According to the CDC, 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, and it affects more people than diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. Massage therapy is a safe option that has been shown to be effective for many health issues. Research continues to support the health benefits of massage therapy for pain relief. Find out how massage can help these five painful conditions.
Five Painful Conditions that Massage Can Help
1. Low-Back Pain
Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the U.S. Research shows that massage therapy can help decrease pain, reduce disability and lower anxiety/depression in low-back pain sufferers.
2. Fibromyalgia
Studies indicate that massage therapy can be a beneficial part of an integrative treatment plan for those with fibromyalgia syndrome by relieving pain, improving quality of life and decreasing anxiety, stiffness, fatigue and more.
3. Post-Operative Pain
Post-operative pain can complicate recovery, lengthen hospital stays and interfere with a patient’s return to activities. Recent research indicates massage therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety and muscular tension in patients recovering from surgical procedures.
4. Cancer Patients
According to the Mayo Clinic, one in three patients undergoing cancer treatment experiences cancer-related pain. Research shows that massage therapy can relieve pain, stress, nausea, depression, anxiety, and fatigue while improving health-related quality of life for cancer patients. Massage has been particularly effective in eradicating surgery-related pain.
5. Arthritis
Research indicates that 60-minute sessions of Swedish massage once a week for those with osteoarthritis of the knee significantly reduced their pain. In addition, shows that massage therapy can decrease pain, improve grip strength and range of motion in wrists and large upper joints in adults with rheumatoid arthritis, after receiving regular massage during a 4-week period.