FASCIA IS THE MOST PAIN-SENSITIVE TISSUE IN THE BODY, AND SCAR TISSUE ITSELF CAN BE OVER 1,000 TIMES MORE PAIN-SENSITIVE THAN NORMAL TISSUE!
Fascia in its various forms has been called the single most pain-sensitive tissue in the body. According to experts, the Scar Tissue in Fascia or other connective tissues (often known as Fibrosis or Densification) can be hyper-sensitized by chronic inflammation (more on this later), leaving it as much as 1,000 times more pain-sensitive than normal tissues.
- Facial Adhesions: The Perfect Storm of Chronic Pain (HERE and HERE)
- Microscopic Scar Tissue: Ignored by the Medical Community and Misunderstood in Terms of Chronic Pain (HERE)
- Adhesed Fascia, Chronic Pain, and Fibrotic Connective Tissues (HERE)
- Fascial Adhesions: A Frequently Overlooked Cause of Chronic Pain (HERE)
- Nightline Tackles Fascia and it’s Relationship to Chronic Pain (HERE)
- Scar Tissue, Fascial Adhesions, Tissue Remodeling, and Central Sensitization or “Learned” Chronic Pain (HERE)
- Chronic Pain and Adhesed Fascia (HERE)
FASCIA ACTS AS AN ORGAN OF COMMUNICATION — BOTH AS A SEPARATE NERVOUS AND ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
Fascia talks to other tissues and organs via several systems, the chief of which are the nervous and endocrine (glands & hormones) systems. One of the chief ways of communicating neurologically is via something known as proprioception.
- Fascia Transmits Messages, Acting as a Second Nervous System (HERE)
- Fascia, Proprioception, and Chronic Pain (HERE)
- Fascial Adhesion and Proprioceptive Dysfunction as the Common Cause of All Pain and Disease (HERE)
- Fascia as an Endocrine / Neuro-Endocrine Organ (HERE)
- Adipose Tissue (Fat) as an Endocrine Organ (HERE)
- Fascia Connects Every Part of You to Every Other Part of You (HERE)
WHAT DO FASCIAL ADHESIONS LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO THEY OCCUR? WHAT ARE THE REASONS PEOPLE END UP WITH FASCIAL ADHESIONS?
When I talk about Scar Tissue, Fibrosis, or Fascial Adhesions in my clinic, what does that really mean, what do we look for, and how in the world do people end up with this problem?
- Restricted, Fibrotic, or Adhesed Fascia? Three Signs to Look For (HERE)
- The Top Eight Reasons People End Up With Fibrotic or Adhesed Fascia (HERE)
- What Does a “Torn” Fascia Look Like? (HERE or HERE)
- Injured Fascia: Is it Torn (Herniated) or Overstretched? (HERE)
- Stretch Marks as Related to Adhesed Fascia, Scar Tissue, and Chronic Pain (HERE)
- Is the Source of Your Pain Superficial or Deep? (HERE)
- Wikipedia and the Scar Tissue / Fibrosis Debate (HERE)
- Scar Tissue or Fibrosis? The Physical Structure of the Scar (HERE)
- The Tethering Effects of Scar Tissue and Adhesed Fascia (HERE)
- Scar Tissue and Fascial Adhesion — More Like a Hairball than Well-Combed Hair (HERE)
- Fascial Adhesions and Langer’s Lines of Cleavage (HERE)
- Fascia, Tendons, and Ligaments: The Effects of Inflammation on Connective Tissues (HERE)
- The Effects of Sugar and AGES (Advanced Glycation Endproducts) on Fascia (HERE and HERE)
WHAT ARE THE BEST TECHNIQUES FOR IMAGING FASCIA AND FASCIAL ADHESIONS?
Historically, imaging techniques — even advanced imaging techniques such as MRI — have done a poor job of imaging fascia and / or microscopic Scar Tissue. Be aware, however, that there is a newer technology that will allow you to visualize the restricted movement of adhesed fascia while it is in motion, as long as the person running the equipment is highly trained.
- Imaging the Body’s Fascia with MRI or CT (HERE)
- Ten Second Videos of Fascial Restrictions Using 3-D Diagnostic Ultrasound (HERE)
- Tell Me Again Why You Want an MRI? (HERE)
- Half the Pain-Free Adult Population has Disc Herniations Visible on MRI: Implications for Piriformis Syndrome (HERE)
- The Inability to Correlate Physical Findings with Arthritis as Seen on X-rays or MRI (HERE)
- Is Your Low Back Pain Caused by Muscle or Fascia? (HERE)
- Non-Specific Low Back Pain as Related to Fascia (HERE)
THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MYOFASCIAL SYNDROME: MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS
Although I deal mostly with Scar Tissue, Fibrosis, and Adhesed Fascia in my clinic, there is a flip side of this part of the Myofascial Syndrome — the Trigger Point. Myofascial Trigger Points are nasty, potentially debilitating, and do not typically respond great (at least not over the long term) to the Tissue Remodeling I do so much of in my clinic.
