Ease the Pain of Fibromyalgia with Massage Therapy in Cincinnati
If you suffer from fibromyalgia, you know how difficult it is to find the right treatment to help ease your pain. This chronic widespread pain disorder affects different parts of the body including; the joints, muscles, tendons and other soft tissues. Common symptoms include widespread pain, severe fatigue, intolerance to pain, tender points, numbness and tingling, as well as, depression and anxiety. Fibromyalgia symptoms can appear after a physical injury or over time with no single triggering event.
Because there is no cure for fibromyalgia, the main focus of treatment is managing the symptoms. Common treatment regimes include prescribed medication combined with some form of natural alternative medicine. According to the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association, complementary therapies, such as therapeutic massage, are very beneficial to those with fibromyalgia.
Massage therapy can help by:
- Reducing pain
- Decreasing muscle tension
- Decreasing stress
- Increasing flexibility
- Stimulating circulation
- Increasing range of motion
- Reducing depression, stress, anxiety
- Reducing stiffness
- Improving sleep patterns
The following types of massage therapy work well for treating fibromyalgia:
- Deep tissue massage – Loosens body tissues and muscles to reduce tension and pain. This is a more common type of massage, but may be a little too intense to start for some.
- Swedish massage – Helps to improve the health of the muscles as well as their flexibility and helps to eliminate toxins. This is a more gentle approach, and may make sense to try before going with a deep tissue massage.
- Trigger point therapy – Trigger points are painful spots located within the bands of muscle fibers. Trigger point therapy addresses these spots using finger pressure to relieve pain and increase mobility.
- Myofascial release – Application of gentle pressure into the connective tissues. Decreases pain and restores motion. Myofascial release is great at getting lasting relief and often will combine principles of massage with gentle stretching.
- Sports massage – Although normally used to reduce stress and tension of soft tissue after physical activity, this can also help relieve fibromyalgia pain, improve flexibility and increase circulation.
If you have fibromyalgia, massage therapy is an important addition to your treatment plan. If you have any questions about which form of massage is best for you, please contact us for an appointment. We'd love to help you feel your best.
