Pain as Trapped Energy

Chronic pain is often treated as a mechanical problem – something to be fixed, corrected, or suppressed.

While structure and injury matter, this view alone rarely explains why pain persists long after tissues have healed. Somatic approaches offer a broader understanding: pain can be experienced as trapped or stagnant energy within the body.

From a physiological perspective, chronic pain involves ongoing activation of the nervous system. Muscles remain guarded, breathing becomes shallow, and circulation is restricted. Even when there is no active injury, the body continues to behave as if there is a threat. This sustained contraction consumes energy and limits the flow of oxygen and nutrients, reinforcing discomfort.

Chinese Medicine describes this pattern as Qi and Blood stagnation. When energy cannot move freely, pain arises. Emotional stress, trauma, repetitive strain, or prolonged immobility can all create areas where energy becomes stuck. Over time, these areas lose adaptability and sensitivity, leading to chronic tension or pain that seems disproportionate to any visible cause.

Somatic perspectives emphasize listening to the body rather than forcing change. Gentle movement, breath awareness, and mindful touch help the nervous system feel safe enough to release holding patterns. When the body senses safety, energy begins to move again, and pain often softens as a result.

The next time you have a headache, try using this acupressure on point on your hand:

Hegu - Joining Valley (Acu Point Large Intestine 4)

Use for: tension headaches, migraines, sinusitis, toothache, TMJ, stress.

How to find it: On the dorsum of the hand, in the middle of the second metacarpal bone on the radial side (highest point of the muscle mound when thumb and index finger are closed).

How to use: Apply gentle, steady pressure with your thumb for 1–2 minutes on each side while breathing slowly.

Caution: Do not use this point if you’re pregnant. Pressing on this point can make you go into labor.

Viewing pain as trapped energy does not mean the pain is “in your head.” It recognizes that pain is real, embodied, and deeply connected to how the nervous system responds to life. When energy is allowed to move and the body feels supported, pain often becomes less dominant, and vitality slowly returns.

Acupressure works within this framework by restoring circulation and signaling the nervous system to shift out of defense mode. Rather than overpowering pain, it supports the body’s natural capacity to reorganize and heal.

Image courtesy of AcuPoints