Massage Therapy For Chronic Pain Relief

By Karen Clarke-Bennett, DO

A Better You

. http://abetteryoumedispa.com/

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Massage Therapy For Chronic Pain Relief

Imagine living with chronic pain. Every day you wake up after a night where you might not have gotten very much sleep knowing that your day will involve pain, most often in several areas of your body. Then, add in the depression and anxiety that often accompanies having to deal with chronic pain and what you have is this a peek at what it's like for someone who suffers from fibromyalgia or chronic myofascial pain syndrome (CMPS).

Though the causes of fibromyalgia and CMPS are unclear, what we are starting to better understand is how massage therapy can help people with these conditions better manage their pain.

Massage is one of the most popular complementary therapies used by Americans, with close to 9% of adults using it. Until recently, little was known about why massage seemed to work, but recent research suggests that massage can affect the body's production of certain hormones linked to blood pressure, anxiety, heart rate and other key vital signs.

Regular massage of muscles and joints can lead to a significant reduction in pain for people with arthritis. In recent studies on the effects of massage for arthritis symptoms, regular use of the simple therapy led to improvements in pain, stiffness, range of motion, hand grip strength and overall function of the joints.

The effectiveness of massage lies in a simple and direct strategy working from the external, outer mechanisms of pain to the primary, root cause. Massage therapists utilize a holistic approach, focusing on the entire body system and its relationship to soft tissue. Their care isn't focused only on the site of pain.

Another benefit of massage therapy from a patient perspective is how it helps patients become more aware of their bodies and better familiarize them with the pain they experience. The massage therapist not only helps relieve muscle and other soft tissue pain, but also has an impact on the patient by virtue of human touch. This is especially pronounced for women facing mastectomies and dealing with the outcomes of that surgery.

Massage helps them feel comfortable once again with their bodies. This comfort level improves their confidence and allows them to better deal with pain, while benefiting from various other forms of massage that focus on lymph drainage and muscle pain, as well as other pain management therapies.

Although more research is needed to confirm the best uses of massage, the potential for a positive impact on patients with acute or chronic pain is clear. As it stands, enough research exists to encourage pain management specialists and massage therapists to work together for a healthful patient outcome.