How does massage help those in pain?

One of the most common reasons for booking a massage is pain relief, whether its

  • Neck pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Lower back pain

As a massage therapist to assist clients who are in pain, I reach into my tool kit which includes relieving tension, relaxing muscles and rebalancing your nervous system.  Many clients come back to me because in the past I have assisted them with their pain particularly neck, shoulder or lower back pain.  However it has always been unclear exactly how massage helps clients who are in pain.  

Research has shown that massage works on our pain modulation system as well! Pain modulation refers to the process by which the body alters a pain signal as it is transmitted along the pain pathway – this is why some people might find something painful while others might not.   Massage’s role in pain modulation is not totally agreed upon – some studies have proposed that it’s associated with the way it raises our serotonin and dopamine levels. Others have stated that it’s related to increases in plasma oxytocin and statistical decreases in β-endorphin.

Related Posts

  • Why do muscles get stiff and painful?

    Muscle fibers are designed to tense and relax and go through a natural tense/relax cycle as you use your body.   A muscle under sustained tension without a corresponding relaxation phase becomes stiff and eventually spams causing pain. There are three reasons why muscles don’t relax:

    • Overuse is for example when you injury yourself in the gym.
    • Disuse is when your muscles tense when you are at your desk due to the body’s natural response to the demands and pressure you are under.  Muscles are designed to be used which means if you sit still for long periods the muscular tension doesn’t dissipate.
    • Misuse for the majority of people this is due to poor habits when walking, standing and sitting.  Sedentary lifestyles means the muscles of the legs are often held in contracted positions for long periods of time and which can lead to stiffness.  Sitting at computers for long hours keeps the neck and back in fixed positions causing the same muscles to contract which can lead to muscle tension and in some people muscle pain.
    What can I do to prevention muscular stiffness and pain?
    • Stretching Often - Stretching is, of course, a valuable way to relieve muscle stiffness.
    • Exercise - Exercise in general is extremely good for releasing muscular stiffness, improving your mood and creating good health.
    • Yoga -You can also consider yoga, which is a form of both exercise and stretching, and may have a positive effect on your future muscle discomfort.
    • General Health - Your muscles are also very sensitive to your general health as well. You need to do anything you can to make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating protein, and drinking water. These small changes are going to improve your muscle health, which should improve the way your muscles deal with demanding lifestyles.
    • Massage - Massage is an excellent way to combat muscle stiffness and pain.
    Both deep tissue and sports massage help to release muscular stiffness and pain, in addition sports massage treats sports injuries.

  • Can aromatherapy help people combat depression?

    Nearly 20% of people in the UK experience symptoms of anxiey or depression in 2014 according the Mental Health Foundation. A systemic review of five medical databases has found evidence to support the effictiveness of aromatherapy for alleviating depressive symptoms.  A team of scientists at the Hong Kong Polytechnic Univeristy found 12 randomiased controlled trials involving a total of 1,226 participants - 984 were female and 224 male, with an average age of 47.  Two of the five inhalation studies and five of the eight massage trails reported improvements in subjects conditions, with the aromatherapy massage found to be more effective. So if you feel depressed why not try and aromatherapy massage. Note: Vitality Therapy do not offer aromatherapy massage. References

    Mental Health Foundation. (2016) Fundamental Facts About Mental Health 2016. London: Mental Health Foundation.
    Sánchez-Vidaña DI, Ngai SP, He W, Chow JK, Lau BW, Tsang HW. (2017) The effectiveness of aromatherapy for depressive symptoms: a systematic review. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

  • Lets talk about tension headaches

    We all get headaches from time to time.  Tension headaches are characterised by

    • Dull, aching head pain.
    • Sensation of tightness or pressure across your forehead or on the sides and back of your head.
    • Tenderness on your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles.
    Tension headaches are the most common form of headaches and can last anywhere between 30 minutes to a week.  If they occurr more than 15 days in a month for 3 months you have chronic tension headaches. People are more susceptible to tension headaches when they have
    • their period (women only)
    • under pressure or stress
    • poor posture
    I know that peole find tension headaches are annoying and sometimes headache tablets either don't work or work initially and then less helpful.  Here in clinic we find that deep tissue massage on the couch allows us to identify which muscles in the neck, shoulders, upper back and chest are tight and release them.  We frequently find this either release the tension headache or at least lessens it.  If you are prone to tension headaches, then a series of massages may assist especially if you have poor posture, under pressure or highly stressed.