Can Massage Therapy Help Relieve Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain can take a toll on your long-term physical and mental health. While it can be triggered by an underlying disease, chronic pain has no apparent cause for some patients.
Massage therapy is a non-invasive, medication-free treatment that can help many people manage their chronic pain. By reducing muscle tension, improving range of motion, and providing much-needed relaxation, regular massage therapy sessions can provide lasting pain relief.
How Massage Therapy Can Relieve Chronic Pain
Massage therapy can help relieve chronic pain by:
- Releasing tension in the joints, muscles, and tendons
Targeted pressure applied to various areas of the body during massage therapy helps release tension in the joints, muscles, and tendons. Given that tension can contribute to or even cause chronic pain, patients experience significant pain relief when it’s released.
- Increasing range of motion
Patients with chronic pain also often have a limited range of motion in certain areas of the body. Massage therapy helps patients improve their range of motion by releasing tension in the targeted areas. This can help relieve pain, especially during physical activity, which is an important aspect of managing chronic pain.
- Lowering stress levels
For many people, chronic pain is a source of prolonged stress. Pain triggers the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, which is associated with higher levels of cortisol, our main stress hormone. When pain is chronic, cortisol levels will be frequently elevated, which can cause chronic stress.
Massage therapy helps relieve stress by stimulating the release of the body’s feel-good hormones (endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin), while lowering cortisol levels. Additionally, by releasing pent-up muscle tension caused by stress, massage therapy can ultimately reduce chronic pain and improve your mental health.
Massage Therapy at Florida Wellness Medical Group
At Florida Wellness Medical Group, we offer affordable and convenient massage programs to help patients improve their wellness and manage a variety of conditions, including chronic pain. To learn more, request an appointment today!