Massage Therapy For Pain Management

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. You might be wondering how to treat your pain, and massage therapy is one option that is showing promise.
Research continues to support the health benefits of massage therapy for pain management. Find out how massage therapy can help these five painful conditions.

1. Low-back Pain - Back pain is a common neurological ailment in the U.S. Research shows that massage therapy can help decrease pain, reduce disability and lower anxiety/depression in low-back pain sufferers.
2. Fibromyalgia - Studies indicate massage therapy can be a beneficial part of an integrative treatment plan for those with fibromyalgia syndrome by reducing pain, improving quality of life and decreasing anxiety, stiffness, fatigue and more.

3. Post-operative Pain - Post-operative pain can complicate recovery, lengthen hospital stays and interfere with a patient’s return to activities. Recent research indicates massage therapy can be effective for reducing pain intensity/severity and anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures.
4. Tension Headaches - According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, tension-type headache is the most common type of headache. Research has shown massage therapy can decrease perceived pain, frequency, duration and intensity for those dealing with tension headaches.
5. Arthritis - Research indicates that 60 minute sessions of Swedish massage once a week for those with osteoarthritis of the knee significantly reduced their pain. In addition, research shows that massage therapy can decrease pain and significantly impact some rheumatoid arthritis patient’s ability to control the mobility of their limbs.

TIPS:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill's in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment. 

Wave Crest Massage

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Massage As A Back - Pain Killer

A regular massage is often considered to be a treat, rather than a necessity. Most people believe that having a massage is good for aches and pains, or can help if they’ve overdone the exercise. Not everybody realizes that massage therapy is also a powerful painkiller that can even be used to help people with back problems to reduce the amount of medication they must take.
Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain and if you’re one of the 31 million Americans who suffers with back pain at some point in their life, you’ll know how miserable it can be. If you are dealing with chronic back pain – which is pain that’s lasted more than three months  it can impact on your daily life, and stop you doing things you want to do. You could be reliant on drugs to keep you mobile or help you sleep.

The vicious pain cycle
If you can no longer exercise pain-free, you might end up in a vicious cycle of inactivity which makes your pain worse, which stops you being active. Or you could just increase your meds but that just masks the problem. Also, some strong pain meds contain painkillers opioids like codeine which can lose their power over time as you build up a tolerance to their effects. They can also have unwanted side effects.
What you need is a way to manage your back pain that is effective but doesn’t have the side effects. Wouldn’t you know it, research has shown that regular massage along with your prescribed medication and any other advice from your healthcare supplier can be so powerful that you might be able to decrease the number of painkillers you need to manage your back pain and start to live a more active life.

How massage can help beat back pain
A massage session doesn’t just relax you, it can help to promote tissue repair, improve the blood circulation and does wonders for your stress levels and mood. Recent research showed that regular massage therapy combined with exercise helped people suffering from chronic back pain to feel less anxious about their condition too. The study, which took place at a pain management clinic in Western New York, involved sixty chronic low back pain patients who were split into two groups. One group received regular massage therapy, twice a week for four weeks, along with their regular treatment, and one group only carried on with their prescribed treatments.
The participants all recorded their own pain levels before and after having massage therapy on a scale of one to ten. There was a significant difference between the pre-and post-treatment pain rating in the group that had regular massage, but the control group who carried on as normal reported no changes to their pain levels.
If you suffer with back pain and want to try something different – book that massage session now.

Types Of Massage

Depending on your goals and situation, your massage therapist may recommend one specific type of massage or a blend of several. These include:

• Swedish or Relaxation Massage -- the most common in America with gentle, light to medium pressure
• Deep Tissue Massage -- deeper pressure across the grain of your muscles
• Hot Stone  -- which uses smooth, heated stones to increase circulation and relax muscles

Each type of massage has its own benefits, so be sure to discuss your back pain with your therapist. You may decide on one particular massage style and repeat it with every visit, or you may decide to combine various styles at different times. Either way, you'll discover how back massage can make you feel more relaxed and relieved of pain, stress and tension.

Tips:

For a professional massage, seek a licensed massage therapist. The American Massage Therapy Association recommends you ask your massage therapist about their credentials to practice massage therapy. Talk to your massage therapist about why you are seeking massage therapy -- this will help your therapist choose the best style and approach to your massage.

Roy is a New York State Licensed Massage Therapist and has worked in high end spa’s as well as rehabilitation centers. He is well known for his Relaxing Massage as well as his skill in Medical Massage and Sports Massage. Contact Roy at 631-375-0962 or email at info@wavecrestmassage.com to schedule your next appointment.