Pain Relief
"MOST PEOPLE GO TO MASSAGE THERAPISTS TO REDUCE PAIN. THERE'S A RELEASE OF SEROTONIN, WHICH IS THE BODY'S NATURAL PRODUCTION OF ANTI-PAIN CHEMICALS. ADDITIONALLY, AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR IN PAIN SYNDROMES CAN BE A LACK OF DEEP, RESTORATIVE SLEEP. MASSAGE IS VERY EFFECTIVE AT INCREASING DEEP SLEEP. WITH MORE DEEP SLEEP, YOU HAVE LESS PAIN."
Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida
Who among us has not experienced pain?
Pain comes in all forms, to all body parts and systems, and even to our emotional “body.”
Pain can be debilitating and depressing. It can limit our day to day activities and prevent us from enjoying and even engaging in our lives. It can “age” us and it can often require us to take medications to help alleviate or lessen our pain. Taking pain medication has its own list of potential issues that can come to pass.
There are many ways in which massage can help a person manage pain, lessen pain, and in some cases, eradicate pain. Very often, when massage is added to a person’s wellness and pain management regimen, it can help reduce the amount or dosage of pain medication a person may be taking. (Note: a person should ALWAYS consult with his/her primary care physician before adjusting medication doses.)
Massage can help relieve or lessen pain by:
Soothing sore muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Gently stretching and softening tight and contracted tissue.
Inducing a body-wide or localized relaxation response, which releases endorphins in the brain, which assists pain relief. (Serotonin)
Relieving and calming compressed nerves.
Enhancing circulation, which brings nutrients and oxygen to painful areas, which might help pain relief.
Facilitates deep, restorative sleep
Lowers blood pressure
Stress management
There is a lot of research and many articles written which outline the benefits of massage in helping with pain management. The following is a short list of some of the more common conditions in which massage can help relieve pain:
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Scoliosis
Back and neck pain (including whiplash)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Recovery from surgery, accidents and rehabilitation
Menstrual cramps
Shoulder pain and rotator cuff issues
Tennis Elbow and carpel tunnel syndrome
Headaches
Sciatica
Pregnancy related back pain
