Pain is not a bad thing. It is nature’s way of getting your attention, of letting you know that something is not quite right. Ignore the pain and what does nature do? Increase the pain level and frequency until you pay attention. Once an issue has developed, finding out what the root cause is and dealing with it become our prime objectives.
A large portion of the pain we experience comes from soft-tissue issues. Soft-tissue issues include:
- Damaged or torn tissue
- Tissue that is stuck together (adhesions)
- Tissue that is contracted and cannot lengthen normally
- Inflamed tissue
- Ischemic tissue (decreased circulation=decreased nutrition)
- Atrophied tissue (tissue that has wasted away or shrunk)
- Tissue with trigger points or tender points(knots)
- Tissue that is compressed by other structures
- Nerve compression/entrapment
In all of these cases, if you can correct what is wrong, the pain will go away. A large percentage of the time we either self medicate with over-the-counter analgesics or we go to our Doctor for prescription medications. We stop our activities, believing we need to stop in order to heal. Often we end up getting shots and maybe surgery. Pain killers (analgesics) usually do nothing to eliminate the source of the issue. The other option, surgery, may be the right answer, as in the case of a torn tendon or ligament. But for cases where tissue is stuck, inflamed, or contracted, surgery is not a good option. All surgery creates scar tissue and scar tissue usually shrinks as it matures, pulling on all the structures around it. This can cause a recurrence of the original problem, or possibly a new problem.
Fortunately, soft tissue responds very well to massage. Massage for injury healing and surgery rehabilitation is focused on:
- Reducing inflammation
- Preventing adhesions from forming
- Regaining or preventing loss of normal range of motion
- Remolding scar tissue as it forms to prevent future restrictions
- Reducing pain by keeping tissue soft and mobile.
Massage works because the focus is on locating and eliminating the source of pain. This is accomplished by:
- Restoring proper circulation to and from the tissue
- Removing restrictions from the soft-tissue
- Lengthening out tissue that is contracted
- Reducing/eliminating trigger points and tender points
- Reducing compression by other structures
- Freeing up the structures that cause nerve compression/entrapment
Injury Rehabilitation employs a variety of massage techniques to assist people suffering with the ongoing effects of illnesses, diseases, injuries and medical procedures. Injury Rehabilitation may involve; freeing up stiff or frozen joints, refashioning scar tissue or breaking up adhesions in order to promote flexibility and range of motion. This treatment enables your body to heal at an accelerated rate.
Injury Rehabilitation assists with healing by pumping more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs; improving joint movement, flexibility, strength and function. Benefits include:
- Muscles recover elasticity and eliminate muscular tension
- Freedom of movement returns to joints and limbs
- The nervous system goes off high alert status reducing cortisol (stress hormone)in your system
- Pain is reduced also reducing medication requirements
- Activation of blood flow, increasing oxygen-nutrition to the tissues and expedites waste removal from the cells
- Begin experiencing a relaxing sensation that helps to vanish tensions and the sense of worry
- The calming promotes rest-full sleep for improved healing
Analgesics (pain killers) and muscle relaxants usually do nothing to eliminate the source of the issue…that which is causing the pain signals to be sent in the first place. Unless you eliminate the source of pain, pain will continue and further damage may occur.
The other option usually presented by doctors is surgery. In the case of a torn tendon or ligament, surgery is usually the correct answer. But for cases where tissue is stuck, inflamed, or contracted, surgery is not a good option. All surgery creates scar tissue, and scar tissue usually shrinks as it matures, pulling on all the structures around it. This can cause a re-occurrence of the original problem, or possibly a new problem. If there is an alternative to surgery, or a non-invasive way to treat your soft-tissue problem, then it is usually the better solution. Thankfully soft tissue responds very well to manual manipulation as provided in a treatment massage:
- Restoring proper circulation to and from the tissue
- Removing r from the soft-tissue
- Lengthening out tissue that is contracted
- Reducing/eliminating trigger points and tender points
- Reducing compression by other structures
- Freeing up the structures that cause nerve compression/entrapment
Injury Rehabilitation may not always be a lot of fun at the time; but the increased mobility you develop coupled with decreased discomfort returns control of your life back to you. You become free to enjoy activities you had been forced to give up.
