Lightening your load with massage

Pain and fatigue probably top your list of unrelenting complaints. This alone, especially over a period of time, can make you anxious or depressed, aggravating your sensitivity to pain. Add to this a host of other symptoms such as headaches, insomnia and trouble concentrating, and it’s no wonder your situation may seem more than you can bear.

Lightening your load anywhere will free up physical and emotional resources your body needs to heal. Massage can help in a number of ways.

Pain relief

A vicious cycle of pain may be aggravated by lack of sleep, stress, long periods of sitting or standing, or other physical and emotional factors. You can experience a welcome “pain break” when massage stimulates the release of endorphins, your body’s natural pain killers, which can alleviate depression and insomnia as well. In addition massage increases circulation, which cleanses tissues of uncomfortable fluid buildup and irritating by-products of inflammation. As increased oxygen and nutrition flow to contracted muscles, your muscles can relax, headaches may be eased, and the severity and frequency of flare-ups may be reduced.

Stress relief

Massage calms the nervous system, allowing anxiety to fade, relaxing muscle tension and slowing and deepening the breath. Stress levels decrease, freeing energy for vital functions such as digestion—needed for maximum healing nutrition throughout your body—and repair of damaged tissue. Knowing there is something you can do to alleviate symptoms, even temporarily can also reduce stress by giving you some control over your condition.

Better sleep

Many people report a deeper and more restorative sleep after a massage. Since poor sleep is common in fibromyalgia and contributes to fatigue and muscle tenderness, improving sleep may be vital for you. Feeling relaxed and rested, your sensitivity to pain may be lessened, leaving you with increased energy to regain function and good health.

Emotional support

Your massage therapist understands that you may be feeling very alone. She or he will listen to you and take your symptoms seriously. Massage offers the most basic emotional support—skillful, caring and healing touch.

Support for exercise

Fatigue and pain may make you feel like curling up and staying put. However, consistent and moderate exercise, including stretching is essential to improvement and can result in decreased pain, increased energy and better sleep. Massage can support you by making it easier and less painful to stretch and exercise appropriately.

Breathing for better health

Many fibromyalgia sufferers have habitually shallow breathing patterns that can aggravate pain and tension, especially in the neck, chest and shoulders. Your massage therapist can help release tight muscles that restrict your breathing and work with you to establish good habits. This retraining along with techniques such as yoga breathing can be a powerful tool not only to relieve stress and pain, but to increase energy.