poor posture and repetitive stress.
- So the fourth layer asks why poor posture. Typically, it is due to poor body awareness and weak postural muscles that are unable to hold the spine in good posture for a prolonged periods of time.
Note that this is strictly an example and does not necessarily apply true to all cases where a tingling sensation is felt at their fingers tips. One should always seek proper medical advice from a qualified doctor or physiotherapist.
