Yup it sucks.
We have all experienced a punch, kick or fall,etc., that shocked the abdominal region.
With a severe enough blow to this region (depending on size, age, condition of the individual), a person can undergo many affects after receiving such an assault or occurrence. The trauma and pain of the punch can cause nausea and vomiting as the stomach are part of your digestive organs where food is digested, if the stomach is dysfunctioned temporarily it may not hold the food down.
The nausea, tears, and collapse might seem like overkill, but they are actually ways your body is trying to improve the situation. "This is essentially a defense mechanism by the body to reduce the painful sensation induced by trauma.
When attacked correctly the body goes a little crazy. Signals get launched up to his brain in a split second, giving it notice that something’s wrong. One event that can occur (as is the case with a shot to the groin), is that a neurotransmitter called Substance P is released by the testicles to indicate the need for pain relief.
The intense pain signals that reach the brain trigger several processes: Endorphins – which are the body's natural pain relievers – are released to mask some of the intense pain. This causes higher levels of endorphins which in turn cause a drop in oxygen levels, this can lead to a severe and pounding headache and/or nausea. For some people (yes even manly men), a part of the brain called the cervical sympathetic ganglia is also activated, resulting in tearing up or crying. The inner ear can also be affected, creating a change in fluids that results in dizziness (yes body KO's are possible). As if that was not fun enough, the brain is simultaneously sending signals back down to the groin and abdominal area to let you know you’re in pain down there.
In the case of a groin strike, the signals are sent to the abdominal region as well because that area shares pain receptors with the groin. Some of these signals are what make you want to grab your stomach, bend over, or lie on the ground in the fetal position. The abdominal pain, paired with possible nausea and dizziness, can sometimes cause vomiting. There can also be an increased heart rate, which causes sweating and higher body temperature with this kind of injury. Basically, your body is going crazy trying to cope and ingrain a subconscious memory to avoid future possibilities like this. From an evolutionary perspective our bodies are designed to react very intensely to any kind of trauma to any particular anatomical structure.
While trauma to your stomach or groin is going to be painful no matter what, there are a few steps you can take after the fact to reduce the effects:
1. Lay Down
Lying down flat on your back can reestablish proper blood flow to the brain, relieving headache and nausea and deactivating the sympathetic ganglia. This position can also help relax the groin ligaments and other muscles that were seizing up.
2. Hydrate and Cool Off
Moving to a cool place and hydrating (only after symptoms pass) is also important because all that tearing, sweating, vomiting, and the increase in body temperature can leave you low on fluids. Also working to reduce inflammation, can be of great help.
3. See a Doctor If the Pain Persists
If the pain resulting from a abdomen or groin injury is persistent, or if there was serious nausea, vomiting, fever, or obvious signs of trauma – like bruising or swelling – it’s a good idea to seek medical attention. In serious cases, groin hits can cause testicular torsion (a twisting of the testicle), rupture, and can even threaten your fertility. This level of injury should be regarded as a medical emergency.
Restoration Processes
This is just a small glimpse of what can and does occur and why the symptoms arise... and why the Kyusho Practitioner learns restorative measures (Please See (click link) First Aid or Kyusho Health and Wellness).
These are not Voodoo or Myths, these are a learned method of coping with real traumas that we can and sometimes encounter (from experience) while practicing Kyusho.
-ep
