11 Jan Massage Therapy For Chronic Pain
Chronic pain affects over 15.5 million people in the UK alone – a number which rises year on year. Chronic pain can be mild and sporadic or constant and debilitating, severely impacting on quality of life.
If you suffer with chronic pain, you’re not alone – and massage is one of the many gentle and versatile holistic therapies available which can support yourself and improve quality of life without harmful side effects.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is known as both a symptom of certain conditions and diseases and a condition within itself. It can be triggered by emotional or physical trauma, surgery or acute illness – or it can come along with autoimmune diseases or longer-term conditions such as arthritis and diabetes. Chronic widespread pain is also a key symptom of fibromyalgia, which affects around 2.5 million people in the UK.
‘Chronic’ refers to the length of time you have been experiencing the pain. Pain can be widespread (all over the body or in multiple locations) or in just one place.
People who experience pain over a long period of time can begin to develop secondary symptoms, including fatigue, low mood/depression and anxiety, disrupted or poor-quality sleep and weight gain which can occur as a result of lower activity levels.
Why does chronic pain occur?
Medics and scientists are still conducting studies and tests to better understand how chronic pain works and why it occurs. More recent research has revealed that whilst the most common causes of chronic pain appear to be injury or long-term illness, stress seems to have a significant impact on both the onset of pain and prolonged symptoms. Prolonged periods of stress have also been shown to have an effect on both the nervous system and pathways in the brain that are responsible for regulating pain, increasing sensitivity and triggering other symptoms such as numbness or tingling sensations. Experiencing pain on a regular basis for an extended period of time understandably elevates stress and anxiety levels – creating a cycle which can be difficult to interrupt.
How can massage help with chronic pain?
The sources and triggers behind chronic pain differ from person to person – so finding universally effective ways to manage and treat it (besides painkillers) can be difficult.
Massage is a versatile, gentle and effective tool we can use to help break the stress-pain cycle. It does this by targeting both issues simultaneously – reducing stress levels and promoting deep relaxation, but also soothing pain at the source. Through addressing the body and mind together in this way we can help to more effectively reduce pain levels – both right away and longer-term. For best results massage needs to be administered on a regular basis – but even ad-hoc massages can provide quick short-term relief.
Benefits of massage for chronic pain relief include:
- Boosted circulation
- Relaxation and rest
- Enhanced immunity
Massage is also gentle on the body and doesn’t have side effects or contraindications for most healthy people – so it’s particularly well-suited for individuals with chronic pain who tend to have lower sensitivity to discomfort, allergies and skin disorders.
What can I expect from a massage for chronic pain?
All my message treatments are therapeutic and individually tailored and targeted to your unique needs. We’ll begin with an informal discussion so that I can understand your concerns and medical history before putting together a treatment plan just for you – whether you’re coming for a one-off massage or a course of treatments.
Book a massage for chronic pain today
For people with chronic pain regular massage can have a significant impact on quality of life, helping them to increase energy levels alongside reducing pain and discomfort. I offer a wide variety of treatments which can be personalised to suit your specific needs.