Everyone likes a good, relaxing massage Today, I’ll answer 10 common questions that
people ask me about massage: Is massage really good to treat pain?
How massage relieves pain?
Does massage have to be painful?
Can massage hurt you?
What are the different types of massage?
Is one type better than the others to treat pain?
Can massage make pain worse?
Will massage help back pain, and shoulder pain?
Is massage safe during pregnancy?
Is it necessary to use an ointment during massage?
So, let’s get started.
I prepared a summary for you that contains all the information in this video.
Go to the description of this video below, there is a link for you to download this FREE
summary Is Massage good to treat pain?
Yes, actually it is.
Massage is good to treat pain from a muscle tension, or an inflammation or conditions
where there is poor blood or lymph circulation, for example in lymphedema.
How massage relieves pain?
Massage increases the blood circulation in the area, bringing more oxygen to the muscles,
ligaments, tendons, and skin.
This is very helpful when there are trigger points from myofascial pain in the muscles.
Massage also stimulates the skin, and the skin is full of receptors that communicate
with the spinal cord and the brain.
So, this will send messages to open the inner pharmacy in the brain stem.
Did you watch my other video about the brain’s inner pharmacy?
Then, the brain will release endorphins, which are powerful endogenous opioids, or painkillers.
It will also release serotonin, the neurotransmitter of mood, and dopamine and endocannabinoids.
In addition, the massage will also relax the muscles, relax the mind, relax the tension
and worries.
The person might practice mindfulness or meditation while receiving massage, and then this session
may work well as a brain retraining therapy for people who have nociplastic pain too.
Does massage have to be painful?
No, not really.
Most massage techniques do not apply too much force.
However, there are some techniques that apply force in one spot, and that can be very painful
or discomfort.
Some people with chronic pain have a condition called sensitization, and this makes their
skin more sensitive to stimulus, including touch and pressure.
Watch my other video about “pain in the skin”, the technical terms for this are
allodynia and hyperalgesia.
When a person suffers from these symptoms, any touch or pressure in the skin becomes
very painful.
This is common in people with neuropathic pain or nociplastic pain, for example, fibromyalgia.
In some cases, the allodynia and hyperalgesia are so severe that the person does not tolerate
any gentle massage.
Can massage hurt you?
Massage can very rarely cause damage specially when it is conducted by a person who doesn’t
know what they are doing.
That is why I always recommend the person to seek a registered massage therapist.
I do not recommend my patients to go to a massage therapist for the rest of their lives.
Even though it is nice and they feel good.
But remember, massage is a passive modality, and you will be paying someone to do the treatment
for you.
For acute pain, that is good because the pain is temporary.
But in the case of chronic pain, I don’t like the patient to become dependent on someone
else to treat them.
I like to teach my patients to use active modalities, things that they can do for themselves,
like exercises, self-massage, mind-body interventions, and applications of ice or heat.
What are the different types of massage?
There are so many kinds of massage therapy around the world.
I will just mention a few types that are common and easy to find:
Swedish massage, it is also called classic massage.
It is a gentle massage that is good for people relaxation and tension relief.
It is good for people who have muscle pain in the lower back, upper back or neck.
The therapist will use their hands and will do movements like kneading, long strokes and
deep circular movements.
They will usually massage the whole body, so the expectation is that you will be undressed.
The therapist will put a towel over your body and you will be covered most of the time.
The other type of massage is deep tissue massage, this involves the deep layers of muscles and
connective tissues.
While Swedish massage focus on relaxation, deep tissue massage focus on breaking down
areas of adhesions, muscle tension, and to improve blood circulation.
The therapist will employ slow strokes and maintain pressure on deep tissues.
Sometimes they use their own body weight, knuckles or elbows to apply pressure.
There are studies showing that deep tissue massage reduce blood pressure, increase blood
circulation improve range of motion, and reduce pain
Trigger point therapy is similar to deep tissue massage, but it aims at the muscle or area
that has the trigger points.
They will apply pressure to relieve the muscle tightness or knots.
Myofascial release is a type of massage technique that is used by physical therapists.
It is similar to trigger point therapy.
It is also used by some chiropractors and traditional medicine practitioners.
In sports medicine, athletes usually get massage to treat their injuries or pains.
In this case, it is usually for relaxation, to prevent lactic acid build-up, mobilize
soft tissues to avoid adhesions and to improve blood circulation.
Thai massage is a combination of deep tissue pressure, with movements of the muscles and
joints.
It is good to relieve tension in people with chronic pain, but also depression and anxiety.
You should wear clothing during a Thai massage session.
Shiatsu is a form of massage that combines the flow of Qi energy with movement and massage.
It originated in Japan and it uses kneading, pressing, usually on acupuncture points, tapping
and stretching.
Not all sessions of shiatsu are painful, the pressure used depends on the comfort level
of the patient, but it can range from very gentle to very deep pressure.
Is one type better than the others to treat pain?
When I published the Cochrane review of massage for low back pain, our group looked at all
kinds of massage and we didn’t find one type that was superior than another type.
They kind of vary in terms of techniques, but also patient’s preferences and tolerance
levels.
So, if you are looking for a massage, find one that you enjoy and helps you.
If it doesn’t, try a different technique.
If you are enjoying this video so far, don’t forget to subscribe to this channel and turn
on the notifications Can massage make pain worse?
Yes, it can.
If the area that is being massaged contains some inflammation, or the muscle is torn or
ruptured, then the massage will cause more pain in the area.
Also, we should never do massage in an area that the skin is not intact, like a wound
or a skin infection.
In cases the pain is neuropathic or nociplastic, the person may have sensitization, with allodynia
and hyperalgesia, and they will be much more sensitive to touch and pressure, that is the
case of fibromyalgia for example.
Will massage help back pain, and shoulder pain?
Yes, if the back pain, shoulder, neck, or whatever area is painful due to a muscle tension
or myofascial trigger points, then the massage can help in this situations.
Is massage safe during pregnancy?
Before I continue, let me remind you that this video is not medical advice, the intent
is for educational purposes only.
If you have a condition that requires massage, please talk to your doctor or ask a registered
massage therapist.
If there is an emergency, please call an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.
In most cases yes.
It improves relaxation, leads to better sleep and less pain.
However, there are some techniques that applies deep pressures to muscles and may cause uterine
contractions due to extreme pain.
Be careful and consult your doctor.
Is it necessary to use an ointment during massage?
No, not all massage therapies use a cream or ointment.
There are some benefits like the moisturizing of the skin, promote overall well being, reduce
inflammation and improve circulation.
Also, it gets easier on the hands of the massage therapist if they rub something against your
skin.
Answer this question in the comments below: What is your experience with massage?
Did it work for you pain?
Which technique did they use?
Thank you for watching today.
Good bye.