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Pain & Pain Withdrawal Reflexes

By Gary Moro

The objective of martial art techniques is to overcome and stop the aggression of one's opponent. One way to accomplish this is by causing the sensation of pain. The sensation of pain can occur indirectly, as a result of a technique, or directly with a strike, twist, pull, poke, or squeeze to a specific vital point intended to cause that pain. While many techniques do not require the sensation of pain to be effective, the sensation of pain can be used to deter and manipulate an opponent, or create a stimulus that allows for, and aids in, the delivery of offensive and defensive techniques. With the proper application of pain one can use minimal force to manipulate joints, aid in the ease of throws and projections, debilitate or subjugate one's opponent, cause a knockout, or terminate a life.

The dictionary defines pain as a sensation of physical discomfort, mental anguish, or suffering caused by aggravation of the sensory nerves. Pain is a part of the protective system of the body and serves as a warning of disease, injury, inflammation, or a change in pressure. Pain can be felt directly, at the source, or can be referred [pain subjectively localized in one region though due to irritation in another region].

Little is known about the development of somatosensation [how the brain acquires it's ability to detect body stimulation]. What is known is that the stimulation of pain can occur in varying degrees of severity, determined by one's pain threshold [the point at which one first begins to feel pain, or is tolerant to pain]. Many things affect pain tolerance. Those things are:

1. Age - Younger people tend to feel pain less than older people. While this is partially true it may be more of a case that younger people, especially pre-teens have a harder time expressing what they feel. Studies have also shown that babies and small children react differently to pain stimulus than adults. Younger people also tend to feel shorter durations of pain, and have a better ability to use pain management techniques to deal with recurring pain.
2. Sex - Men tend to feel pain more than women do, and express the sensation less. This may be mainly due to cultural beliefs on how men and women should express themselves.
3. Race/Culuture - This is a hard one. Humans are humans no matter what country they are from, or the color of their skin. The only factor race may play is directly related to body shape. Some races are known for generally being lean, robust, muscular, or heavy set. The actual difference is related more to culture than race. These differences are a result of the varying accepted social norms, beliefs, and prejudices different groups adhere to. Some cultures allow the expression of certain feelings and others don't.

   If a person is brought up believing that expressing pain is a sign of weakness, and weak people are shunned or given less respect by their society, then they will learn not to express those feelings. In this case the behavior is learned. While people raised with these beliefs may not express something like pain, it does not mean they don't feel pain. They just don't let you know they do.

4. Body Shape - Once again this is a hard one, and different studies have had different results. Generally people who are overweight and out of shape tend to feel pain more. Those who are trim, and stay fit feel pain less. People who tend to be extremely athletic tend to feel pain less, but when they do feel it, it tends to be worse. [This is one reason professional athletes can compete even with injured body parts.] [These people also tend to disregard the onset of pain, thinking they can work through it.] There are three schools of thought when it comes to the art of vital point striking and body shape.

   The first is, that vital point techniques, mainly nerve plexus attacks, work better on overweight people than others. The trade off is, that these vital points are normally protected by the extra fat tissue, and harder to get at. The practitioners who support this belief state that the reason why overweight people react more to vital points is directly due to the preexisting stress the extra weight places on their body. Organs such as the heart and lungs, as well as muscles and tendons, all have to work harder than normal. This "stress," weakens their resistance to the affects of vital point attacks. The other group believes extremely muscular people are more sensitive to vital point striking. They feel this is due to the fact that the vital points tend to be closer to the surface of the skin, and because of the added stress the muscles play on the sensory nerve endings. [As muscle tissue expands, sensory nerve endings stretch.] Those who support this belief, believe the "stretched" nerve endings become more sensitive to stimulation.

   The last group, and I am one of them, hasn't noticed enough of a difference to make either conclusion. While I will admit that locating points on a well muscled [sculpted] body is a lot easier than others, I have not witnessed a major difference in reactions when striking either body shapes. People are people, and what may work very well on one person may or may not work equally as well on another.

   Since we normally have no control on who attacks us, or their body shape, we simply have to rely on the fact we are all designed the same on the inside.

