The Power of Touch for Pain Relief
Massage is well known for reducing stress and promoting relaxation. And, a growing body of research also shows that massage therapy is effective for relieving and managing chronic and acute pain, a significant national health problem. According to the National Institute for Health, more than one-third of all Americans will suffer from chronic pain at some point in their lives, and approximately 14 percent of all employees take time off from work due to pain. Increasingly, massage therapists are being incorporated into pain management programs of hospitals and health care organizations. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has suggested massage therapy as one means to manage pain without use of pharmaceuticals.
According to a recent American Hospital Association survey about their use of CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) therapies, among the 1,007 hospitals responding, nearly 82 percent of the hospitals offering CAM therapies included massage therapy among their health care offerings — with more than 70 percent utilizing massage therapy for pain management and relief. In a recent consumer survey commissioned by AMTA, 91 percent of respondents agreed that massage can be effective in reducing pain, and nearly half of those polled (47 percent) have had a massage specifically for the purpose of relieving pain.
Consider recent clinical research on the efficacy of massage for pain relief:
- Massage therapy is more effective for chronic back pain than other complementary therapies.
- Massage therapy promotes relaxation and alleviates the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients.
- Massage therapy reduces post-traumatic headaches better than cold pack treatments.
- A pilot study conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that massage, as part of hospital-based surgery treatment, reduces pain and muscle spasms in patients who have undergone heart bypass surgery.
- Massage stimulates the brain to produce endorphins.
How does massage relieve pain?
- A simple and direct strategy: working from the external, outer mechanisms of pain to the primary, root cause.
- Focuses on the entire body system and its relationship to soft tissue – not solely on the site of pain.
Benefits of massage for pain relief
- Helps patients become more aware of their bodies and the sources of pain.
- Better familiarizes patients with the pain they experience.
- Has an impact on the patient by virtue of human touch.
- Improves confidence by encouraging patients to effectively cope with their pain.
Massage Tips for Consumers. What should someone expect during a massage?
- The massage therapist will ask questions about what prompted you to get a massage.
- The massage therapist will want background information about your physical condition, medical history, lifestyle, stress levels and any painful areas.M
- The massage therapist will ask what your health goals are and will discuss how massage may help you achieve those goals.
- During a one-on-one massage, you will be asked to remove clothing to your level of comfort. Clothing is not removed during “chair” massages.
Massage Terminonology
- Cranio-Sacral – is a technique for finding and correcting cerebral and spinal imbalances or blockages that may cause sensory, motor or intellectual dysfunction.
- Deep Tissue – releases the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas, either following or going across the grain of muscles, tendons and fascia. It is called deep tissue, because it also focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue.
- Effleurage– is a stroke generally used in a Swedish massage treatment. This smooth, gliding stroke is used to relax soft tissue and is applied using both hands.
- Friction – is the deepest of Swedish massage strokes. This stroke encompasses deep, circular movements applied to soft tissue causing the underlying layers of tissue to rub against each other. The result causes an increase in blood flow to the massaged area.
- Myofascial Release – is a form of bodywork that is manipulative in nature and seeks to rebalance the body by releasing tension in the fascia. Long, stretching strokes are utilized to release muscular tension.
- On-site Massage (also known as chair massage or corporate massage) – is administered while the client is clothed and seated in a specially designed chair. These chairs most often slope forward allowing access to the large muscles of the back. On-site massage usually lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and is intended to relax and improve circulation.
- Petrissage (also called kneading) – involves squeezing, rolling and kneading the muscles and usually follows effleurage during Swedish massage.
- Reflexology – massage based around a system of points in the hands and feet thought to correspond, or “reflex,” to all areas of the body.
- Rosen Method – utilizes gentle touch and verbal communication to help clients to release suppressed emotions and subsequently muscular tension in some instances.
- Shiatsu and Acupressure – Oriental-based systems of finger-pressure which treat special points along acupuncture “meridians” (the invisible channels of energy flow in the body).
- Sports Massage – massage therapy focusing on muscle systems relevant to a particular sport.
- Swedish Massage – a system of long strokes, kneading and friction techniques on the more superficial layers of the muscles, combined with active and passive movements of the joints.
- Tapotement – is executed with cupped hands, fingers or the edge of the hand with short, alternating taps to the client.
- Trigger Point Therapy (also known as Myotherapy or Neuromuscular Therapy) – applies concentrated finger pressure to “trigger points” (painful irritated areas in muscles) to break cycles of spasm and pain.
