Massage for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain in soft tissue

Just about everybody knows what MUSCLES do. They are the structures in the body that move the joints, that flex and extend, that are strong and toned or flabby and weak. Muscles respond to the way they are treated.

FASCIA is a three-dimensional web of soft tissue that runs through every cell in the body. It forms continuous sheets of tissue that separate muscle compartments and also is part of the jelly-like ground mass of cells. When your body is injured, say your arm is badly cut, the muscles do repair themselves, though they may need to be strengthened, realigned, lenghthened and/or freed of scar tissue. Fascia, however, retains the "memory" of the trauma and may be wrenched into a twisted configuration by the injury.

SYNOVIAL JOINTS, the most common type of joint in the body, react to trauma and repetitive stresses with a thickening of the joint capsule, inflammation, or chronic irritation. Soft tissue massage, MET and myofascial release help release fascial torsion as well as mobilize dysfunctional muscles and joint capsules.

CHRONIC PAIN
There are many, many sources of chronic soft tissue pain. Some sources are pathological, that is, caused by disease. Some sources are structural, that is, due to a malformation of bony structures in the body. Visceral inflammation or irritation can initiate muscle spasm. Other sources are injury; poor posture; overuse, disuse or static use of muscles; joint degeneration; emotional or psychological stresses; impinged nerves; muscle imbalances.

GOAL OF MASSAGE
Massage techniques include many different modalities. The goal of most, if not all, massage is to relax the body and relieve stress. Massage for the body lifts the heart, mind and spirit. Techniques range from the indulgent, such as hot stones and sugar scrubs, to the painful manipulations of Rolfing.