Neurogenic inflammation, the peripheral and central nervous systems, emotional and immune system stress, collagen, elastin, fibroblasts, inflammation loops, and the healing of manual therapy.
- Tara Lee Clasen
- Nov 19
- 7 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
This blog post is interesting, but by no means does this blog post cover all the many ways that manual therapy promotes healing! As a holistic therapy, manual therapy works with your peripheral nervous system, your central nervous system (your brain!), your muscles, your fascia, and the cascade of biochemicals that are creating the experience you are having inside your mind-body.
This blog gives you a more in-depth understanding of local inflammation, inflammatory loops, and the role fibroblasts play in healing. This blog post has some supplement recommendations. And please check out my other blog post on inflammation HERE: COMING SOON
Neurogenic inflammation
Neurogenic just means controlled or arising in the nervous system. When an area of your body needs help, sensory neurons (sometimes called afferent neurons) communicate the need to release local inflammatory mediators. Although this type of inflammation sounds more like what happens when you strain your ankle, neurogenic inflammation is also involved in pain conditions like migraines, complex regional pain syndrome, and irritable bowel syndrome.
The peripheral nervous system relays messages to the central nervous system. When a pain signal is triggered, it travels up an ascending pathway to the brain. The brain processes the information and sends signals back down. The process behind the release of inflammatory biochemicals is happening inside of the nervous tissue, both your peripheral nervous system and your central nervous system.
When tissue gets injured, chemicals such as histamine, an immunity chemical, and cytokines, which are messenger proteins that direct immune cells, are released. Once the system no longer perceives a threat, it releases more chemicals and resolves the inflammation.
The overall state of your central nervous system influences local pain and inflammation and systemic pain and inflammation. If your system is already taxed, overwhelmed, and producing low-grade systemic inflammation throughout the body, you will have a weakened immune system. When new threats arise in another local system, a shoulder or elbow, your body will probably experience more pain, inflammation, and swelling than needed for the repairs.
The peripheral nervous system told your central nervous system about the disrupted tissue, but a stressed central nervous system can enhance inflammatory responses.
In the book, The Elemental Woman, I define the ancient Ayurvedic word ojas. When ojas is low, symptoms emerge in the nervous system and immune system; your system is weak. Eastern medicine described these patterns to us, and dynamic ways to heal these patterns, thousands of years ago.
This information relates to your bodywork responses. Researchers have proven that soft tissue acts like a sponge. When you have soft tissue worked, you are not “detoxing the body,” but microcirculation is increasing, chemicals are shifting, and biochemicals are even altering their shapes (I am thinking of one super fascinating biochemical—but that is for another blog post!). Manual therapy puts soft tissue under load, and like a sponge under load, some fluid moves out. The soft tissue then soaks back up some of the inflammatory soup it has been sitting in, but it will also, hopefully, be soaking up some new healthy cells. If you are suffering from low-grade chronic inflammation, the injured (or just disrupted/dysfunctional area) will not get a chance to soak up healthy cells. That area will still heal, it will just take longer.
And of course, what you need is for your body to release the right amount of healing biochemicals. Stress releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. When levels are healthy, cortisol helps maintain homeostasis. When stress is chronic, cortisol weakness the immune system, which can inhibit some types of cytokines while increasing others. This creates an environment of low-grade chronic inflammation.
The Loop
Now, here is another way that this information applies to manual therapy. Neurogenic inflammation can be in a loop. Local pain triggers sensory neurons; they dislike swimming around in a stagnate inflammatory soup. When things are not resolving, your sensory receptors can become further distressed. This signals the brain to send more inflammatory mediators.
When an acute injury causes inflammation, do not apply direct pressure and loading. Though working next to the area, above the area, and light cupping can be very helpful. I only work on TMJ, necks, diaphragms, and pelvic floors, but in the past when working with athletes, I have used cupping to drain acutely swollen ankles and knees (this is not me advising you to do that—fyi).
But chronic inflammation is part of all disease and pain, and so manual therapy is applied to inflamed tissues. So, let’s say the inflammation here is causing pain, but in a normal range. Let’s say someone has upper trapezius pain (most people do), and we are working on other muscles—creating greater muscle balance—to help the pain in the trapezius (Please note here that I said working with other muscles and creating muscle balance. Injecting the trapezius trigger point is destabilizing to your entire neck and shoulder!). We also want to influence the way the brain thinks about the area it is experiencing the pain in. When we touch the painful trapezius, we are doing many things at one time. One of those things might be working with trigger points; working with trigger points aids the local area and the brain’s experience of pain. But more to the point of this blog post, we would take a stressed area of tissue and influence its local biochemical makeup. The mechanical loading of the trapezius muscle in a manual therapy session will increase blood flow and enable the movement of metabolic waste and inflammation.
