Archive for the ‘massage’ Category

Fibromyalgia and helping professionals: Massage therapists? Chiropractors? Physiotherapists? Osteopaths? Who to turn to?

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008

explain20pain20cover“Every person who has mastered a profession is a skeptic concerning it” , George Bernard Shaw 

After a diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made usually the search begins for someone who is expert in working with people in pain. Who is it to be? While it may be someone from the traditional medical system who is a certified professional, such as a medical physician or a physiotherapist (physical therapist), it could just as likely be an acupuncturist or a person skilled in Jin Shin Jyutsu, Feldenkrais, Qi Gong, or Therapeutic Touch who are often regarded as ‘alternative professionals’. Do we go with one therapist or a combination? A team? Will one set of professionals work with another or is there competition among many? What do we do when there are opposing views among them? How do we avoid dependence upon one or several within the groups available? Most importantly, to use the quote in the book Explain Pain, how do we avoid the “sea of endless professionals”?

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Fibromyalgia and the Healing Touch

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

“Touch seems to be as essential as sunlight”, Diane Ackerman massage-002

People who suffer from chronic pain have generally found that physical touch is a valuable source of relief which can alleviate (or at least reduce) pain and enhance well being. Those of us who have fibromyalgia and are able to afford any of the various techniques of body work such as remedial massage, and jin shin jyutsu have found short term release of pain. Some even think that therapeutic touch is helpful, and although I fail to see how not directly touching the body can be helpful, many do find just that! I suspect it is from a placebo effect. I am not an advocate of that technique as I do not believe that ‘energy’ is moved around as those practicing TT do advocate. Instead I believe that direct touch can help with releasing tight muscles and bring about relaxation of the nervous system. I have usually benefited from the effects of these therapies.

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