Role of Massage in Providing Pain Relief

Everyone counts on a little massage and touch therapy to provide natural pain relief from different conditions. Many people swear on the benefits they reap from a good massage, including natural pain relief from many conditions.

The world of medicine recognizes the important role of touch therapy and massage, so different studies have been done to try to prove the relationship between pain relief and massage therapy. It is important for you to know which conditions can benefit from massage – and which may not.

 

What is massage therapy?

Massage therapy is defined as the manipulation of soft tissues done by skilled therapists, the aim of which is to provide therapeutic relief.

Massage used as therapy is an old concept, originating from China centuries even before Christ was born. Soon after, massage has been used in Egypt and India.

In the modern world, massage therapy is no longer as simple as using one’s hands; massage may be accomplished using different devices and massagers. Also, many types of massage now exist, such as Shiatsu, Swedish massage, reflexology, Rolfing, and many others.

 

How is massage used as a therapeutic modality for natural pain relief?

Usually, massage is not a stand-alone treatment for any type of pain. Massage therapy is often used in addition to other pain treatment modalities, serving as an adjunct in the attempt to overcome pain.

 

Which painful conditions were shown to benefit from massage therapy?

• Back pain. Massage therapy is shown to be beneficial for those suffering from low back pain of unknown causes. Evidence for this effect is actually strong, based on previous studies done on this topic.
• Shoulder pain. Massage can provide relief for shoulder pain, backed by moderate evidence based on previous research.
• Headaches. For headaches, massage may also provide a degree of natural pain relief. There is also moderately strong evidence for this.

Although massage therapy has been proven to provide relief in the above situations, there are conditions that have been shown to benefit only slightly from massage. Find out what these conditions are by reading the next post!

Natural Pain Remedies for Muscle Pain

When you jog far and you are not used to jogging, when you overdo your weight lifting, when you try too hard doing that split – basically, when you push your body too hard, you are sure to get muscle pain. But fret not; you can get relief quick the natural way.

Below are some safe and natural methods to give you relief from your muscle pain:

• Hydrotherapy. A frozen bandage is effective for minor sprains and sports injuries. Put your hand towel in cold water then squeeze out the water. Place the towel on a plastic bag then put that in the freezer. You should feel relief immediately. Do this twice to up to four times a day until the muscle pain completely goes away.
• Herbal massage. This is a natural and soothing way to relieve your muscle pain. Prepare one cup of extra-virgin olive oil or almond oil. Then put all the oil in a jar or bottle. Afterwards, add an ounce of cramp bark, half an ounce of lobelia, a quarter of an ounce of wintergreen or willowbark. The herb should be in tincture form. You will find these in health food stores. Let the oil absorb the tincture then you can massage the affected area using this oil. You will feel relief in no time!
• Aromatherapic massage. Now, if you don’t want herbed oil for your muscle pain, you can opt for the more fragrant oil using essential oils. John Steele, an aromatic consultant based in Los Angeles, recommends a blend of blue chamomile, rosemary, birch and lavender essential oils. To prepare, simply get three drops of each, except for the lavender oil, which needs to be at least eight drops. Then mix these with half an ounce of olive oil or olive oil. These should not only give your muscles relief but also a treat!
• Visualization. For the skeptics, visualization is quite effective, according to psychiatrist and author Gerald Epstein, who is based in New York City. Close your eyes, breathe deeply a few times then picture your affected muscles enveloped in a block of ice. See the ice melt slowly, and as the muscle melts, feel the pain melt away as well. Visualize your muscle pain away and you will feel that relief!

The above methods are sure to give you relief from muscle pain. But remember, know your body’s limits don’t push it too hard next time.

You might want to read on how a study showed that Tai Chi really does relieve osteoarthritis pain. Or how research has backed up the notion that massage is an effective natural pain remedy.

And if you have any more ideas you want to share on natural pain relief, share them through the comment form below. :)

Hot Compress: How Does It Work?

Many households use a hot compress to help relieve pain. But do you know how a hot compress works to provide natural pain relief?

 

Why do people use hot compresses frequently?

Pain is something that people deal with everyday. Because pain is a considerable health burden, millions of dollars every year are spent on medical efforts to help ease it. Fortunately, there are natural pain relief methods that are effective, inexpensive, and easily available.

A hot compress is a convenient way to help assuage pain. All you need is a clean towel and hot water. Research has shown that a hot compress naturally and effectively relieves even deep-seated pain, such as abdominal pain and back pain.

 

How does a hot compress work?

For you to comprehend how a hot compress works, it is important to understand how pain comes about.

There are many types of nerve receptors in the body. Each nerve receptor specializes in picking up specific stimuli. For example, Pacini corpuscles are nerve receptors that sense pressure changes.

Pain, on the other hand, is picked up by nerve endings. Therefore, these nerve endings are the receptors for pain.

Think of receptors as cars. While cars transport people, receptors help transport messages (stimuli). For them to transport these messages, they need to go through different highways (nerve paths) in the body.

There are also different types of nerve paths. The nerve path used by a certain stimulus will depend on what kind of stimulus it is.