5. Level Of Activity - Physical activity is believed to help in the production of endorphins, so people who maintain a good level of physical activity tend to feel pain less than those who don't. Exercise has been proven to reduce physical pain in countless studies.
6. Tension And Stress - Tense people tend to feel and react to pain quicker, and find it more distressing. I have seen numerous people get extremely ill [nauseated] during a vital point striking class because they were tense or would flex there muscles prior to being hit. Stress, especially during a fight, or when ones life is in jeopardy, can reduce the sensation of pain at the moment. That's because stress can cause a change in one's internal chemicals, producing adrenalin and endorphins.
7. Depression - Depression is caused by a chemical in-balance in the body. People who are depressed tend to feel pain more. It is believed that depression reduces the production of endorphins [chemicals that reduce the sensation of pain].
8. Drugs And Alcohol - People who abuse alcohol and drugs tend to feel pain more than those who do not. While someone who is under the influence may not feel or react to pain initially, as their body detoxifies the sensation of pain may be greater than normal.

   Per crime statistics, assailants commit most attacks in altered states of consciousness. This can mean drugs, alcohol, rage, extreme jealousy, or mental conditions. In most cases those being attacked will have no previous knowledge of the sobriety or mental state of their attacker. Depending on the situation, a martial artists relying on pain compliance techniques alone may learn a quick lesson in futility.

   As a police officer I responded to a fight involving five Samoan teenagers. All of them had been drinking and smoking marijuana. During our attempt to break up the fight one teenager was hit in the head with a crowbar. The blow was delivered full force, and crushed the corner of his skull. One would think he was killed instantly, or at least lose consciousness, but he continued fighting as if nothing happened. It took ten officers, three firemen, two paramedics, a priest, and his mother to restrain him and force him into an ambulance. This teen almost died on his way to the hospital, mainly due to loss of blood, but he never stopped being aggressive for a moment.

   This story illustrates the perfect reason why no martial artist can rely on any one technique or method. In order to be successful practitioners must have a wide variety of techniques in their arsenal.

9. Caffeine And Nicotine - The affects are pretty much the same as those for drugs and alcohol. No surprise since both are considered drugs, and both alter one's internal chemistry. A reduction in the use of items containing caffeine and nicotine will help relax muscles and reduce tension.
10. Medical - Illness, prior injury, and other medically related conditions all play a factor in pain tolerance. Someone who has injured the nerves in their arm may not feel pain or react the same as someone with a non-injured arm. This is due to the preexisting damage. Others may feel a higher degree of pain especially if the damaged area is re-injured.

11. Conditioning - It is possible to condition the body to tolerate a certain level of pain. This can be done in many ways, but the main way is by desensitizing parts of the body. This desensitizing can be done by continuously striking a part of the body until the nerves are damaged, calluses develop, or both conditions occur. Developing a proper mental state, or learning to breathe in certain ways can also lesson the degree pain is felt.

    Desensitizing can also occur naturally depending on one's occupation or activity. I once had a student who was a dishwasher. I could strike his lower arms with a stick and he wouldn't feel it. After many years of washing dishes in extremely hot water and hitting his forearms as he scrubbed pots and pans he built up a tolerance to pain in that area.

    It should be noted that building up a tolerance to pain is not necessarily a good thing. Damaging nerves is not healthy, and nerves do not regenerate. It can lead to medical problems, and paralyses in later years.

    The nervous system plays a primary role in the sensation, transmission, and reaction to pain. In order to experience pain, sensory receptors located throughout the body must receive a stimulus. If this stimulus is harmful, or causes injury to the body the injured tissue produces prostaglands. [Prostaglands make nerves more sensitive and help speed messages to the brain's thalamus and cerebral cortex.] When the brain receives these signals it releases natural painkillers called endorphins. The degree one will feel pain is based on how many prostagalandins and endorphins are produced. [More detailed information on the nervous system can be located in the section on anatomy.]

Unlike many functions of your body, the brain consciously registers and processes information regarding pain. This means the brain analyzes the stimulus it receives, and then according to its findings, produces the sensation of pain. As a result of this process, pain can be subjective, and occur in varying degrees from manageable to intolerable.

In a fighting situation one may not feel pain, or its full effects, until the fight is over. In other cases what may be considered painful or debilitating on the onset may not be considered that painful once the brain has had the chance to process the information. Because both these factors can take place, sometimes in milliseconds, it is very important for martial artists to constantly make transitions, never applying any one technique for an extended period of time.

Understanding how pain is perceived, and how various conditions affect tolerances, is just the beginning of understanding how to use pain to ones advantage.