- Myofascial Syndrome: Is it Trigger Points, Scar Tissue, or Both? (HERE)
- Chronic Pain: Subluxation, Scar Tissue (Fascia), or Trigger Points? (HERE)
- Wondering About Dry Needling for Fascial Adhesions and/or Trigger Points? (HERE)
- Solving Trigger Points in the Levator Scapulae Muscle (HERE)
- Aging, Poor Posture, Chronic Pain, and the Chronic Levator/Trapezius Trigger Point (HERE)
- Trigger Points and Chronic Pain (HERE)
- A New Solution for Controlling the Pain Associated with Levator/Trapezius Trigger Points (HERE)
WHAT IT TAKES TO GET RID OF SCAR TISSUE AND CHRONIC FASCIAL ADHESIONS
So, you’ve got a problem — pain or dysfunction (probably both) that’s caused by restricted Fascia or Scar Tissue. What do you do?
- Restoring Fascia’s Proprioceptive Properties (HERE)
- Fascia and its Role in the Manual Treatment of Soft Tissue Dysfunction (HERE)
- Fascia and Grounding / Earthing: An Incredible Potential to Improve Your Health (HERE)
- Scar Tissue Remodeling for Chronic Problems: Why so Harsh? (HERE)
- Fascial Manipulation and Fibroblastic Activity (HERE)
- What it Takes to Stimulate the Healing Powers of Fibroblasts (HERE)
- Fixing Chronically Scarred Fascia is Like Playing a Carnival Game: The Mechanical Threshold for Breaking Fascial Adhesions (HERE and HERE)
- If You Think it Will Help, Beat Me with a Baseball Bat Doc! (HERE)
- Tissue Deformation: The Way that Chronically Adhesed Fascia and Scar Tissue is Remodeled (HERE)
- Tissue Remodeling and Potential Central Sensitization: What have You Got to Lose? (HERE)
- A Review of Powerlifter Donnie Thompson’s “Body Tempering” Technique (HERE)
- Breaking Fascia (Tissue Remodeling) can Cause a Herxheimer Reaction (HERE)
- Shaking Free of Fascial Adhesions with Whole Body Vibration / WBV (HERE)
- Bouncing on a Trampoline for Fascial Adhesions and Health (HERE)
- Phase I and Phase II of Dealing With Chronic Neck Pain (HERE & HERE)
- Why Having Your Fascial Adhesions Dealt with Might Just be the Most Important Thing You Do This Week (HERE)
- M.E.D. (Minimally Effective Dose) as Related to Chronic Neck Pain and Adhesed Cervical Fascia (HERE)
SCAR TISSUE, FASCIAL ADHESIONS, AND AN INABILITY TO BE HELPED ADJUSTMENTS OR RESPOND FAVORABLY TO THERAPY, EXERCISE, OR STRETCHING
How many of you get great relief from your chiropractic adjustment, therapy sessions, massage, etc, etc, etc, but the relief doesn’t last more than a few days tops (in many cases a few hours) before you feel like you need to do it all again? Unfortunately, this is an epidemic — an epidemic that in most cases can be solved or at least dramatically improved.
- Why so Many Adjustments to Deal with my Pain? (HERE)
- Chronic Neck Pain and Repeated Chiropractic Adjustments (HERE)
- Why Don’t I Hold Adjustments Better? (HERE)
- Fascial Adhesions, Chronic Pain, and an Inability to Hold Chiropractic Adjustments (HERE)
- Help Me Doc; My Therapy is Making Me Worse! (HERE)
- What is Chiropractic Maintenance? (HERE)
STRETCHING AND / OR OVER-STRETCHING SCAR TISSUE AND ADHESED FASCIA
Many people are completely unaware that the conclusions from studies on various sorts of stretching protocols are all over the map. In fact, there is a significant portion of the population whom stretching makes worse. Find out why.