Pain uses the same highway as temperature, such as hot and cold. This highway is narrow; usually, only one type of message can get through. If two messages are transported through one highway at the same time, traffic ensues. Eventually, only one of them makes it through.

When you use a hot compress over one painful area of your body, the nerves try to transmit both pain and heat back to your brain. If both heat and pain travel through one nerve path, the “hot” message makes it to your brain before the “painful” message does. The result: you feel the heat, but not the pain.

Want to know how a hot compress is properly prepared and administered? Learn more about preparing a hot compress.

Sources:

1. Klein, Milton J. Superficial Heat and Cold. Jan 2009. [Emedicine].

2. Lehman JF, De Lateur BJ. Therapeutic heat. In: Therapeutic Heat and Cold. 4^th ed. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins; 1990:417-581.

3. Fedorczyk J. The role of physical agents in modulating pain. J Hand Ther. Apr-Jun 1997;10(2):110-21.

4. Lehman JF, De Lateur BJ. Cryotherapy. In: Therapeutic Heat and Cold. 4^th ed. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins; 1990:590-632.

5. Helfand AE, Bruno J. Therapeutic modalities and procedures. Part I: cold and heat. Clin Podiatry. Aug 1984;1(2):301-13. [Medline].

6. Chapman BL, Liebert RB, Lininger MR, et al. An introduction to physical therapy modalities. Adolesc Med State Art Rev. May 2007;18(1):11-23, vii-viii. [Medline].

Study Shows Magnetic Bracelets Relieve Pain

In a previous post, a study determining the effectiveness of magnetic bracelets against pain was discussed. One hundred ninety-four patients suffering from osteoarthritis, specifically of the knee and hip, were included in the study.

Summary of the Study

These patients were divided into three groups. The first group wore strong magnetic bracelets of 170 to 200 mTesla. The second group wore weak magnetic bracelets of 21 to 30 mTesla. Finally, the third wore non-magnetic bracelets.

The patients were asked to wear the bracelets for twelve weeks. After this period, the degree of pain relief was compared. Note that all three groups were not aware as to what type of bracelet they were wearing, so they could not “fake” their results.

Results of the Study

There was greater pain relief (WOMAC A) in the first group of patients who used magnetic bracelets compared to the third group who used non-magnetic bracelets.

There was greater improvement in the level of functioning (WOMAC C) in the first group of patients who used magnetic bracelets compared to the third group who used non-magnetic bracelets.

There was no difference in leg stiffness (WOMAC B) among the groups. However, this indicator has always been seen as lacking sensitivity.

As to how magnetic bracelets provide natural pain relief is not known. This may be due to different mechanisms of action; in fact, this may be due to psychological factors. However, the use of non-magnetic bracelets did not bring relief, indicating that pain relief was actually due to the magnetic characteristic of bracelets.

The study therefore shows that magnetic bracelets are a promising natural pain relief modality. They have been shown to provide pain relief for osteoarthritis involving both the knee and the hip, more than any placebo device.

More studies are needed to show if wearing magnetic bracelets beyond 3 months actually continues to provide natural pain relief. This study has opened the doors for investigating magnets and their role in promoting health and providing a natural way for people to overcome pain, especially from osteoarthritis of the knee and of the hip.

To know more about the details of the above study, read this.

Source: “Magnetic Bracelets May Reduce the Pain of Lower Limb Osteoarthritis” by Yael Waknine from Medscape Medical News

Research Shows Magnetic Bracelets Provide Relief

Magnetic bracelets have been sold for a long time as alternative treatment to pain. They have been marketed as trinkets that promote health all over the world. Magnetic bracelet vendors have claimed that these devices help reduce pain, prompting thousands of people to buy magnetic bracelets in hopes of effective and natural pain relief.

However, they have been met with a lot of criticism and are sometimes seen as another component of “quack” medicine.

A study previously published in the British Medical Journal showed that magnetic bracelets were proven to actually provide relief from pain due to osteoarthritis, specifically of the knee and the hip.

It has been shown that different studies showed contradicting evidence because these studies used different magnets of different strengths. Also, these studies studied different conditions and different treatment periods. Therefore, a study was done to determine the specific effect of magnetic bracelets on knee and hip osteoarthritis.

Details of the study

• The study was done by researchers from Peninsula Medical school.
• There were 194 patients involved, between forty-five and eighty years old.
• All of the patients complained of osteoarthritis of knees and hips.
• Patients were grouped in three. The first group used magnetic bracelets of 170 to 200 mTesla strength. The second group used magnetic bracelets of a weaker strength (21 to 30 mTesla). The last group used bracelets with no magnetic capacities.
• These patients continued to wear the bracelets for three months.
• Pain was evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Three indicators were evaluated: pain, stiffness of legs, and level of functioning, corresponding to WOMAC A, B, and C.
• After the study, the researchers found out that the second group of bracelets (the ones with a weaker magnetic strength) were “contaminated”. Their strengths were found to be a lot more than their expected strengths. However, both the first and third groups were unaffected.

The study showed significant differences between pain relief afforded by strong magnets, weak magnets, and non-magnetic bracelets. To view the results of the study, click here.