Medical Massage for Osteoarthritis: A Healthy Alternative for Pain Management

Traditionally, massage has been thought of as a luxury available only in trendy spas, for high powered athletes or for those with large amounts of disposable income.

But, for people who are seeking to manage muscle and joint pain associated with osteoarthritis, medical massage is not a luxury, but a healthy alternative to medications that are not only expensive, but can pose serious health risks if used long term.

As one who has suffered with chronic lower back and osteoarthritis joint pain for most of her adult life, I can certainly attest to the positive effects and health benefits of medical massage. Not just for pain management, but for overall health and wellness and joint flexibility as well.

Why Massage Works

As our bodies age, the cartilage that provides the cushion between the joints begins to wear down. It can be worsened by repetitive motion on a specific joint or an injury to the area as well. It is the loss of cushion provided by the cartilage and the wearing of the joints upon each other that causes the stiffness and pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Medical massage of arthritic joints and the surrounding muscle tissue can provide pain relief by increasing blood circulation to the affected area and relaxing the muscles. Increasing circulation brings fresh, oxygenated blood to the area helping to reduce inflammation and pain in addition to increasing joint mobility. Massage relaxes the muscles and stimulates the lymphatic system which in turn ushers out waste and toxins that build up in muscle tissue and can also cause muscle pain as well.

Types of Massage

Swedish Massage is a gentle form of massage developed in the 1700's by Swedish doctor, Per Henrik Ling. Swedish massage was designed to use long strokes and deep kneading, circular movements in the same direction as blood flow toward the heart. The purpose of Swedish massage is to increase oxygen flow in the blood which adds in the relaxation of the muscles, releases toxins that have built up in muscle tissue and provides pain relief.

Deep Tissue Massage uses slower, more forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue which can become inflamed from osteoarthritis and cause painful spasms and cramps. In addition to helping relax spasms or cramped muscles, deep-tissue massage can also relieve any potential sciatic nerve pain often associated with spasms and muscle cramps in the lower back.

Trigger Point Massage, which is an element of deep-tissue massage focuses on sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse. Trigger points cause muscles to become shortened and stiff. When trigger points are present, even normal movement puts additional strain on muscle attachments at the joints, which can eventually result in damage to connective tissue and further distortion of the joints themselves, further exacerbating the joint pain in osteoarthritis.

By targeting the trigger points in the muscle tissue, the muscle releases the trigger point and is able to relax and lengthen which relieves the additional strain on the joints. Trigger point therapy is an effective treatment for shoulder, hip, and knee joint pain in osteoarthritis.

Using Medical Massage with Pain Relievers

In severe cases of osteoarthritis, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) is sometimes necessary to manage pain. Though some anti-inflammatory drugs require prescription, there are many over-the-counter that work extremely well such as, Advil, Aleve or Motrin.

Because long term use of anti-inflammatory medications can cause liver damage, blood clots, stomach bleeding and increase the chance of stroke, medical massage can be used to help relieve and manage pain so that they can be taken less often.

When Medical Massage is Not Recommended

If you have cancer, blood clots, severe osteoporosis, have serious injury, are on blood thinners or you are pregnant, you should seek the advice of your doctor before having a medical massage. Though some research has been done on the health benefits for severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis, some physicians do not recommend it out of concern it can further aggravate the condition.

And finally, medical massage should never be used in lieu of seeking appropriate medical care for any serious, long-term medical conditions.

Sources: CNN.Com
Mayo Clinic.Com
Massage Today.Com
Medical News Today
Institute for Integrative Health care Studies
Trigger Point Book