- How Important is Stretching for Chronic Pain? (HERE)
- Got Fascial Adhesions or Scar Tissue? Stretching can be a Trigger for Chronic Pain (HERE)
- How Much Stretching is Too Much Stretching? (HERE)
- Chronic Low Back Pain, Stretching, and the Thoracolumbar Fascia (HERE)
- Can the Piriformis Muscle be Overstretched? (HERE)
- How Soon Can I Start Exercising After Treatment? (HERE)
WHAT THE HECK IS “BULLSEYEING”
AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Ever wonder why your pain sometimes moves after treatment? Wonder no more.
- What is Bullseyeing and Why Does it Matter? (HERE)
- Help Doc; Why Did my Pain Move After Treatment? (HERE)
WHAT IS FASCIA TENSEGRITY
AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
If you’ve ever wondered about the amazing property of Fascia that gives it both extreme flexibility as well as extreme strength, you need to understand Fascial Tensegrity.
- Tensegrity of Fascia and Building a Dinosaur (HERE)
- Blood, Lymph, and Other Bodily Fluids as Fascia (HERE)
CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN AND THE
THORACOLUMBAR FASCIA
Chronic Low Back Pain (LBP) is so common here in America that it’s almost universal. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what’s causing lots of it (many of you have been told wrongly for decades) as well as what it might take to actually solve it once and for all?
- Chronic Low Back Pain as Related to the Thoracolumbar Fascia ( HERE )
- What’s Really Causing Your Low Back Pain and What You Can Do to Address it (HERE)
- Ten Second Videos of Thoracolumbar Fascia: Low Back Pain -vs- No Low Back Pain (HERE)
- Chronic Low Back Pain? Understanding the Thoracolumbar Model of Back Pain Just Might Help You Solve Yours (HERE)
- Chronic Low Back Pain, Stretching, and the Thoracolumbar Fascia (HERE)
- There are several Thoracolumbar Fascia posts filed elsewhere on this page
FASCIA AS RELATED TO
CHRONIC NECK PAIN AND HEADACHES
If you are one of the tens of millions of Americans struggling daily to cope with Chronic Neck Pain or Chronic Headaches, the solution might be easier than you ever dreamed.
- Chronic Neck Pain and the Fascia of the Cervical Spine or Neck (HERE)
- Chronic Neck Pain and Chronic Headaches as Related to Loss of Normal Motion of the Cervical Spine (HERE)
- Phase I of Solving Chronic Neck Pain (HERE)
- Phase II of Solving Chronic Neck Pain (HERE)
- Chronic Neck Pain: The Importance of Segmental Motion -vs- Sectional Motion (HERE)
- Chronic Neck Pain, Chronic Headaches, and Restricted Fascia (HERE)
- Chronic Neck Pain, Diagnostic Ultrasound, Hyaluronic Acid, and Advances in Diagnostic Imaging (HERE)
- Fascia as Related to Chronic Upper Back and Neck Pain (HERE)
- Fascia as Related to Chronic Headaches (HERE)
- A Simple Test for Determining if Fascia Might be Causing Your Neck Pain (HERE)
- The Temporoparietal Fascia (HERE)
ABDOMINAL AND HIP FLEXOR SCAR TISSUE / FASCIAL ADHESIONS
Because the abdominal muscles are so closely related to the hip flexor group of muscles, it would be wise to understand the relationship, as well as what these sorts of problems can look like.
- What the Heck Does a Hip Flexor Injury Look Like? (HERE)
- Scar Tissue and Fascial Adhesion in the Abdominal Muscles (HERE)
- Hip Flexor Strains as Related to Abdominal Injuries (HERE)
- Chronic Hip Flexor Pain Solved in a Single Visit (PART I) (PART II)
- Thoracolumbar Fascia and the Relationship to the Abdominal Muscles (HERE)
FASCIA AS RELATED TO BREATHING /RIB PAIN / RIB TISSUE PAIN / CHEST PAIN
Rib Pain is brutal, no matter the source. Besides subluxation (ribs that are either slightly out of place or not moving freely in relationship to the ribs above and below), rib tissue injuries are a huge cause of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed rib pain.
- What the Heck is a Subluxation? (HERE)
- Rib Subluxation -vs- Rib Tissue Pain (HERE)
- More Rib Tissue Pain Solutions (HERE)
- Rib Pain, Rib Tissue Pain, Chest Pain (HERE)
- Heart Attack, Subluxation, or Rib Tissue Issues? (HERE)
- A Solution For Chronic Rib Pain (HERE)
- Fascia as Related to Rib Tissue Pain, Breathing, and COPD (HERE and HERE)
FASICA, SKIN, CELLULITE, AND
ADIPOSE TISSUE (FAT)
Because Obesity and Cellulite have become national epidemics, and because there is a lot more to both the skin and the fatty layer just underneath than meets the eye, this section is a must-read for my female followers.
