Features Continuing Education Education
From the editor: Spring 2003

Pain is defined as “the sensation of acute physical hurt or discomfort caused by an injury” or “emotional suffering or mental distress.”

Invisible is defined as “not visible, not able to be perceived by the eye.”

Given these two definitions, what is “invisible pain?” If something is not visible or perceived by the eye does that mean that it doesn’t exist?

In this issue we will explore different kinds of hidden – or invisible pain – such as somatic pain, the pain of abuse survivors, post-traumatic stress, shock trauma and the craniosacral system and how touch elicits an emotional response
within the limbic system.

As Massage Therapists, we are often faced with a situation where an individual is complaining of pain that does not appear to have a specific cause.

It is important that we treat the person and be thorough in our investigation of the causal factors instead of dismissing them because we can’t distinguish or identify the root problem. We must learn to see with much more than our eyes.