Do You Suffer From Arthritis?
Anyone that has this condition can tell you that it can be painful, restrictive, constant and/or debilitating if severe.
There are many ways to manage and control pain with varying effectiveness as everyone’s perception to pain is different due to our experiences, emotional states, culture and age etc.
There are many different techniques and medications that can be used to assist pain from sedatives, analgesics, relaxation therapy, hot/cold application, hypnosis, dry needling, acupuncture, TENS and of course massage to name a few.
Through the process of non-painful touch, massage can help modify the perception of pain through stimulating nerve endings to help prevent the pain sensation from travelling into the central nervous system and therefore inhibiting the feeling of pain. If the ‘pain’ gate is closed it will modify the relay of impulses to the brain. This way of thinking is based on the Gate Control Therapy concept which was established by two very clever blocks Ronald Melzack and Patricks Wall in 1965.
If you can’t get a massage every day, even though we would all love one, at home maintenance is needed for those that suffer from arthritis and often these at home tips and tricks can be used as a mediator so you can get on with your day to day tasks and improve your quality of life.
Some ideas are purchasing a TENS machine, using hot/cold applications, dry brushing, meditation and looking at your diet to help reduce body inflammation. If you are looking at vitamins, Vitamin E can be used as an anti-inflammatory and can be used for other functions in the body such as supporting your immune function and it also has an antioxidant effect. Therapeutic application for those that suffer from OA & RA is that it may help relieve pain and reduce analgesic use. If this is something that interests you it is important to undergo appropriate medical checks before implementing therapeutic application as doses can be much higher than the recommended daily intake so seeing a qualified Naturopath, Nutritionist, Dietarian or your GP is your first step to get the right dose for you. Another reason why you should have medical supervision is because of its mild blood thinning effect, so if your on blood thinning medications or anti-coagulant therapy you should take supplements with caution.
Foods that are rich in Vitamin E are; Tahini, sunflower seeds, sundried tomato, kiwifruit, almonds, olive oil and spinach.
From a massage point of you, regular treatments will benefit you the most. Seeing one of our qualified practitioners either on a 3 or 4 week treatment plan will help lubricate joints, calm your nervous system, improve range of motion, will help with muscle guarding and will keep oxygen rich blood flow to your muscles.
To book an appointment today you can book online or by calling 0466 556 706.
In health,
Carly
Myotherapist (Senior Remedial Massage Therapist) / Owner