- The Relationship Between Skin and Fascia (HERE)
- Adipose Tissue (Fat) as an Endocrine Organ (HERE)
- What is Lipedema and How is it Related to Fascia? (HERE)
- What is Cellulite and How can it be Dealt with Safely and Effectively? (HERE)
- Ashley Black Guru and the effects of her FasciaBlaster on Skin, Fascia, and Adipose Tissue (HERE).
PULLED MUSCLES AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO SCARRED FASCIA & INJURED LIGAMENTS
For the athlete as well as the non-athlete, pulled muscles are incredibly common (as are injured ligaments). Follow along as I show you that in most cases they are actually pulled fascia.
- Pulled Muscles are Really Injured Fascia (HERE)
- Is it a Pulled Muscle, a Tendon Problem, a Fasical Adhesion, or an Injured Ligament? (HERE)
SYSTEMIC (ALL OVER) SCAR TISSUE / FASCIAL ADHESIONS
When people ask me questions having to do with large amounts of Scar Tissue and Chronic Pain, both above and below the waist, as well as on both the right and left sides of the body, I automatically start to think of the problem as systemic.
- Systemic Adhesions of the Fascia (HERE)
- What Kind of Solutions for Scar Tissue and Fibrosis All Over the Body? (HERE)
- Fascia and Autoimmunity (HERE)
- Ehlers-Danols Syndrome and Tissue Remodeling (HERE — tough to fit this one into a category)
- Are There Solutions for Systemic Tendinosis? (HERE)
- Systemic Fascial Adhesions Lead to Chronic Nausea (HERE)
IS IT FASCIA OR TENDINOSIS?
With both Tendinosis and Scar Tissue / Fascial Adhesions being such a huge issue in our healthcare system, how important is making the “exact” diagnosis?
- Fascial Adhesions or Tendinosis? Does it Really Matter? (HERE)
- Adhesed Fascia in the Thumb and Hand (HERE)
POST-SURGICAL SCAR TISSUE:
YES, THERE IS HOPE
Because of the incredible number of surgeries performed in the United States (the government itself admits that 60% are unnecessary — HERE), there is naturally a significant amount of Chronic Pain due to post-surgical Scar Tissue. And although mastectomy is not recommended as much as it used to be, it is still a common procedure that produces copious amounts of Scar Tissue, leaving many of the recipients struggling with Chronic Pain.
- Post-Surgical Scar Tissue: Is there Anything to be Done? (HERE)
- Solutions for Post-Surgical Scar Tissue (HERE)
- More Solutions for Post-Surgical Scarring (HERE)
- Post-Surgical Adhesions: Abdominal Wall -vs- Abdominal Cavity (HERE)
- Breast Cancer, Mastectomy, Scar Tissue, and Chronic Pain: Could there be a Solution for You? (HERE)
- Avoiding Back Surgery Could Save Your Thoracolumbar Fascia (HERE)
FASCIA AND VARIOUS SORTS OF HERNIAS
STATINS AND THE RELATIONSHIP
TO FASCIAL ADHESIONS
Statins are dangerous drugs with numerous side effects, many of which are not familiar to the general public.
- Statin Drugs Attack Fascia, Tendons, and other Connective Tissues (HERE).
FASCIAL ADHESIONS IN CHILDREN
For some strange reason, a significant part of the population believes that children cannot get Fascial Adhesions.
MISCELLANEOUS FACTS, COOL DETAILS, AND CURRENT RESEARCH ON FASCIA
Because not all of my posts on Fascia are so easily categorized, this is where you’ll find a very cool mish-mash of research and interesting facts about the body’s most interesting connective tissue — Fascia.
- Scar Tissue: America’s #1 Leading Cause of Death (HERE)
- What if all Diseases Were the Result of Scar Tissue? (HERE)
- Fascia: What, Why, Where, When, and How? (HERE)
- Why Fascia? Twenty Five Reasons Why Fascia! (HERE)
- Scar Tissue: What is it and Why is it a Problem? (HERE)
- Myofascial Meridians and Anatomy Trains: The Evidence Continues to Mount (HERE)
- Fascial Adhesions, Fibrosis, and Scar Tissue: Why so Much Information on my Site? (HERE)
- Scar Tissue or Densification: Is it Simply a Matter of Semantics? (HERE) or is the fascia really “thickened” (HERE)?