While discomfort may be enough to end an altercation, many times that is not enough. Due to this the sensation of pain cannot be used reliably to win a fight. Remember pain is not always one's goal when applying techniques.

In the art of vital point striking we are concerned more with the reflexes associated with the stimulus of pain, than the sensation of it. This is due to the fact that one is done consciously and the other unconsciously.

Pain withdrawal reflexes are part of the natural responses the body uses to keep form being injured. They are designed to react instinctively. Because they are not done on an unconscious level they are predictable, and with the correct stimulus repeatable over and over again.

To understand pain withdrawal reflexes on must understand the following:

1. The sensation of pain is directly related to the brain.
2. Pain withdrawal reflexes come from the spinal cord.

Reflex Arch

The attack - Subject one holds the extended arm of subject two, and instantly applies a rolling motion to a point located to the rear of the concave of the elbow, which is located on a body of Golgi's [sensory end organ within a tendon that provides information on muscle tension]. This correct stimulus causes subject 2 to feel pain, and at the same time fools body into believe the tendon in the arm is tearing. Subject #2's arm goes limp, and he falls to his knees.

What happened - Initially, subject two felt pain in his arm and his body was made to believe the tendons were tearing. Reacting to the stimulus in the arm, messages were transmitted to the brain and spinal column. Milliseconds before this information ever reached the brain the spinal column respond and caused two reactions; the arm went limp, and the person fell to his knees.

Milliseconds later the brain received the same information as the spinal cord. This information was analyzed, and appropriate responses were signaled back to the source of the stimulus.

It is important to fully understand that the initial responses occurred prior to the brain processing the information. Even though, both processes take place milliseconds apart if the body had waited for the brain to signal a response it could have been to late, and the arm could have been damaged.

Importance of example - The fact the body [spinal cord] reacts first without processing what is really occurring allows us to use our opponent's body against himself. We cause a reaction our opponent can't control, and isn't even aware they are making. By the time their brain realizes what is going on it's to late.

In the above technique the vital point attacked was "rolled" to create a sensation of pain and to fool the arm. The arm was never in any real danger of being injured. If the brain had been responsible for providing a response it would have realized no real danger existed. Chances are the arm would not go limp, and Subject 2 would not kneel down.

This change in Subject 2's reaction could have major consequences to Subject 1. Since the brain is aware that no real danger exists, it allows Subject 2 to react differently, possibly affording him a chance to escape and counter attack.

The intention of attacking any vital points is to cause a reaction. These reactions can be pain, the bending or buckling of limbs, numbness, nausea, unconsciousness, and many others. Understanding the relationships between the attack and its affects, and how to use these affects to full advantage, is what separates the novice from the master.

Everyone has some understanding of how people react to pain. Some people cry, some get angry, and others faint. Given the choice we tend to avoid the sensation.

What most people are not aware of are common reflexes we all have when we first sense pain. Just like the reflex arch these are predictable and repeatable. The three most important ones in the art of vital point striking are:

1. Pain Withdrawal Reflex
2. Cross Extension Reflex
3. Righting Reflex

Pain Withdrawal Reflex

A simple example of this reflex is when someone grabs a hot pot on the stove. Instantly, as the sensation of heat and pain is felt, the person will pull away from the hot pot. This is not a conscious act, and is another example of the reflex arch. It is instant, involuntary, and a natural defensive mechanism of the body to prevent serious injury.

Another example is when a person drops something on their foot. Normally one will lift their foot off the ground and into the air. There is really no reason to lift the foot off the ground since the damage has already been done and for the most part the danger is over. The reason the foot moves upward is to escape the perceived danger area that occurred on the ground.

In many cases the foot simply remains off the ground because it hurts to put weight on it, or we are busy rubbing the source of pain.

Once again what is important to understand about this reflex is that the signals to move comes initially from the spinal cord, and not the brain.

Cross Extension Reflex

Describing the cross extension reflex is a little difficult. Basically, the cross extension reflex describes an action where two body parts, normally limbs, move in opposite directions.

A common example of the cross extension reflex is: Subject 1 sticks a pin in the first finger of his right hand. Instantly Subject 1's hand pulls away from the source of the pain, [pain withdrawal reflex]. At the very same time Subject 1's left hand moves forward toward the point of pain.

