Good Morning to you
How can you tell Spring is well & truly here in the Bond household? The house starts to smell of fresh paint. Yes folks, in a bid to mask the effects of clients coming through my doors and 2 dogs running everywhere, Spring signals the time I can finally cover up chipped paint, brushed walls and yellowing woodwork which is what I've started doing again. If you are sensitive to paint odours, please let me know when you book so I can not paint that day and/or open all the windows and let some fresh air in.
MASSAGE & CHRONIC PAIN
Around the world millions of people live each day in pain from long term conditions such as arthritis, cancer and the UK is no different in this. Such physical symptoms can also lead to depression, relationship problems and anxiety, all of these can drastically affect a person's quality of life.
Did you see the news last week, how the NHS is going to stop prescribing certain medicines in a bid to save cash? Paracetamol, regularly given to reduce pain, is on this list as it is cheaper to buy these from supermarkets, although to be fair, not in the same quantities as prescribed versions. One hopes that those with chronic pain are not simply going to be left tabletless but it makes me wonder why, for so long, we as NHS consumers have been obsessed with taking a pill for everything when better alternatives, such as massage, are available. Maybe, as our over reliance on them has to change, the medical profession might finally start to catch up with what many of us have known for some time....massage works.
Research has shown that massage decreases inflammatory proteins in the body called cytokines which in turn reduces body pain. The manipulation of soft tissue brings nutrients and oxygen to the area, removes toxins, which encourages healing within the tissues.
Massage also encourages the tissues to relax reducing painful spasms and contractions of muscle fibres. Studies also now show that massages also causes the release of oxytocin, your body's very own painkiller as well as feel good hormones that lift your mood and gives a sense of wellbeing.
People with chronic pain can find some relief through massage. More enlightened doctors are promoting massage as part of cancer treatment plans both to reduce pain but also the emotional effects of the disease and toxins created by the cancer treatment itself.
Typical treatments for pain include medication and surgery. While both can have a role in treating pain, they may not always be the best choice. Surgery is invasive and does not always solve the problem.
When it comes to pain medication, side effects are often a big problem. Common side effects from narcotic pain medications include constipation, fatigue, and nausea. Also, it’s common for a person taking pain killers to build up a tolerance to the drugs. An increased tolerance results in increasing the dose. Unfortunately, drug dependency and addiction can be a result of taking pain medications for an extended period.
Not only does massage therapy not cause the negative side effects that pain medication can, it often has positive effects. For example, massage promotes relaxation and better sleep, which both help someone deal with pain better. Relaxation is often a factor in recovery, but it is routinely overlooked. When a person is relaxed, rested and content, it often improves their ability to move and exercise, which can help improve a person’s condition.
An overall improvement in well-being also helps someone deal with the consequences of chronic pain, such as depression and anxiety. As mood improves, it can motivate a person to participate in other types of therapies and treatment that may be beneficial.
Whether or not massage therapy alone can eliminate pain depends on several factors. But even when conventional approaches are used to treat pain, massage therapy can be an effective complementary treatment.
Til next week,
MB
