explain
pain
section
1
page
14
Amazing pain stories
Part 2
Bulging discs and shark attacks
L
ow back pain and headache are among themost
common pains in humans. In low back pain,
research has shown that the amount of disc and
nerve damage rarely relates to the amount of pain
experienced.
eg.22
In fact many of us have scary
sounding disc bulges, even squashed nerves, yet
may never have any symptoms. We discuss this on
page 61 inmore detail.
This can be a bit frightening, but it is really quite
relieving when you understand pain. Many
changes in tissues are just a normal part of being
alive and don’t have to hurt. What’smore, these
changes don’t necessarily have to stop anyone
leading a very functional and active life. It is very
likely that an x-ray of an older person’s spine will
reveal changes which could be described as
arthritic or degenerative, as you see in the yogi.
Yet they can still function very well.
Simply, if there is no pain itmeans that
these changes in tissues are not perceived by
your brain to be a threat.
