Neurology Edited by Professor Emeritus Desire' Dubounet, IMUNE

In orthodox medicine the genesis of muscular tension has not yet been fully understood, it israther taken for granted. Orthopedic surgeons often presume mechanical injury to the spinalcolumn. In contrast, x-rays of the spinal column often do not match the intensity of the pain.The pain is also subject to fluctuation, whereas the changes in the spinal column remain constant.All this suggests that psycho-autonomic processes play a role in the intensity of the pain.[19]It is well-known that relaxation, heat, and massage partly dissolve the tension and alleviate thesymptoms temporarily, though unfortunately not permanently. So the treatment is not a causalone. Only a deeper retuning of the basic autonomic disposition can dissolve the chronicmuscular block.Based on the concept of chronic sympatheticotonus, we can see how the body is sent into thepreparedness for fight or flight by external stress. This also involves the preparatory increase ofmuscular tension. If the anticipated activity -fighting or running away - then fails to materialize,but external stress persists, the muscles will chronically remain in that tension. Another examplefor this is tension created in childhood: if the child's temper tantrums are chronically suppressedby being beaten by the parents, the initial impulse to lash out travels into the shoulder muscles,which become tense. But simultaneously a counter-impulse ("too dangerous") stops themovement so that impulse and counter-impulse "get stuck" in the muscle, sometimes for alifetime.Depending on the strain's intensity, the tension can cause strong radiating pain by exertingpressure upon a nerve. In my practice, I have always found great tension in the neck region inpatients suffering from headaches. Shoulder-arm-syndrome, cervical, or lumbar syndromes arepossible effects as well. These may be triggered or aggravated by mechanical strain on themuscles (typewriting, knitting, playing the piano, lifting heavy items).5.3.2. Psychological ComponentLet us now have a look at the psychological components which can be expressed through tenseneck, shoulder, and back muscles.In German vernacular, "having a stiff neck" and "being stubborn" are expressed by one and thesame word ("hartnäckig"). The neck becomes a symbol of strong will and striving for power.Anger and defiance are held back in the muscles at the back and sides of the neck as well.Another aspect is fear, which can proverbially be breathing down one's neck. The block of the