Massage relieves pain by interrupting the pain cycle. When a body senses pain, the muscles tighten around that area, restricting movement and reducing blood circulation. This restriction prolongs the effects of pain and creates a vicious cycle.
Increased Range of Movement
Often, pain is associated with restricted movement. This restriction in movement causes muscle tightness to increase, which increases pain and tension levels. Massage can decrease muscle tightness and improve movement.
Studies have found that massage can break the stress-pain cycle and help reduce chronic pain. This happens by decreasing cortisol levels and increasing serotonin and dopamine.
According to massage therapist Bowling Green, massage can also relieve tight spots in your muscles called trigger points. This can be due to injury, overuse, or even hunching over your laptop all day.
The pressure from the massage increases blood flow and improves tissue elasticity, reducing the tightness of the spot. Massage can also increase the removal of waste products from the body by stimulating the lymphatic system to circulate. This helps prevent the build-up of toxins, which can cause weakness and fatigue.
Interrupting the Pain Cycle
Many patients need to be made aware that massage can be very effective in the treatment of chronic pain. Whether used alone or as part of a medical treatment plan, a massage positively impacts a patient’s quality of life.
Generally, when a body feels pain, it tightens around the area to protect it. This restriction of movement limits the range of motion and causes poor biomechanics that increase pain intensity. A massage can break this cycle by increasing muscle relaxation and flexibility.
Massage can physically increase relaxation by removing restrictive movements and emotionally stimulating the release of endorphins. Endorphins are hormone-like substances that act as the body’s natural painkillers. They can also create feelings of euphoria and help mask the sensations of pain.
Reduced Stress
Stress levels can increase physically and mentally when a client suffers from chronic pain. This is due to the restriction of movement, increased pain levels, and not being able to carry out daily activities. A massage helps reduce stress levels by allowing muscle relaxation and increasing the ability of the muscles to reach their full length.
A massage also increases blood flow to the body, which helps to remove metabolic waste products, thereby helping the body fight disease and infection. It also improves lymph fluid circulation, which carries waste away from the muscles, organs, and body tissues to be excreted through the glands and nodes.
Increased Release of Endorphins
Massage therapy’s lubricating and stretching effects increase movement by reducing muscle tightness. This increased range of motion helps decrease pain and increases physical and mental relaxation.
The pressure from the touch of a massage stimulates the skin’s nerve cells to send signals that block pain messages to the brain. These “feel good” chemicals are endorphins and help improve mood. They also decrease cortisol levels and promote the body’s natural healing processes.
A study comparing patients with fibromyalgia to healthy control subjects found that those receiving myofascial release massage had improved sleep, quality of life, and decreased pain. However, a lack of standardized patient-reported outcomes in clinical research has stalled the field of chronic pain management. These standard measures allow the field to progress and demonstrate its efficacy.
Increased Removal of Waste Products
During a massage, the body’s lymphatic system is stimulated, which increases the removal of waste products from within muscles. This process of removing waste helps to reduce muscle weakness and fatigue. It also helps to prepare the injury site for repair and assists in healing.
This is especially important for people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). CFS can be debilitating and often comes with a variety of non-physical symptoms like depression and isolation.
Studies indicate that regular massages can decrease cortisol levels, increase serotonin and dopamine (mood stabilizing hormones), and help to reduce pain signals sent to the brain. This can lead to a break in the chronic pain cycle and reduced inflammation and swelling. It can also help the immune system and increase blood circulation.
