Stagnation leads to inflammation
One of the more important things I have noticed over the last five years, is how many people are at jobs that cause them to be immobile for up to eight hours a day. Many people work on computers, at administrative and executive jobs. This kind of immobilization and stagnation definitely leads to inflammation in the body. I am seeing more and more people with low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, elbow, wrist and hand pain. The body was designed to move in order to optimize function. When people sit for a long period of time, breathing changes and metabolic activity slows down. They also experience excessive compression on specific areas of the muscular-skeletal system. Over a long period of time this contributes to their circulation becoming impaired. This compromise to circulation leads to a build up of metabolic waste which starts to create inflammation in cells of the body.
These acids which are part of the metabolic waste can interfere with nerve conduction. This interference leads to the individual being notified that there’s a problem because a symptom gets created. This symptom is usually pain. The pain is created from a cellular swelling and irritation in the region from an over-usage such as standing in prolonged positions. This is very significant because this situation can lead to a degeneration in the body. This may seem like a simple concept of ‘how pain is created’, but once again I am noticing clinically, over the last 4-5 years, that people are coming in with pain syndromes that are caused from an aspect of being too stagnant. People are no longer exercising or moving enough or even correctly. We lead busy lives forget or are unaware of what the body needs in order to move freely and optimally without pain.
Once again, it is essential to take breaks through out the day. Take a 20 min. walk or do some stretching or at the beginning or end of a day go to an exercise class. Walking, running, swimming, yoga and dancing are vital to lubrication, circulation and rejuvenation. When people come to me with pain that has been caused by stagnation, I use a combination of acupressure and heat to increase the circulation to the area. this gets the blood and lymph to mobilize out metabolic waste that has accummulated due to the irritation that was created in the area. I then apply acupuncture as a way to open the channels, balance the meridians, increase circulation to the area and through increased circulation eliminate inflammation.
The human body is not designed for immobilization, rigidity or being in stationery positions for long periods of time. This creates swelling, rigidness, fixated muscles ligaments and tendons and overall stagnation. The body is in a constant state of motion. Anytime we interfere with movement we are made aware of this through these symptoms.
Let’s get up and move move move.
Live and Be Well,
Edward