- More Information About our Body’s Most Important Connective System; Fascia (HERE)
- Fascia in the Current Scientific Research Literature (HERE)
- What’s New in Fascia Research — 2017? (HERE)
- Fascia Research 2018: Whole Body Vibration, Imaging Fascia, and Fascia & Evolutionary Biology (HERE)
- What do Scars and Scabs Have in Common? More than You Think! (HERE)
- Scarred Fascia: What is it, What Causes it, Why is it so Bad, and What can be Done About it? (HERE)
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Fascia But Were Afraid to Ask (HERE)
- Fascia and the Relationship to Diabetes (HERE)
- Fascia and the Relationship to Cancer (HERE and HERE)
- Solve Your Health Problems w/ the Fascia-Related Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties of Grounding / Earthing (HERE)
- Synopsis of the Fasica Studies of Italy’s Bruno Bordoni (HERE)
- Is the Interstitium Really a New Organ? (HERE)
- My Site’s “Fascia Page” (HERE)
- Fascia, Biomechanical Compensation, and Chronic Pain / Chronic Illness (HERE & HERE)
- Mind Over Matter: Fascia -vs- Mindfulness (HERE)
- Fascia and Fibromyalgia (HERE)
- The November 2018 World Fascia Congress (HERE)
THE INFLAMMATION / SCAR TISSUE / FIBROSIS / DEGENERATION LINK
Whether primarily or as an epigenetic factor, almost every health issue, dysfunction, and disease you can name (as well as most you have never heard of) are based on inflammation. The problem is; not one person in a thousand can satisfactorily explain inflammation, what it is, why it’s both good and bad, or how to effectively address it. Furthermore, runaway inflammation always leads to Fibrosis (Scar Tissue), which in turn always leads to degeneration, which, as I showed you in the section above, is the leading cause of death in the United States of America.
- What the Heck is Inflammation, and What is its Relationship to Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness (HERE)
- Chronic Pain: Facts and Solutions (HERE)
- Solving the Inflammation, Fibrosis, Degeneration Conundrum (HERE)
- More on the Relationship Between Inflammation and Scar Tissue / Fibrosis (HERE)
- The Common Denominator Between Chronic Pain, Chronic Illness, and Scar Tissue (HERE)
- For Those of You Struggling With Chroinc Pain or Chronic Illness, Pay Attention! (HERE)
- More on the Link Between Scar Tissue, Fibrosis, Chronic Pain, and Chronic Illness (HERE)
- Studies on the Relationship Between Inflammation and Scar Tissue (HERE)
- Scar Tissue, Inflammation, Autoimmunity, and Chronic Pain: Case Histories (HERE)
- Cutaneous Nerve Entrapments in Adhesed Fascia (HERE) Entrapment of the Superior Cluneal Nerve Causing Pseudo-Piriformis Syndrome, Butt Pain, and Leg Pain in the Thoracolumbar Fascia (HERE)
- Connective Tissues (Fascia, Tendons, Ligaments) and its Relationship to Inflammation (HERE)
- Systemic Inflammation and Scar Tissue (HERE)
- Still More on the Inflammation / Fibrosis / Scar Tissue Connection (HERE)
SCAR TISSUE REMODELING FOR HORSES
Although it is not something I do in my clinic, I experimented with Tissue Remodeling with an injured barrel-racing horse.
- Scar Tissue Remodeling for Horses: Why Not? (HERE)
- Scar Tissue Remodeling for Horses: An Update on Big Ben (HERE)
CURIOUS ABOUT ASHLEY BLACK GURU’S “FASCIABLASTER” DEVICE?
Because I am asked this question via email or blog comments multiple times a day — what are your thoughts on Ashley Black Guru’s FasciaBlaster? — I decided to do a post on the topic.
- Ashley Black Guru’s FasciaBlaster Device for Cellulite and Chronic Pain (HERE)
- An Alternative to the FasciaBlaster for Hardcore Strength Athletes — X-Wives, X-Husbands, and Cheaters (HERE)
I hope you are starting to see that in many cases, probably the vast majority of cases, SICKNESS, DISEASE, AND PAIN ARE REALLY JUST ONE BIG THING — part of a massive continuum of destruction and despair. The cool thing is that there are ways to get off the medical merry-go-round. In fact, I’ve provided a very generic, but completely free template for taking your life back (HERE). No, it’s not a cure-all, as unfortunately, there is no such thing. However, for many of you — probably even the majority of you — it will at least get you started thinking about the road back to health and helping you create your own personalized EXIT STRATEGY. If you like what you’re seeing, be sure to spread the wealth with those you love and care about most by liking, sharing, or following on FACEBOOK.