The reason why the left hand moves forward is not perfectly clear, and there are many applicable answers. The first explanation may be to create stability. Due to the sudden movement in one direction the other limb may need to move equally as fast in the opposite direction in order to maintain balance. Correct balance, allows for quicker acceleration.

Another explanation could be the other limb comes forward to help push away from the point of pain, or to protect the other limb from further pain.

Of course there may be many more reasons, but these two explanations are enough to make them useable to the martial artist. The more difficult element is learning how apply this knowledge.

I have observed one instructor use this point in a very affective manner against two opponents standing next to each other. As he strikes subject one in the arm with a reverse cutting motion, subject ones' other arm will shoot backwards, normally hitting subject two in the groin. I have witnessed this techniques several times, done in the same manner, always with the same results. It is an excellent example of this reflex, the reflex arch, and the righting reflex.

Righting Reflex

The righting reflex is an essential element in the art of joint locking attacks, and greatly increases the affects of projection [throwing] techniques. It can also be used to control and subjugate an opponent.

Basically described, the righting reflex is the body's way of escaping from pain. It's designed to make the body move according to the path of least resistance.

Once again this reflex is involuntary and part of the reflex arch. Unlike the other pain withdrawal reflexes though, this reflex has the tendency to lock up the entire musculoskeletal system.

An example of the righting reflex would be: Subject 1 hyper extends Subject 2's arm in an upward direction. Subject 2 rises onto his toes.

Another example would be: Subject 1 places Subject 2 into a finger lock and applies downward pressure to the finger joint. Subject 1 then drops his attacking limb to his side. Subject 2 falls to his knees in a backward direction, and then forward.

In both these cases Subject 2 is reacting to the stimulus intentionally given by Subject 1. In both these cases Subject 2 moves in the path of least resistance.

In the first example pressure/pain is applied upward against Subject 2's arm. Because of the direction of application the path of least resistance and possible safety is upwards. That's why Subject 2 rises up onto his toes.

In the second example pressure/pain is applied downward and then to the front of Subject 2. Because of the initial direction of application the path of least resistance is back and down. This is the only direction that will relieve the pain/pressure in the finger.

After the initial movement, Subject 1 changes direction and pulls Subject 2 forward. Subject 2 can no longer move backwards, as he would be increasing the torque on his finger. The path of least resistance is now forward. Once again, Subject 2's finger has been saved due to his movements.

Using the righting reflex against someone can be described as a form of non-verbal communication. In both of the above examples Subject 1 dictates the actions of Subject 2 by using the proper techniques, angles, and the correct amount of force. Subject 1 also does one more very important element to make it work. He gives, or allows room for Subject 2 to escape.

More accurately stated, Subject1 lets Subject 2 believe that by complying with the demanded movement the limb or body part will be spared injury, or that Subject 2 may be able to escape. This is of course not a reality as Subject 1 is full control.

Remember all of Subjects 2's movements are a direct result of unconscious thought. His brain is not in charge or in control. He is simply reacting according to his instincts and need for self -preservation.

While the righting reflex sounds fairly simplistic, it requires a lot of practice in order to be effective with it. In order for techniques to work the sensation of pain must be instant, it must shock the system, and it must be sharp enough to alter/dictate the perception of the person it is applied too. At the same time the force cannot be to extreme or to soft. There is a very fine line between too much and not enough.

The last element the martial artist should know about pain is, pain receptors respond more to changes in pressure than constant pressure. Learning just how much force is enough force is the key. The general rule of striking one's opponent as hard as possible may work if one's only intention is to strike. However, if one has the intention to control their opponent that rule will not apply.

The main problem with using to much force or pressure is that it can cause unwanted and unpredictable results. A good example of this is a wolf caught in a leg trap. Between the pain of the trap, and the eagerness to escape wolfs' have been known to chew off their own legs. People in desperate situation will do desperate things also.

I have witnessed a subject sacrifice his arm in order to escape an arm bar that was put on to aggressively. The person applying the arm bar left no avenue of escape, used excessive force, and would not release the hold even though the guy was screaming in pain. The result was the person became desperate and escaped the only way he felt he could, breaking his own arm in the process. His action was unexpected, and even with the pain of the broken arm he started to retaliate.

The application of pain is an essential element of the martial arts. Learning to create the stimulus in the proper manner, and understanding the predictable results of one's actions is what the science of vital point striking is all about.

(C) Copyright Gary Moro 2002