As we move our inflammation, we disrupt the inflammatory feedback loop. Tissue that no longer swims in inflammation will not trigger pain and distress, causing the immune system to send more of the same inflammatory material to the area.
Fibroblast cells are fascinating, and their full role in the body is just being discovered, and yet still unknown. The role of fibroblasts varies in the process of inflammation and healing. When inflammation moves out of the area, the process of muscle regeneration enhances. Fibroblasts can get to work repairing. And again, fibroblasts themselves help regulate inflammation.
(Small rant right here.) There was a completely insane study at Harvard done on mice. We don’t need to hurt animals for these things, obviously. This groundbreaking study (I’m joking) showed that mechanical stimulation (massage) resolved inflammation of a local area, which then allowed the regeneration process to run its full course. They literally strapped mini-massage guns to the legs of mice. Beyond comprehension. One researcher stated they could now use this new finding in clinics right away. Sorry to break it to them, but this knowledge is already being used in clinics (and houses) across the country (Rant over.).
Through sensory mechanisms, massage influences fibroblasts to produce more elastin and collagen. Chronic inflammation will inhibit the growth and repair of fibroblasts. And then on top of that, massage creates a more favorable environment for fibroblast activity by increasing blood flow and reducing local inflammation.
To sum this up, massage affects fibroblasts and therefore enhances tissue repair through:
Mechanical stimulation: manual loading of soft tissue, pressure and vibration, mechanical signals fibroblasts into action.
The body releases more collagen and elastin: collagen is a structural protein, and elastin gives tissue the needed elasticity.
Enhanced tissue regeneration: when fibroblast activity is increased, new healthy tissue is produced.
Improved circulation: Microcirculation—increased blood flow; nutrients and oxygen get to the area in need. Nervous tissue becomes healthier, and will decrease pain signaling.
Reduced inflammation: Fibroblasts are themselves inflammatory mediators, but they can not fulfil all their duties in a high-inflammation environment. Massage creates a more favorable environment by lowering pro-inflammatory cytokines. Fibroblasts can work efficiently when cell function is not being impeded.
Cellular signaling: mechanical stress causes fibroblasts to change gene expression and become more prolific.
Lymphatic support: moving lymph does not just happen from light touch massage strokes. Manual therapy increases lymphatic circulation, which removes metabolic waste from the area. Again, making fibroblast activity increase.
How else does massage help with inflammation?
Hands-on manual therapy and massage can significantly reduce cortisol levels in the body. Bodywork can improve sleep quality by lowering stress hormones. Massage can stimulate the release of endorphins, further counteracting stress. And consistent sessions can lead to long-term reductions in cortisol. All of this lowers inflammation.
What are other ways you can heal inflammation?
Before I mention supplements, I want you to check in with your own daily actions. Ways to heal systemic inflammation include: eating foods, herbs, and spices that soothe your system; eating foods that you personally digest well; working out and getting in healthy movement but in a way that does not drain you; allowing your nervous system come to a place of rest; perform mindful breathing and breath correctly throughout the day.
Supplements:
So, I am going to have other posts up that mention healing herbs and supplements. I would suggest watching out for those posts, and there will be a post on nettles. Looseleaf nettles can be useful for breaking inflammation cycles and are an affordable option.
I have been trying out many products, and there a few companies that you can really trust. BODYBIO is the real deal. Real liposomal vitamin C aids in immunity and hydrates fascia. Having a healthy gut boosts immunity and affects every part of your health. Here are BODYBIO supplements that may aid your process:
Use the code TLC at checkout and save 15%.
Use this link to head to their main website: https://bodybio.com/TLC
Click the pictures to head right to each product (but use TLC at checkout for the discount):
Want to Know More?
I have more posts coming soon,. Stay tuned!
Check out my books on health and wellness!
The Elemental Woman
A Conversation for the Modern Western Woman Inspired by the Healing Wisdom of the Ancient Eastern Sage
Food & Mood Journal
A tracking guide to connect the food you eat, the emotions you feel, and increase the feeling of deep self-love
Mindful Movement Journal
A tracking guide to connect the motions you make, the emotions you feel, and increase the feeling of deep self-love
Basic Ayurveda
The Elemental Woman Supplement Guide
About the author:
Since 2004, Tara Lee Clasen has been assisting women on their healing adventures. As a woman-focused physical medicine provider, also trained in Eastern medicine, she knows transformation is possible and knows that with reflection and self-love, your future is full of bright possibilities.
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