When you’re in pain, it’s natural to focus on the area that hurts. If your neck feels tight, you focus on your neck. If your shoulder hurts, you work on your shoulder. If your back aches, you focus on your back.
But pain can be more complex than the location of the discomfort suggests.
Pain is an experience influenced by multiple factors, including the nervous system, movement, biomechanics, previous experiences, stress, and other individual factors. This is one reason why two people with similar physical findings can experience pain differently.
Understanding pain as a network can encourage a broader approach rather than focusing exclusively on the painful area.
Pain involves more than one system
Pain isn’t simply a signal traveling from an injured area to the brain.
The nervous system plays an important role in how the body detects, processes, and responds to potentially threatening stimuli. At the same time, physical factors such as movement, muscle tension, joint mobility, and biomechanics can influence how someone experiences discomfort.
Emotional and psychological factors can also affect the pain experience. Stress, poor sleep, and previous experiences with pain can influence how the nervous system responds.
This doesn’t mean that pain is “all in your head.” Pain is real. It means that pain is a complex experience involving the interaction of multiple systems.
Why the painful area may not tell the whole story
Imagine someone experiencing recurring shoulder discomfort. The shoulder may be where the person feels the pain, but movement elsewhere in the body may also be relevant.
The way someone moves their neck, upper back, shoulder blade, or arm can influence how the shoulder functions. That doesn’t mean another area is necessarily the cause of the pain. Instead, it highlights why looking at movement as a whole can provide useful information.
A comprehensive assessment can help identify factors that may be contributing to someone’s symptoms.
What is the Bird Wing technique?
The Bird Wing technique demonstrated in this video combines pressure with controlled movement around the shoulder and upper body.
The person places their hand near the shoulder while applying pressure and slowly moving through the technique. Techniques like this are sometimes used as part of hands-on or movement-based approaches to musculoskeletal discomfort.
However, one technique shouldn’t be viewed as a universal solution for pain. What is appropriate depends on the individual, their symptoms, medical history, and the underlying problem.
Where does cupping fit in?
Cupping involves placing cups on the skin and creating suction.
Some people use cupping as part of a broader approach to managing muscle discomfort or promoting relaxation. Research on cupping for pain has produced mixed findings, and evidence can vary depending on the condition and the outcome being studied.
Cupping therefore shouldn’t be presented as a guaranteed way to eliminate pain or treat its underlying cause. For some people, it may be one component of a broader approach that can also include movement, exercise, education, and appropriate medical care.
What about topical oils?
The demonstration also uses an Ayurvedic oil containing ingredients such as castor oil, menthol, clary sage, and ashwagandha.
Topical products can provide sensations such as cooling, warming, or soothing depending on their ingredients. However, a soothing sensation doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is treating the underlying source of pain.
It’s also important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and consider potential skin sensitivities or allergies before using any topical product.
A broader approach to pain
Thinking about pain as a network doesn’t mean that every person needs multiple treatments at once. It means there may be value in looking at the bigger picture.
Depending on the situation, that may include examining movement patterns, muscle strength and flexibility, joint mobility, previous injuries, activity levels, sleep, stress, work and exercise demands, and overall health.
The goal is to understand the individual rather than simply chase the location of the pain.
Pain should be taken seriously
Persistent pain deserves attention, particularly when it is severe, unexplained, worsening, or accompanied by other concerning symptoms.
A healthcare professional can help determine whether further evaluation is needed and identify an appropriate treatment approach.
Techniques such as movement work or cupping may be useful for some people, but they aren’t appropriate for every condition or every individual.
The bigger picture
Pain can involve many interacting factors, which is why the area that hurts isn’t always the only area worth considering.
Rather than asking only, “Where does it hurt?” it can also be helpful to ask, “What else might be influencing how I’m moving and experiencing this pain?”
Understanding that bigger picture can be an important part of approaching pain thoughtfully and safely.
Disclaimer
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. The techniques and approaches discussed may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. If you have persistent, severe, unexplained, or worsening pain, consult a qualified healthcare professional for an appropriate evaluation.