Absolutely Spahhhvelous

What is arthritis? It’s basically the inflammation of a joint. This inflammation includes redness, pain, swelling, and heat. Millions of Americans suffer from some type of arthritis. It is most common in middle age and late in life, but it does affect children, teenagers, and young adults as well.

There are over 100 different types of arthritis, although most of them are rare. (A comprehensive list of these can be found at the Arthritis Foundation’s website.) The two most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which is often referred to as RA.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. It usually only affects the major weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees, and spine, but sometimes affects the hands and feet as well. It is the degeneration and loss of cartilage that produces pain and stiffness in the affected joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. What this means is that the immune system attacks a healthy part of your body, which results in inflammation. Areas commonly affected are the hands and feet, but sometimes included are the neck, jaw, elbows, shoulders, knees, and hips.

Massage therapy for arthritis sufferers was recognized as beneficial as early as the 2^nd century BC, so this is certainly nothing new. Indeed, it is an age old practice that can improve quality of life and lessen dependency on pain medications that could possibly be hazardous to your health.

Benefits of massage therapy include:

• Increased circulation
• Increased mobility
• Decreased pain and inflammation
• Relief of muscle aches and stiffness.

During a recent four-week study, patients with moderate to severe arthritis who received regular massage reported less anxiety, decreased pain, and improved mood. In individuals with arthritis in their hands, they even reported greater grip strength.  Overall, the massage therapy group showed greater improvement than the standard (pharmaceutical) treatment group on all measures.

Of course, the key to getting the most out of your therapy is are regular, repeating sessions with your therapist. You will certainly feel relief after your very first session, but in order to maintain this, it should become a regular part of your arthritis care regimen.

Contact your therapist today and schedule an appointment to discuss the many benefits of massage therapy for your unique symptoms. Your therapist is skilled in working with patients with arthritis, and knows the right techniques to use to get you back to your normal self.

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