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.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic, widespread pain; abnormal pain processing in the nerves; sleep disturbances; multiple points of extreme tenderness; fatigue; and often, psychological stress. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Patients with severe symptoms find the syndrome debilitating and have trouble doing even the most basic of daily activities.

Massage therapy can help ease the symptoms of Fibromyalgia by:

• Increasing blood circulation
• Increasing flexibility
• Increasing range of motion
• Decreasing stress and anxiety
• Reducing pain, stiffness, and swelling
• And improving sleep

The Journal of Clinical Rheumatology also lists the benefits of massage for patients with Fibromyalgia symptoms.

Massage therapy helped to improve sleep patterns, decrease pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and cortisol levels in adults with fibromyalgia. Sunshine, W., Field, T., Schanberg, S., Quintino, O., Fierro, K., Kuhn, C., Burman, I., and Schanberg, S. (1996). Fibromyalgia benefits from massage therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 2, 18-22.

Fibromyalgia patients slept better, and had lower substance P levels and less pain following a month of biweekly massages. Field, T., Diego, M., Cullen, C., Hernandez-Reif, M., Sunshine, W., & Douglas, S. (2002). Fibromyalgia pain and substance P decrease and sleep improves after massage therapy. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 8, 72-76.

Along with regular massage, there are additional steps you can take to ease your symptoms and improve the quality of your life.

• Moderate the quantity and quality of your physical activities to match how you feel each day.
• Practice regular relaxation and stress management techniques (your massage therapist can be very helpful in instructing you on the most efficient way to do this.)
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet to keep your weight down.
• Utilize heating pads and warm showers for tenderness and pain.

If you have further questions, please contact your massage therapist. She can help with any concerns you may have and get you started on the road to recovery.

Doctors don’t know exactly what causes CFS. It is often preceded by a viral illness, and in some cases is caused by a dysfunction of the immune system. But CFS sufferers know the symptoms all too well:

• Painful and swollen lymph nodes
• Sore throat
• Headaches
• Memory loss
• Inability to concentrate
• Sore muscles
• Difficulty sleeping

There is no set treatment for chronic fatigue, and doctors usually do their best to simply manage the symptoms and wait for the condition to resolve itself.

Regular massage can help ease the symptoms of CFS. It can help with joint and muscle soreness, as well as the depression associated with the condition. Massage also promotes circulation, an important aspect of treatment for people with CFS who aren’t engaging in physical activities as much as they normally would.

The Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome defines the benefits of massage therapy for CFS by describing the immediate physiological changes in the body following massage:

Immediately following massage therapy depressed mood, anxiety and stress hormone (cortisol) levels were reduced. Following 10 days of massage therapy, fatigue related symptoms, particularly anxiety and somatic symptoms, were reduced, as were depression, difficulty sleeping and pain. Stress hormone (cortisol) also decreased and dopamine increased. (Field, T, Sunshine, W., Hernandez-Reif, M., Quintino, O., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C., & Burman, I. (1997). Chronic fatigue syndrome: Massage therapy effects on depression and somatic symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 3, 43-51).

If you are suffering from the symptoms of CFS, it is important to see your physician to rule out any underlying diseases that could be causing the problem. Once those are ruled out, contact your massage therapist to discuss the many benefits of massage therapy for this debilitating condition. Your massage therapist can be instrumental in discovering and maintaining a treatment plan that will relieve your symptoms and get you back on your feet and enjoying life again.

Why is quality sleep so important?  During the deeper phases of sleep, our body carries out vital functions necessary for good health.  We produce enzymes which allows us to absorb much needed nutrients from the food we have consumed throughout the day.  Our tissues, nerve cells and other biochemicals regenerate and our brain uses this time to recover energy used in our daily conscious state.  Our immune system is also engaged to help combat illness.  That is why we are encouraged to sleep as much as we can when we are sick.  During deep sleep, we process emotions and stresses of the day and our brain develops our days experiences into memory.

Severe consequences can arise from lack of good quality sleep.  Poor immunity, higher stress levels, irritability, weight gain and more seriously, falling asleep while driving or operating equipment, which can lead to loss of life.

Tips for Better Sleep

1.  Get out in the sun – this will help improve your body’s natural sleep cycle.  Be sure to apply adequate sunscreen.

2.  Cut down or eliminate caffeine.

3.  Grab a cat nap during the day, if you feel sleepy.

4.  Set a regular wake/sleep schedule and stick to it

5.  Darken your bedroom or wear an eye mask at night.

6.  If your mind just can’t stop working, schedule regular massage therapy sessions to help calm both your mind and body.

Massage therapy is a powerful tool for improving the quality of your sleep.  It improves circulation to help nourish the muscles, relieving muscle tension, so they can properly relax.  It works on the nervous system to calm the mind down and relieve anxiety.  We all need good quality sleep to properly function in our day to day lives.  There is nothing better than waking in the morning feeling rested, relaxed and renewed!

Call us at Absolutely Spahhhvelous to schedule your next session and sleep like a baby tonight!  940-343-5667