What is Fascia and why is it important to your
body mind health?
In this newsletter I will share with you the latest fascial research from Robert Schleip, PhD the director of the Fascia Research Project as prsesented in the article The Fascial Network- Our richest sensory organ. As the article is a bit heavy with research information, I have provided a brief summer of the 3 highlighted components of fascia.
My hope is that this article will expand your understanding and awareness of your body and mind while empowering you with information and resources.
Definition of Fascia:
"The fascial net is one continuous structure throughout the body. It is a complex, holistic, self-regulating tissue and system, and while it can be dissected into pieces, it is no less a singular unit in nature than the skin. It is flexible and sturdy in equal measure- a substance that surrounds and penetrates every muscle, coats every bone, covers every organ and envelops every nerve".
As defined by David Lesondak in the article entitled The Lymphatic system and fascia from Massage and Bodywork Magazine Sept./October 2022.
Properties of Fascia
1) Fascia as a Pain Originator
Fascia has an estimated 250 million nerve endings in the body wide system. This is greater than the number of nerve endings in our skin or anywhere else in our body. Free nerve endings such as those found in the thoracolumbar fascia (lower back region) can provide nociceptive signaling to the spinal cord.
What is Nociception:
Medical Definition of nociception:
the perception of a painful or injurious stimulus.
This fascial tissue region when mildly stimulated, triggered stronger and longer lasting pain sensations compared to stimulation of the muscles underneath. Fascial pain was experienced by patients in the study as burning, throbbing, and stinging.
To learn more about chronic pain and management I invite you to click on the link below and view the website and video produced by Professor Lorimer Moseley. He is a pain scientist, professor of Clinical Neuroscience and Chair in Physiotherapy at the University of South Australia. Tame the Beast
Summary:
Working with painful, fascial restrictions requires a multi-pronged approach exploring both the perception of pain and the stimulus associated with the pain. Working with fascia requires slow, gentle movements due to the high degree of sensory nerve endings.
2) Fascial Interoception
Interoception is usually applied to describe the body perceptions that are less concerned with where our body is in space and in relation to gravity, and more with how it is doing in its constant search for homeostasis related to our physiological needs. Interoceptive signaling is therefore associated with body perceptions, such as temperature changes, hunger, thirst, nausea, tingling, soreness, oxygen supply, and muscular effort, as well as a sense of belonging (versus alienation) regarding specific body regions. Many of the nerve endings related to interoception are located in visceral (abdominal organs) connective tissues and constitute an essential part of what is labeled the Enteric Brain. (excerpt from The Fascial Network- Our richest sensory organ)
To learn more about the Enteric Brain click on the link below:
The Brain-Gut Connection | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Neural pathways from the gut to the brain follow a nerve pathway to the insular cortex of the brain. In this part of the brain, perceptions about internal somatic (body) sensations are associated with emotional preferences, expectations, and feelings. Individuals with dysfunction in the insula may have difficulty with social skills and are unable to make reasonable decisions in complex social situations. Health conditions associated with dysfunctional interoceptive processing include: eating disorders, anxiety, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, compulsive disorders, alexithymia (inability to recognize and express one's own emotional states) and posttraumatic stress disorders.
Summary:
Curious exploration of feelings, thought patterns, behaviors, and beliefs can be beneficial when working with chronic pain patterns or dysfunctional interoceptive processing conditions.
Mindful attention to body sensations such as energy flow, temperature changes, ease, heaviness, lightness may provide more profound effects than habitual focus on musculoskeletal sensations such as tension or pain.
3) Autonomic Nervous System, Fascial Stiffness, Emotions and Immune Health
Chronic sympathetic activation (chronic stress) can induce a stiffening response in fascial tissues through an altered expression of the hormone Adrenaline. This response has a slower and longer lasting influence on the fascial tissues. "Any intervention to the fascial system is also an intervention on the autonomic nervous system".
There is a rich microbiome outside of our guts, within the body-wide fascial network. Our fascia is connected to our immune system.
Summary:
Chronic emotional stress creates tension within the fascial system. Stress also influences other components of the Autonomic Nervous System including circulatory, fascial and immune functioning.
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At ReLeaf Bodywork Therapy I have worked to design a a 3 pronged approach to help individuals experiencing chronic pain and nervous system overwhelm. My approach is based on the following offerings:
1) Therapeutic bodywork- providing safe, gentle sensory input into the body mind system with the goal of moving towards optimal functioning. To enhance awareness, curiosity, connection and insight within your body and mind.
2) HeartMath ® Mindfulness Instruction- to assist individuals in learning techniques to calm their sympathetic nervous system response, enhance coherence within their system and tap into deeper heart based insight and wisdom.
3) Essentrics ® Movement Instruction- to safely and gently assist individuals in mobilizing their body. To enhance body awareness, strength, alignment and balance while bringing more joy and ease to movement.
To learn more click on the link below. You can book a free 30 minute Discovery Call or schedule your next appointment online.