Massage and Fibromyalgia at ClinicalBodywork.com

Massage and Fibromyalgia (FMS)

"This therapy ranked number one with patients by a large margin, receiving three times as many votes as any other option. ... Relieving pain, reducing medication use, and enhancing range of motion were common reasons that patients sought out a professional massage therapist."

[From Fibromyalgia Network News, October 2004, page 6. The survey of non-drug therapies for FMS/CFS was conducted by the Fibromyalgia Network, with initial results published in their July 2004 issue.]

Respondents to a recent Consumer Reports survey said that massage therapy provided more relief than medication for fibromyalgia. Read more about this survey in my September/October 2005 Newsletter.

Research on Massage and FMS

There have been two studies published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology on massage and fibromyalgia. One study compared massage to relaxation therapy, the other to TENS treatment. The massage groups showed decreased anxiety and depression, decreased levels of Substance P (a neurohormone linked to pain) and cortisol (a stress hormone), decreased stiffness and fatigue, and improved sleep.

Research with various populations has shown that massage:

reduces pain
reduces stress and anxiety
improves sleep
supports the immune system

In addition to these general benefits, massage effectively addresses myofascial pain caused by trigger points. (These are areas of sensitivity that cause pain or other discomfort, which can be released with massage.)

Testimony

In January 1999, the Fibromyalgia Network published an article about massage therapy in their newsletter. The previous July, they had asked their readers to write to them about their experiences with massage. "Out of the 300 letters we received, an overwhelming majority gave a 'thumbs up' rating to the beneficial effects of massage therapy."

A few of the comments they published:

"The change in my body after seven months of routine massages was tremendous. In turn, my attitude changed right along with it ... my headaches are less frequent and I take less medication than I have in years."

"Before the weekly massages, my muscles never knew what relaxed or untaut was. I still involuntarily tighten my muscles, but have less pain. Now that I know what relaxed muscles feel like, I continually monitor my muscles to untighten them."

"Massage not only relieves a lot of the pain, but actually teaches me where I need to work on my body mechanics."

"Massage therapy is the only thing that gives me any relief from my FMS."

[Quoted from the Fibromyalgia Network Special Supplement on Exercise and Massage, page 14. Visit the Fibromyalgia Network at www.FMNetNews.com]

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