I'm less concerned about where it hurts and more curious about why it hurts

Pain is an excellent messenger.

It is not, however, a reliable storyteller on its own.

Most people arrive at a massage saying some version of:

“My neck hurts.”

“My lower back is killing me.”

“I’ve got this knot right here.”

And that’s useful information — but it’s incomplete.

Because where it hurts is rarely where the problem began.

Pain Is Often the End of the Story, Not the Beginning

The body is a master of compensation.

When one area becomes weak, overloaded, restricted, or stressed, another area quietly steps in to help. Over time, that helpful adjustment becomes a habit.

Muscles tighten to create stability.

Fascia stiffens to protect vulnerable joints. Movement patterns change to avoid discomfort.

Eventually, the area doing the extra work starts to protest.

That protest is pain.

So the sore shoulder might actually be responding to:

• Poor thoracic (upper back) mobility

• A chronically tense jaw or shallow breathing pattern

• Emotional stress held through the chest and neck

• A pelvis that’s lost stability and shifted the workload upward

Massage that only chases the sore spot treats the complaint, not the cause.

The Body Works as a System, Not a Collection of Parts

This is where skilled massage becomes investigative rather than mechanical.

A tight calf can relate to hip restriction.

Lower back pain often reflects hip flexor shortening or weak glutes.

Neck tension frequently mirrors breath patterns, posture, or nervous system overload rather than “bad pillows.”

The body doesn’t operate in isolation.

Muscles communicate through fascial lines. Joints respond to what’s happening above and below them.

The nervous system decides what stays tense and what is allowed to relax.

If we don’t ask why the tissue is guarding itself, the body will simply recreate the tension after the session ends.

Pain Is Information, Not an Enemy

This is a crucial mindset shift.

Pain is not the body betraying you.

It’s the body trying to keep you functional with the resources it has.

Tightness is often protective.

Restriction is often intelligent.

Holding patterns usually form for a reason.

When massage respects this — working with the nervous system, breath, circulation, and movement patterns — the body feels safe enough to let go. Not forced. Not bullied. Released.

That’s why some people feel instant relief that lasts, while others feel good for a day and then slip back into the same discomfort. The difference is rarely pressure. It’s understanding.

Massage as Inquiry, Not Just Treatment

Effective massage asks quiet questions:

What is this tissue protecting?

What pattern is being repeated daily?

Where is movement missing?

Where is effort excessive?

Where has the nervous system forgotten how to rest?

Sometimes the answer lives in posture.

Sometimes in breathing.

Sometimes in old injuries.

Sometimes in emotional load or chronic stress.

And sometimes the answer isn’t obvious in the first session — because the body reveals its story in layers.

When the “Why” Is Addressed, Change Becomes Sustainable

Relief that lasts doesn’t come from hammering knots into submission.

It comes from restoring communication between body systems:

• Better circulation

• Improved tissue hydration

• Balanced muscle tone

• A calmer nervous system

• Clearer movement pathways

Massage becomes part of a bigger conversation with the body — one that includes awareness, movement, rest, and sometimes lifestyle adjustments.

That’s when pain stops shouting.

Final Thought

So yes — I care where it hurts.

But I’m far more interested in why it hurts.

Because when you understand the why, the body doesn’t just feel better — it starts to function better.

And that’s where real wellbeing lives: not in chasing symptoms, but in listening carefully enough to change the story at its source.