Supra-Spinal Mechanism

• Supra-Spinal Mechanism:

  • manual therapy causes a reduction in cerebral activity observed in areas associated with the pain processing
  • creates a placebo effects and autonomic opioid response
  • reduces hypomobility -> biomechanical effect -> mechanical stimulus
  • transient and not long lasting
  • manual therapy causes measurable movement in targeted tissues
  • some structural changes occur within the targeted tissues in response in manual therapy
  • causes release of natural endorphins -> decrease in pain
• Supraspinal Mechanism:

  • This mechanism involves the brain regions above the spinal cord, including the cortex, thalamus, and descending pain modulation pathways
  • When mechanical stimulation is applied, it can activate descending inhibitory pathways from the brain to the spinal cord
  • These pathways release neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and endogenous opioids (like endorphins), which inhibit the transmission of pain signals from the periphery to the brain
  • Additionally, the activation of higher brain centres can modulate the perception of pain, leading to analgesia