Getting on your nerves

Anatomy concepts series about nerve and nerve pain

Pain, nerve pain, and muscle inhibition are all terms commonly used in medical and clinical settings. When clients hear these terms, they often nod their heads in response, signalling that they understand what is being said to them. In actual fact, most people are somewhat familiar with the term pain, but don’t really hear or understand the nuance of the subsequent terms. Much to the dismay of medical professionals everywhere, this confusion leads clients into the arms of the infamous Dr Google. Professionals often lament that their patients don’t listen to them, but I have found that people are generally listening—they just don’t fully understand the context of the words spoken at them and can be hesitant to ask questions. This leads to misunderstandings and confusion.

Nerve-related pain is one of these very confusing concepts, and given the intense sensations it can cause, it is little wonder that clients become easily frustrated and desperate for solutions. This latest article in our Anatomy concepts series will explore:

• What is the difference between the peripheral and central nervous system?

• What are some of the common causes of peripheral nerve pain?

• What does a peripheral nerve problem feel like?

• What does this mean when you are working with a client in a movement practice?

  • Information gathering processes

    • Who do you speak to

    • Exercises that can provide clues about what is occuring (sometimes called neural provocation)

• Intervention/class plan ideas

• Neurodynamics

• Ways that you can safely incorporate nerve stimulation and stretching into your movement class

• Nerve stretches and how can they be incorporated into a rehabilitation plan

What is the difference between the peripheral and central nervous system?

This information is nicely summarised in a video from our ‘Introduction to Neuroanatomy’ course. See Video link below