Pain is something that almost everyone experiences at some point in their life. Whether it’s a sudden injury, a chronic condition, or the daily strain of poor posture and repetitive movements, pain can interfere with how we live, work, and enjoy life. But pain isn’t just something to endure. Understanding what causes it and how to treat it can help you take control of your health and feel better long-term.
In this guide, we’ll cover what pain is, why it happens, and the best ways to manage and recover from it. We’ll focus on two powerful treatments—soft tissue therapy and medical exercise—that, when combined, offer a complete approach to pain relief and recovery.
Looking to get out of pain?
See how we can help you!
What Is Pain and Why Does It Happen?
Pain is your body’s way of sending a warning signal. It tells you that something isn’t right, whether that’s an injury, a strained muscle, or an underlying health issue. But not all pain feels the same, and understanding the different types can help you figure out the best way to treat it.
1. Acute Pain:
Acute pain comes on suddenly and usually doesn’t last long. It often happens after an injury, like a sprained ankle, pulled muscle, or cut. Acute pain is your body’s immediate reaction to harm and is part of the healing process. For example, if you accidentally touch something hot, the sharp pain makes you pull your hand away quickly to prevent further injury.
What it feels like:
Acute pain is sudden and sharp—it’s your body’s alarm system telling you something is wrong. Imagine the sting of a paper cut, the searing jolt when you stub your toe, or the intense throb after twisting your ankle, It can be stabbing, burning, or aching, but it typically fades as the underlying issue heals.
2. Chronic Pain:
Chronic pain lasts for months or even years and often sticks around even after the original injury has healed. Conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, or nerve damage can cause chronic pain. It can also develop when the body doesn’t heal properly, or when bad posture and repetitive movements cause long-term strain on muscles and joints.
What it feels like:
Chronic pain is like an unwelcome guest that refuses to leave. It lingers for weeks, months, or even years, often outlasting the original injury. This pain can be dull, achy, or persistent—sometimes feeling like a deep soreness or a constant weight pressing down.
3. Nerve Pain:
Typically a result of nerve compression. The nerve is trapped between an inflammed and enlarged muscle and another structure, creating sheering when the area is moved. This results in the symptoms you feel.
What it feels like:
It’s often described as burning, tingling, or shooting pain. Conditions like sciatica, where the sciatic nerve is irritated, can cause nerve pain that travels from your lower back down your legs.
4. Referred Pain:
Sometimes, pain in one part of your body is caused by a problem somewhere else. This is called referred pain. For example, a tight muscle in your neck might cause headaches, or an issue in your lower back might lead to pain in your hips or legs.
What it feels like:
The pain can feel sharp, dull, or achy, but what makes it unique is that the source and the sensation don’t always match up.
What kind of pain listed above are you dealing with right now?
Most times, any or all of these pain conditions and symptoms can be found in the things we spend most of our time doing, i.e: Job, TV/Phone, Sleep. Keep tabs on this, make small changes to the postures that you use to make the above things happen and watch your pain literally dissapear.
Managing Pain Effectively: 3 P’s Framework
Managing pain isn’t just about making it go away for a little while. The goal is to treat the root cause and prevent it from coming back. We use the 3 P’s framework:
- Pain – Addressing the root cause and the symptoms
- Posture – Creating custom exercise and stretches to fortify better posture
- Preservation – Equipping you with the tools and knowledge to ensure that the same issue doesn’t come back
The most effective method to treat the pain part of the equation is soft tissue therapy, so keep reading!
Soft Tissue Therapy: Not a luxury, but a pain solution
Soft tissue therapy focuses on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles). This type of therapy uses techniques like medical massage, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release to reduce muscle tension, improve blood flow, and help your body heal.
Benefits of Soft Tissue Therapy:
• Reduces Muscle Tension: Tight muscles can pull on joints and cause pain. Soft tissue therapy helps relax these muscles, reducing strain on your body.
• Improves Circulation: Better blood flow helps bring oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, speeding up healing.
• Breaks Up Scar Tissue: After an injury, scar tissue can form and limit movement. Soft tissue therapy can help break up these adhesions, restoring flexibility.
• Eases Stress and Promotes Relaxation: Pain isn’t just physical—it can also take a toll on your mental health. Soft tissue therapy helps reduce stress and promote relaxation, which can improve your overall well-being.
Who Can Benefit from Soft Tissue Therapy?
• People with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia or arthritis
• Athletes looking to recover from injuries or improve performance
• Anyone dealing with tight muscles or postural imbalances
• Those recovering from surgery or scar tissue buildup
The most effective way to use soft tissue for pain relief is to front load many of the hours of your treatment protocol into the first two weeks. We found that more blood flow in the beginning of the treatment plan reduced overall inflammation. At Body in Gear, we complete 6 hours in the first two weeks to make sure you receive results quickly.
Medical Exercise: Strengthen, Correct, and Prevent
Medical exercise focuses on improving movement, strength, and function through carefully designed, therapeutic exercises. These exercises are tailored to your specific needs to help you build strength, increase flexibility, and correct movement patterns that may be causing pain or discomfort.
Benefits of Medical Exercise:
• Strengthens Weak Muscles: Weak or imbalanced muscles can put extra strain on your joints and lead to pain. Medical exercise targets these weak areas, helping to support your body and improve overall stability.
• Improves Mobility and Flexibility: Stiff joints and tight muscles limit your range of motion. Medical exercise includes stretching and mobility work to help you move more freely and comfortably.
• Corrects Posture and Movement Patterns: Poor posture or incorrect movement habits can cause stress on your muscles and joints over time. Medical exercise focuses on teaching proper techniques and body mechanics to prevent further strain.
• Reduces the Risk of Reinjury: By building strength, improving flexibility, and correcting how you move, medical exercise helps lower the chances of future injuries or pain returning.
Who Can Benefit from Medical Exercise?
• People recovering from injuries like sprains, strains, or surgeries
• Those with chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain, or joint issues
• Athletes looking to recover from overuse injuries or improve performance
• Anyone dealing with postural problems or muscle imbalances that lead to discomfort
Wherever you are in your healing journey, it’s always best practice to find ranges of motion that don’t hurt and go just shy of pain. This goes for exercise and stretching.
How Body in Gear Wellness Can Help
At Body in Gear Wellness, we combine the power of soft tissue therapy and physical therapy to create personalized treatment plans for lasting pain relief and recovery. Our Pain Breakthrough Protocol is designed to address both the immediate pain and the underlying issues, helping you move better, feel better, and live pain-free.
Whether you’re dealing with a recent injury, chronic pain, or just want to improve your overall health, our team is here to help you every step of the way. We specialize in working with veterans, athletes, and anyone looking for effective, long-term solutions to pain.
The protocol is pretty simple, it breaks down like this:
- Soft Tissue Therapy
- Custom Tailored Exercise and Stretching
- Cortisol and Stress Management Resource
- Our Guide to Sleep Optimization
- and More!
Want to know the best part? We do most of the heavy lifting for you so you don’t have to sit there and guess what to do next.
So. . . What do you plan to do about it?
If you’ve tried everything in the book. .
Osteopaths, Pain Management, Cortisone Shots, Chiropractic, Physical Therapy. .
This is your sign.
There is more than one way to build a house, and more than one way to treat the body!
If you’re in pain, think of this as your guidebook—not just to recover from pain and injury, but to help you spot and address the signs early, so you can prevent it from becoming a problem in the future.
We’re here for you, are you ready to take your first step toward a pain free life?
Looking to get out of pain?
See how we can help you!