Glutamate ? A Pain Transmitter Your Subconscious May Be Able To Limit

Glutamate is one of the most important transmitters of chronic pain. By using visualizations you may be able to use your subconscious to limit the impact of glutamate on your pain.

The Role of Glutamate

To appreciate the importance of glutamate in the pain process, it's helpful to review the three stages by which pain signals are transmitted to the brain:

? In Stage 1, a pain signal is generated in the body (the lower back, the joints, or other location of a pain stimulus) and is sent to the spinal cord.

? In Stage 2, the signal is increased and sent to the pain processing center in the brain, the thalamus. This is the stage where the role of glutamate is critical.

? In Stage 3, the signal is sent from the thalamus to the cortex, at which point you actually feel the pain.

In Stage 2, glutamate helps to trigger a cascade of events that can seriously increase your pain.

NMDA Activation

The first is the activation of NMDA (N-methyl D-aspartate). This is a powerful protein that ratchets the pain signal up to a new level.

A normal pain signal reaching Stage 2 does not trigger the release of NMDA. But if the signal is strong, and enough glutamate is present in the NMDA receptors on your Stage 2 nerve cells, NMDA is activated and the pain signal is seriously increased.

Windup

Once NMDA is released, it makes possible the activation of a chemical that has been called the master control switch of nerve-injury pain, MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase).

MAPK causes more and more pain-generating chemicals such as glutamate to be produced. And at the same time it increases the sensitivity of pain receptors to those very chemicals.

The result is that glutamate causes nerve cells in the spine to be triggered with less input, which in turn requires less glutamate to activate the pain signal, beginning a vicious cycle of less stimulation and more pain. Pain nerves begin to fire out of control. This process, known as level 2 neuron windup, can cause devastating pain.

Visualization - An Alternative

Through visualization statements it may be possible to focus your subconscious on reducing the impact of glutamate in the pain process. This could be true for back pain or pain in the neck or other extremities, arthritis pain, fibromyalgia pain, or neuropathic pain (nerve pain).

Visualization statements represent the specific language that your subconscious wants you to read back to it to help ease your pain. They're simple and are targeted directly at the main factors that could bring you relief.

You can obtain these statements by learning how to communicate directly with your own subconscious mind. The process is straightforward and can be done at home by working with a facilitator over the telephone. You you need no special skills and no previous experience in working with the subconscious.

? On one hand, your subconscious may indicate that it's possible to reduce the likelihood of NMDA activation by limiting your release of glutamate. If so, it will probably provide a visualization statement to help achieve that effect.

? On the other hand, the subconscious may also indicate that it's possible to reduce the chance of windup in Stage 2 by preventing your body from becoming overly sensitive to glutamate. Again it will probably suggest a visualization that may help to produce that result.

Engaging the Subconscious

The subconscious is quite powerful. When programmed through the very visualizations that it suggests, it may be able to turn glutamate-related episodes of uncontrolled pain into events over which you have a degree of control.

Ben Plumb is CEO and President of The Visualization Group, Inc. The company's service is delivered by people like himself who personally suffered from years of chronic pain, and used the visualization method described in this article to obtain relief when nothing else worked. For more information, please visit http://www.thevisualizationgroup.com.

(c) 2005 The Visualization Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The methodology and program disclosed in this article are Patent Pending.

---

Ayurveda Approach to Genital Herpes

Dosha theory which help in diagnosis of the diseases.According to... Read More

Herbal Remedies to the Rescue!

Since the dawn of civilization, man has always turned to... Read More

Sweet Sustenance

"The difference between sugar addiciton and narcotic addiction is largely... Read More

Use Fresh Herbs In Your Cooking

Many common herbs that you might use in cooking are... Read More

How Can Green Tea Benefit My Family?

No doubt you've heard of Green Tea and the health... Read More

At-Home Relief For Ingrown Hairs

#1 Use Antibiotic SoapAntibiotic soap helps to clear up and... Read More

My All Natural Oasis

About 7 years ago, I decided that my budget could... Read More

Home Saunas and Kits: Benefits, Pre-Planning, and Purchasing Tips

For quite some time now home saunas have gained massive... Read More

St Johns Wort: The Magickal Herb

It was customary in Britain and Europe on St John's... Read More

Aromatherapy for the Mind, Body, and Spirit - Sandalwood Essential Oil

For over 4000 years, the Sandalwood tree has played a... Read More

Maintaining Healthy Vision Naturally

The training of our eye doctors in this country is... Read More

Neuro Emotional Technique

NET or Neuro Emotional Technique is one of the newer... Read More

Breathing and Mental Concentration

In spirituality, there are number of exercises available that help... Read More

Aromatherapy Favorites: Patchouli Essential Oil

Patchouli's History and UsesAh, Patchouli oil - people seem to... Read More

Boost Self Confidence Through Hypnotherapy

What is self confidence and how do you get it?... Read More

Treating Arthritis- Naturally

There are actually three common types of arthritis. These are... Read More

Your Home is a Toxic Waste Dump!

Did you know that the household and beauty products that... Read More

Using Essential Fatty Acids for Reducing Arthritis Joint Pain

Essential fatty acids provide protection for the whole body. In... Read More

Natural Pain Relief Through Magnetic Therapy is Possible

No one can deny the power of magnets, racing pigeons... Read More

How to Use Natural Remedies for Ulcers Caused by Helicobacter Pylori

One of the bacteria that live in your mouth and... Read More

Hypnosis

HYPNOSIS is a state of induced but conscious sleep through... Read More

Back Pain, Joint Pain, Knee Pain, Arthritis and a Host of Other Pain Ailments You Never Have To Suff

"The smallest pain in our little finger gives us more... Read More

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine, over 2000 years old, is an ancient... Read More

What Happens During a Pain Relief Visualization Session

A visualization session is an hour-long conversation with your subconscious... Read More

Crystal Healing

Ask and you shall receive!! Persuaded by popular demand, I... Read More

Mud Baths at Your Home Spa- the Pros and Cons

"If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere"... Read More

Check Your Colon Transient Time

Many doctors and others in the health field may tell... Read More

Feeling Frisky? Herbs for Fertility

For thousands of years knowledge of the herbs and wild... Read More

Visualization For Self Healing

Visualization and guided imagery are two of the most powerful... Read More

Arthritis Pain: Why Visualizations May Be Able to Provide Relief

Over 100 different types of arthritis exist, but by far... Read More

Alter Your Perceptions

This article first appeared in The Sept. 2004 issue of... Read More

Natural Aromatherapy, Essence of Health

Bringing Home Nature's Forest Correctly and SafelyPreserving Both Essence and... Read More

Super Bee Nutrition

Bee's and Bee NutritionWhat is the buzz about bee Nutrition?... Read More