Muscle pain caused by draft, how does it work?

[Owledge]

Due to recent experience I was wondering how strangely it might work that draft (a lot of moving air on parts of the body) can cause a kind of muscle pain afterwards, or a feeling like a nerve is slightly pinched when moving. You know what I mean? Is "draft" the correct English term for that?

There seems to be no connection between cause and effect. Apparently it doesn't even have to be the part subjected to the draft that gets the pain.

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

Due to recent experience I was wondering how strangely it might work that draft (a lot of moving air on parts of the body) can cause a kind of muscle pain afterwards, or a feeling like a nerve is slightly pinched when moving. You know what I mean? Is "draft" the correct English term for that?

There seems to be no connection between cause and effect. Apparently it doesn't even have to be the part subjected to the draft that gets the pain.

 

Oh I know what you mean Hardyg. I'm often told by Chinese people when I have a fairly recent ache or pain that it's because I slept when there was a draft on or close to that part of my body. When thinking back I have found it to be true. Either a window was open or a fan was on and directly blowing on that part of the body such as a joint or muscle group.

 

It's quite a common thing for Chinese people to say to each other; when I first heard it, I must admit, I thought it was a bit naive. But I have to say, they are right as far as I have experienced. They always(as far as I know)associate it with when you are sleeping, as one part of your body(or all)is remaining fairly immobile. The general idea seems to be the cool air somehow causes the muscle to contract, not a problem if your moving about as sufficient blood is moving through it if your active, but not good if the area is not moving.

 

I have been massaged in that area after I have been told that has happened on various occasions(it has to be a specific point though)and sure enough afterwards it's completely fine(massaged til the pain of the massage is gone). When the area has not been massaged the pain has stayed for days though! I usually get admonished that if I do it again they are not gonna bother to massage it for me.

 

I never heard about a draft that is indirect. But perhaps it's the same idea as a cooling influence will cause the muscle to contract in some way. I'm not sure.

[Owledge]

Hm, I got half an hour of TCM massage and (electro-)acupuncture, but that only weakened the symptoms for a few hours. In my case the pain is between the shoulder blades and a bit inside, and I couldn't find a cause for it. It just occured some time after I had done some standing postures and sitting Nei Gung. Massage of muscles in that region was painful, but it might not have been the muscles in question.

Massage until there's no more pain is probably luxury. I get half an hour of TCM massage twice a week, dealing with different regions. It gets better, though. Generally less pain during massage. It's just a bit demotivating, because the noticeable progress doesn't seem to give any kind of benefit as a result.

 

SUPPLEMENT:

I now remember reading a weblog of a U.S. American living in Germany who noted this 'strange thing' of draft - in German "Zug bekommen". Apparently it is rarely known in the U.S., while a kind of common 'folk knowledge' in Germany that you get this kind of trouble when subjected to too much air flow. He was kinda amused that Germans are worried about moving air in connection to their health.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Hardyg

[metal dog]

Cold air drafts, particularly on the back of the neck and shoulder region's trapezius muscle, can commonly tighten this muscle and aggravate active or latent myofascial trigger points (as defined by Travell and Simmons http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_point).

 

What is interesting is that Travell uses a vapocoolant spray over the surface of the skin while stretching a muscle to increase its length and range of motion. In this instance...cold with stretch loosens.

 

But it is vital that the spray is a very precise and narrow stream, as a mist or wide coverage over the skin would not be effective and would chill the client. This chilling could then contribute to a tensing-up of the area and negate the therapy. There are certain nerve receptors that are responsible for this and no reason why their aggravation would not produce a reflexive feeling of a deep ache in the muscles and particularly the joints especially if exposed over a long duration and with minimal blood circulating (resting, sleeping).

 

This soreness, due to chilling, never stays with me long and usually goes away once I warm up and get my circulation going. Others may be more affected this way.

 

My master instructed me never to do energy practices while chilled or in the cold, as this will tend to drive the cold deeper into the body and can lead to illness. Maintaining warm comfort during practice was advised.