Get Relief from Fibromyalgia with Massage Therapy

I have had clients suffering from fibromyalgia symptoms and they will try anything to alleviate the pain, fatigue, headaches and anxiety. During my time working with people who suffer from this disorder, I’ve seen great success using massage to help ease symptoms and allow them to relax for a while. Do you suffer from fibromyalgia? If you’re having a hard time managing the unbearable pain of fibromyalgia, you might consider massage.

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is the disorder in which someone experiences widespread musculoskeletal pain throughout the entire body, causing fatigue, cognitive issues, anxiety, depression, and headaches. Although there have been some promising discoveries recently, no one really knows what causes fibromyalgia nor is there a cure for it, though symptoms can be managed with pain relievers, antidepressants, and anti-seizure drugs. The fact that this disorder can be difficult to treat completely can be very frustrating for those who suffer from it. Massage, however, has been shown to help alleviate the chronic pain, stress, and anxiety associated with the disorder.

How Massage Alleviates the Pain of Fibromyalgia

According to research done by The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), myofascial massage in particular is an effective way to reduce sensitivity to the pain that fibromyalgia sufferers experience in certain tender points. Releasing the fascia, the interconnected, web-like network of tissue that lies beneath your skin an can cause pain when restricted, can improve sleep quality, anxiety levels, and reduce pain, if not for a temporary amount of time.

Similarly, the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), has released supporting evidence that regular massage therapy can decrease the painful and frustrating symptoms of fibromyalgia, leading to an overall improved quality of life.

What’s the Massage Like?

In truth, just like any other massage session, every client has different need and different bodies. In the case of treating fibromyalgia, some clients requires deep massage work and others need light, superficial work. It all depends on how severe your symptoms are and how sensitive you might be to receiving pressure on tender areas. The key is to communicate with your massage therapist, who can customize the massage to your needs, make adjustments, or use a certain modality (like myofascial massage) to address the areas of complaint. For some sufferers, the trouble might be joint stiffness. For others, it might be trouble sleeping or widespread, chronic pain. Whatever it may be, massage can provide the relief you need to start living pain-free once again.

Interested in trying massage to treat your fibromyalgia? I would love to talk to you about your situation and how a regular, customized massage therapy treatment plan can improve your quality of life. Don’t suffer in silence, contact me by calling 816.523.9284 to discuss how I can use massage to help you.