by Jeff Suckow, MPT

Is pain always a “bad” thing? On the contrary, pain can represent information vital to efficient participation in the healing process. “Therapeutic pain” and the “healing crisis” are two essential mechanisms of this process.

Therapeutic Pain

In daily life, and in treatment, feeling too little pain in the context of known pathology causes a dangerous false sense of security. Masking the pain leads to aggravation of previous injuries and acquiring of new injuries from overuse. Prolonged medical pain suppression (such as pain pills) also creates new problems via toxic build-up and chemical imbalances. For example, the athlete taking anti-inflammatory medications to deal with physical pain and swelling during a game might perform better at first. However, his playing career could be shortened, and he could suffer more complicated physical problems, long after his playing days. Additionally, suppressing pain by force of mental will, or “stoicism”, is useful as a short-term survival strategy. Again, small problems inevitably become big problems.

The opposite extreme of feeling too much pain over time creates a vicious cycle of “information overload.” For example, chronic swelling can lead to decreased circulation and pain, then postural guarding, followed by muscle fatigue and painful spasm. Altered movement patterns follow with increased joint irritation and more swelling. Consequently, the person could become more sedentary, which slows metabolism, increases weight, contributes to depression, and leads to other degenerative lifestyles and habits. All these factors further exacerbate the initial problem. Furthermore, when multiple aggravating factors converge, sometimes the pain threshold actually lowers and hypersensitivity develops. Then, the total functional problem becomes magnified.

In contrast, therapeutic pain is a positive aspect of the healing process occurring during treatment or self-treatment. It is a pressure, stretch, stimulus or position which simultaneously feels painful and also necessary to the client. A common statement is “it hurts but I need it”, or “it hurts but keep going.” The client intuitively recognizes the pain as a means to focus attention and become profoundly aware of a restriction or barrier. It is a type of positive biofeedback. With the knowledge that he or she can say “halt” at any time, the patient consciously allows the pain to continue. The pain (and its “message“) can be profoundly considered or deeply felt without risk of further injury. The unpleasant “pain” may present as a physical sensation, an emotion, a memory, an image, a color, a sound, an odor, or a movement pattern. The body-mind thereby utilizes a wide range of physical and emotional sensations to inform and guide the healing process, well beyond merely feeling "good" or "bad". These temporary unpleasant experiences are expressions of the important functions of purification, elimination, regeneration, reorganization, psychological insight, emotional release, and forgiveness. When the process is completed, a release occurs. The therapeutic nature of the pain is confirmed when the “pain” disappears.

Sometimes during treatment, the nature of the pain is not so obvious, and it simply hurts. The client may use this opportunity to set a symbolic, therapeutic boundary--by simply halting the technique. However, most often, the client physically moves away from the painful position, engaging Myofascial Unwinding. This new movement or position enables the client to access the next, previously unknown barrier, and continue working with increased precision and effectiveness. Thus, clients discover that pain is physical information, which guides the healing process. It is usable as an “access point” to the awareness and motivation necessary for real change.

Healing Crisis

Sometimes, the healing process itself can be unpleasant. A “healing crisis” may occur spontaneously when the body and mind engage the process more intensely. A temporary feeling of being sick can arise due to the body’s removal of cellular waste products, or the release of residual toxins embedded in the connective tissue. Mild fever, headaches, increased pain, numbness, heat, coldness, body aches, and even nausea or diarrhea can occur. Other forms of release include sweating, shaking, itching, tingling, self-unwinding, and emotional releases. The duration of these symptoms ranges from a few minutes, to a few hours, to a day or two. And as the “crisis” is completed, the client usually realizes a significant reduction (or complete resolution) of the original symptoms, with a notable increase of function.

As the body and mind let go of obsolete subconscious holding patterns, a healing crisis may occur during the treatment session. It can also occur later, if the client is in a safe, non-judgmental environment. If unstable pathology has been ruled-out by the appropriate healthcare professional, a healing crisis signifies that the treatment is effectively engaging the healing process. (This is a good thing!) On the other hand, the client can decide whether to allow the process to continue or not. If it is too intense, or if an urgent situation arises, he or she can easily limit or stop the process. Nevertheless, when the process is completed, the client enjoys significant improvement of range-of-motion, increased function, and lasting pain relief.

The bottom line: Healing is more than feeling better; it is about getting better at feeling!