The Last Straw
“The [idiom] ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’, alluding to the proverb “it is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back”, describes the seemingly minor or routine action that causes an unpredictably large and sudden reaction, because of the cumulative effect of small actions.
This gives rise to the phrase “the last straw” or “the final straw”, meaning the last in a line of unacceptable occurrences, provoking a seemingly sudden strong reaction.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_that_broke_the_camel%27s_back
It is the strong reaction that most people pay attention to.
At that point in time, when the “camel’s back” or your own back is “broken,” then people will think that their pain “suddenly” appeared.
It’s a mystery…or so they think.
But I’m here to tell you that when it comes to a pain condition, there is no suddenly.
Pain conditions do not manifest overnight.
Even in the case of accidents, the level of injury will be measured by several factors and is not just the result of the impact situation.
The difference lies in the patterns.
These patterns produce certain muscular conditions that become more conducive to injury and the manifestation of pain.
The image above is a demonstration of restricted muscle.
The fingers are interlocked, much like the muscle being attached to the vertebrae, or like the intersection of a joint.
As the picture clearly shows, there is no flexibility in muscle that is tight and locked.
Such muscle gets hardened, like an iron bar if left in this condition for a long period of time.
Please note that hands clasped in this position can easily catch and contain water.
It won’t flow through, and that is the point.
If your muscles are locked and hardened like this, and fluid cannot flow through, then how can your muscles be properly lubricated?
How can the blood flow through properly?
The blood contains nourishment and nutrients all the tissues and organs need.
If blood cannot flow properly because your muscles are hard and locked, then there is a circulatory problem and subsequently, a heart problem; which means a host of other problems will follow, including high blood pressure.
However, if the muscles are loose and flexible like the photo above shows, then fluid can flow through, and the muscles will be well lubricated and properly nourished by the blood, the lymph and other vital fluids.
Additionally, the nerve impulses, which are also blocked under the conditions of the first image (Neuropathy); would be able to freely flow through the muscles, reaching their correct destination, and enabling signals and sensations to reach all of the appendages.
According to Gavin Routledge, this list contains the mitigating factors of back pain:
- Staying in one position for a long time
- Doing heavy lifting/bending work
- Doing a lot of repetitive movements
- Worrying about stuff
- Not being happy at school (work when you’re older)
- Being really overweight
- Smoking (let’s just not go there please?)
- Lack of physical activity
- Being unfit
I beg to differ.
Not shooting any arrows at Gavin.
His is the typical conclusion of most health professionals who think they know something about back pain.
It is the common theology and misconception; perhaps mythology.
However, while these things he listed certainly can be a factor of pain, they are not the predominant causes.
These are the exacerbators only, but not the primary issues.
These factors could become the last straw only because they are repeatedly heaped on top of a much greater foundational issue that remains unknown, and unaddressed.
Wikipedia also speaks of a theory of the last drop.
“ The same sentiment is also expressed by the phrase “the last drop makes the cup run over”, first found in English as “When the Cup is brim full before, the last (though least) superadded drop is charged alone to be the cause of all the running over” (1655).”
The list above fits into this sentiment, but just like the sentiment indicates, the last drop is not superpowered.
It only seems so, because it is the last in a series of factors that lead to the excessive magnification of the manifestation of pain.
You see, most people ignore the signals of pain.
That should tell any reasoning person that the manifestation of pain does not happen overnight and suddenly, as a result of a final super drop.
Long before the cup brim is full, and long before that last illusionary supercharged drop, pain has begun manifesting in the cup; filling your body, and bringing it to its final conclusion of full and excessive manifestation.
Signals are coming all while the drops are going into the cup, but we ignore these signals and procrastinate in addressing them.
Again, the list above has some of the factors of getting that cup of pain to an overflowing state.
However, while most health professionals focus on the minor factors, ie: the culmination of the drops in the cup, I’m focusing on the cup itself.
The cup is the initial framework or foundation that provides the structure and greater opportunity for the manifestation of the cup of pain.
Like a puzzle that needs solving, one should be looking first for the pieces that construct the outer framework, so that the overall picture can be fully understood.
Like the final straw analogy, the individual straws need first to be removed as “the cause,” and the frame of the camel assessed and addressed.
If each straw is a furtherance of the manifestation of pain, then this means that if the framework of pain is known, the number of straws that are tolerable would also be known.
We would know exactly how much we can take, or how much of a burden we can bear before it becomes untenable and painful.
But even more valuable is the fact that if the manifestation framework was understood, we would know how to manage it, so that the pain cannot ever rear its ugly head again!
For example, I have had Frozen Shoulder 4 times in the first 2 years since becoming a Massage Therapist 7 years ago.
As a result, I now know not only how to release it, but also exactly what it feels like when it is beginning to develop.
Because of the knowledge I obtained concerning the framework of what causes this condition — exactly what muscles are affected and what triggers need to be released; I can fully release it.
The release can be maintained if my client follows instructions I give for managing the condition.
Once the framework of the problem is properly assessed and addressed, then we can begin to look at the more minor lifestyle and repetitive habit factors that exacerbate the framework issues into a manifestation of pain.
Subsequently, we will know how to do the right maintenance because we know how many straws the camel can bear, and how many drops the cup can sustain before it gets into an overflow situation of pain.
You will have the blueprint of what causes pain to manifest in your body, and know how to prevent it.
