Good Morning Readers!
This week I decided to write a little about chronic pain and physical activity: when the patient is suffering with chronic pain, should he do or not practice physical activity?
I often receive in my office many people that say their doctor recommended physical activity suspension, because of disease “X” or disease “Y”, stating physical activity will worsen the symptoms, mainly in issues related to the musculoskeletal system.
That’s why, I decided to write and give you the Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view on this matter.
In Chinese Medicine eyes, physical activity (made in moderately way), improves blood circulation, consequently muscle nourishment and oxygenation, also strengths or maintain the Spleen strong in it’s functions, such as maintain the strength of the four members, the memory and learning capacity, improve production and circulation of blood, keeps organs on their designated position (avoiding ptosis, the falling of breast, bladder, eyelid, etc).
The benefits for physical activity are so many that, generally, there are no contraindications to it’s practice. Thus, in my office, I recommend physical activity for almost every patient, in particular, muscle stretching and strengthening.
However, in Chinese Medicine, there are many pain definitions, among them:
- That ones that improve with physical activity
- That ones that worse with physical activity (minority).
To put make it simpler:
- Pain which improve with physical activity:
Caused by energy/blood stagnation.
Energy and Blood Stagnation can be caused by emotional stress or pathological factors accumulation, such as dampness, cold, heat, wind or dryness. Dampness and cold are the worst pathological factors for skeletal muscle issues.
In this situation, physical activity shall be done everyday, for at least 20 minutes and the patient’s pain will progressively improve, as blood and vital energy return to their usual circulation pattern.
When we do acupuncture, we also move energy, blood, and remove pathological factors. Vital fluids start nourishing muscles and articulations again, pain improves.
Points that move Qi and Blood: LI4, LV3, SP3, etc.
- Pain which worse with physical activity:
Caused by energy or/and blood Deficiency.
Basically, a deficiency base disease makes the patient feel worse after physical activity. Once physical activity itself spends vital fluids, which are already missing, the pain shows up and the patient condition is worsened.
In this situation, it’s recommended that the patient counters the Qi and Blood deficiency, mainly with acupuncture, therapy diet, breathing exercises, and in more severe cases, with supplements (vitamins and minerals).
Points that tone Qi and Blood: CV6, CV4, SP10, SP8, SP6, LV8, CS6, ST36.
As soon as the lacking substances are recovered, the patient should once again start doing physical activity so that his/hers circulation is normalized.
In most of the cases, what we have is an Stagnation and not a proper Deficiency, for vital substances. Thus, hardly the patient should be advised to avoid physical activity. The diagnosis confirmation can be made through tongue and wrist evaluation.
If, for any reason, the patient reports a symptom or condition worsening after physical activity practice, the therapist must pay attention to the points which may help the vital substances recover progress. If not, moving the body should always be advised, always!
Hope I helped!
A big big hug!
Profa. Fernanda
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