The ache. The pain. The foggy brain. With fibromyalgia, most mornings pose a challenge. Finding the will to get out of bed and move forward with life can be daunting for those in the clutches of this debilitating chronic pain disorder.
There not only is no cure, there also is no agreement about what causes fibromyalgia. Yet, despite the pain and frustration so many experience with this condition, some have found significant relief under the gentle hands of a massage therapist or bodyworker.
Ancient Injuries Don't Have to Make You Feel Old
Injuries such as chronic back pain, trick knees, and sticky shoulders are not necessarily something you just have to live with. Massage techniques might hold the key to unlocking this old pain.
Will Massage Help?The benefits of massage will depend on the extent of the injury, how long ago it occurred, and on the skill of the therapist. Chronic and old injuries often require deeper and more precise treatments with less emphasis on general relaxation and working on the whole body. Massage works best for soft tissue injuries to muscles and tendons and is most effective in releasing adhesions and lengthening muscles that have shortened due to compensatory reactions to the injury. Tight and fibrous muscles not only hurt at the muscle or its tendon, but can also interfere with proper joint movement and cause pain far away from the original injury.
Exercise and Bodywork Keep Joint Pain at Bay
The word arthritis strikes fear in the hearts of older adults. It often signifies aging, pain, inactivity, and disability. However, new research shows moderate physical exercise can actually ease arthritis symptoms by decreasing pain and increasing a person's likelihood of living a normal life.
Understanding ArthritisThe most common form of arthritis-- osteoarthritis, or also known as degenerative arthritis--affects more than twenty million Americans.