Lightening Your Physical and Emotional Load
Message a gentle approach

Massage should be an enjoyable break from pain and anxiety. If touch is often painful to you, your massage therapist will work with you gently and slowly, basing his or her approach on your body’s unique response.
You should be aware that any treatment, even massage, is another input for your already overtaxed system. Even if you feel you need deep pressure, gentle sessions of less than one hour may be best for you, especially in the begin¬ning. It could take several sessions to begin feeling the benefits, but with regular massage many fibromyalgia sufferers report substantial and cumulative relief, both physical and emotional.

Communicating with your therapist

Your needs may change from one session to the next depending on how you feel that day, so tell your massage therapist what feels good and what does not. For example, you can choose what parts of your body to uncover, and whether to have any specific area worked. It’s possible you will want to direct the focus of a massage to one area, such as your neck and shoulders, and enjoy relaxation extending throughout your body. Try to give accurate feedback about pressure or tenderness, as well as fatigue or discomfort after a session.

Your massage therapist may use a variety of techniques based on his or her assessment of your condition. She or he will be happy to explain the chosen approach as well as any specialized experience or training in working with fibromyalgia. Be sure to convey information about symp¬toms and changes in your health, and be prepared to list your medications since they can affect your response to massage.

Your return to good health

In addition to massage, yon can support your healing by drinking plenty of water, getting adequate rest, and listening to your body’s warning signals when you need to slow clown. Becoming informed is often cited as extremely helpful (some sources are listed below). You may also benefit from a support group, good nutrition, meditation, acupuncture, and stress reduc¬tion methods including counseling.

Over time, using the right combination of massage and other supportive measures, you can improve. Pain relief, better sleep, easier movement, and increased energy should be your goals. Your massage therapist can be a caring partner in your return to good health.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and painful condition that can affect every area of your life. If you suffer from fibromyalgia, you probably ache all over and have trouble sleeping at night. You may experience severe fatigue, increasing as the day progresses. And you may be anxious, perhaps even depressed, about feeling the way you do.

If you suspect you have fibromyalgia, you should consult a physician who is experienced with it. Along with medical attention, gentle, consistent massage therapy can help you in managing this difficult and painful condition.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia literally translates as fiber or fibrous (“fibro-“), muscle (“myo-“), and pain (“algia”). It is defined as widespread pain throughout the body for at least three months, and pain upon pressure in 11 or more of 18 specific tender point sites. Up to four percent of the population has received a formal fibromyalgia diagnosis. Many more have distressing symptoms that indicate they are progressing toward fibromyalgia and could benefit from seeking help early.

Fibromyalgia may come on suddenly or develop over time. There is no single identified cause, although physical trauma such as auto accidents or surgery can be a major trigger for its onset. Others may include infections, stress, sleep disturbances, or severe emotional trauma, even from years past.