Decoding Pain Inhibition: Your Brain's Secret Superpower
Today, we're diving deep into the fascinating realm of pain inhibition. We're venturing into the neural world, so grab your thinking caps, and let's get started!
Picture this: our brain is like a big circle (the cortex), and riding on its back is a little guy called the cerebellum. But today, we're interested in the ladder beneath – the brainstem. It's divided into three parts: the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. Don't let the fancy names intimidate you; I’m here to simplify. Per Usual 😉
Now, let's zero in on a crucial player, the PMRF (don't worry; I'll explain what that means). This region's primary gig is inhibition. Yes, you heard it right – its job is to dampen down pain signals. That's like having a pain ninja right inside your brain! But the PMRF does more than that; it's a multitasker we'll unravel over time.
Here's a cool thing: we've got two PMRFs – one on the right and one on the left. They're in charge of pain inhibition on their respective sides. So, if you've got pain on your right side, your right PMRF might need some encouragement to do it’s job.
Now, let's talk about some of the other PMRF’s responsibilities. They're like the unsung heroes of the brain:
Regulating of sympathetics on the same side of the body.
Maintaining upright posture (yeah, even posture gets a helping hand!).
Inhibition of anterior muscles above T6 on their side.
Inhibition of posterior muscles below T6 on their side.
Modulating resting muscle tone (ever noticed how muscle tone can feel different on one side? PMRs might be behind it).
You may have heard of the term "PMRF," and it might sound a bit intimidating, but don't worry; I am here to simplify it. PMRF stands for Ponto-Medullary Reticular Formation. Yes, it's a mouthful, and that's precisely why I prefer to call it the PMRF for short. This neural powerhouse is located in your brainstem, specifically in the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata – which are parts of the brain that play key roles in various bodily functions. Now, remember, this isn't a complex anatomy class; it's about understanding how the PMRF affects our perception of pain and our body's responses to it.
So, next time you or your client’s face pain, remember your new pals – the PMRFs located in the brain stem. They're there, ready to help inhibit those pesky pain signals and bring some much-needed relief.
BUT HOW?
The only thing you need to know right now is that THAT IS WHERE CRANIAL NERVES LIVE!!!
SAY WHAT?? So yeah by using cranial nerves you can reduce the pain experience, like really.
I go over how to assess and use cranial nerves in my mentorship and if you want to, you can just google what nerves live in the brain stem and go down your own rabbit hole :)
As we journey deeper into this neural landscape, you'll uncover even more tricks up the cranial nerve’s sleeves hehe. Stay curious, stay amazed, and let's continue our exploration of the intricacies of pain inhibition together! See you in a month for the next blog!