Fibromyalgia or FMS is a pain experienced on muscles and/or connective tissues. It is characterized as a widespread pain and a heightened and painful response when pressure is applied. Fibromyalgia are common in adults in the US particularly the women demographic. Several treatments were introduced by the medical community such as painkillers and muscle relaxant but often does more damage than good since these drugs are also addictive. Other drugs were also prescribed such as Cymbalta which is an antidepressant drug since some cases of Fibromyalgia do coincide with depression. Since none of these drugs work, people start to find other alternatives and massage therapy has been the choice of many for the past few years.
Many question the effectiveness of massage therapy on people suffering from Fibromyalgia. Multiple information on the efficacy of massage therapy that can be found in the internet and in print but may be a little bit sketchy. Massage treatments however on Fibromyalgia is just temporary and no permanent cure that massage therapy can offer as of now. Since symptoms of this condition vary greatly from one patient to another, massage therapy may have different reactions.
Why Massage?
Massage therapy is an ancient art of treatment for different types of physical discomforts and pains and as was discussed, treatment for Fibromyalgia is just short-term. No long-term solution to the remedy of FMS. As a golden rule, always consult your doctor before getting on another form of treatment.
Since massage therapy has more success but limited on treatment of Fibromyalgia, people do seek out the services of therapist at the advised of friends and some medical practitioners. Specialization on the part of massage therapist has grown rapidly for treatment of Fibromyalgia. Familiarity on the part of therapist for the care of FMS patients has been the focal point in the creation of this “specialized” field on massage therapy community. Their first hand experience of massage therapist have increased their knowledge on the proper care of the patients suffering from FMS even though symptoms vary from one person to another. Proper and gentle care is then administered to the patient. Still, some therapist claims experience in handling FMS patient just to get a piece of the pie and later on increases the chances in worsening the patient’s conditions.
FMS pains are on the muscles and on connective tissues. Tissue massages can increase the blood flow to your muscles and connective tissues which then help ease the pain. Doctors said that the increase blood flow increases the oxygen level on muscles and connective tissues and releases the toxins that cause the pain that FMS patients are suffering. Deep muscle massages are excellent in loosening up the fibrous tissues thereby making your muscles more relaxed and eventually repair themselves.
Active people that don’t get much rest are the main sufferers of FMS. Most of the pain can be experienced during the day and also at night during bedtime when all the weight of the body is rested upon the affected area.