The Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies published a report on the effects of massage twice a week for eight weeks, in which author Michael Hamm concluded: "Reported PLs [pain levels], sleep patterns and functional limitations all showed substantial improvements over the course of treatment. Massage therapy is an appropriate tool."
EXPERT CONSULTATION
Your professional massage therapist and
other health care practitioners can work together to provide relief for
scoliosis. The type of massage will vary depending on your condition, so make
sure to tell your Massage Envy therapist about any physical limitations or pain
you've experienced.
TYPES OF THERAPY
The Institute for Integrative Healthcare Studies has identified various techniques that are especially helpful for people with scoliosis:
Cranial Sacral Therapy gently releases
tension in muscles and joints, which can improve mobility and decrease stress.
Deep Tissue Massage provides intense
pressure that helps stretch tight muscles, boosting circulation for relief of
pain.
Swedish Massage offers light to medium
pressure that relieves problems like back pain, headaches, insomnia and shallow
breathing.
Regular massage therapy provides other benefits, as well. In addition to reducing stress and strengthening your immune system, it can also lower your blood pressure and stress levels while improving the quality of your sleep and providing a sense of relaxation that lasts long after your massage is finished.
Sciatica Massage for Pain Relief
Sciatica pain usually subsides on its own
within two months, there may be ways to alleviate the pain sooner.
While it may seem like exercise will only
make the problem worse, in fact the Mayo Clinic recommends low-impact exercise,
like water aerobics or stationary bike riding, as a way of releasing the
endorphins which act as natural painkillers. Another way of releasing those
endorphins is massage.
PROVEN EFFECTIVE
Massage can be highly effective in treating
the pain of sciatica. WebMD describes a study of 400 people with low back pain
who received either weekly massages, or permission to try whatever they liked.
(Alternatives to massage therapy included medication, seeing a chiropractor,
doctor or physical therapist, or taking no action at all.)
Ten weeks later, the massage recipients
reported better functioning and less pain. In fact, more than a third of them
said their pain was completely or nearly gone, while only 4% of those in the
other group reported such improvement. Massage, concluded Dr. Daniel Cherkin of
the Center for Health Studies in Seattle, "does help a significant chunk
of people who have not benefited from other treatments."
ADVANTAGES OF MASSAGE
The professional therapy you'll receive at Massage Envy is customized to your particular situation, and any type of massage will help boost the "good" hormones in your body. Those include endorphins, dopamine and serotonin, all of which are known for calming nerves, promoting healing, providing natural pain management, and helping you feel better.