Wrapped Up in Fibromyalgia Massage

A recent study showed hyper nerve endings under the skin of people with fibromyalgia – the first “objective” sign that people with fibro are not just whining about their pain.

         

Well, we massage therapists are different from others in the treatment community who have doubted the clinical basis of fibromyalgia. The difference is fairly simple – when people tell us they hurt and where they hurt, we believe them.

         

For something to be so simple it is also hugely significant for people with fibro. They are often battered, doubted, maligned and otherwise felt to be somehow less legit than someone who has an X-ray proven injury such as a broken leg.

         

I have had clients who have been “fired” by therapists in other modalities because they can’t stick to exercise programs. Even though within a few weeks, even a few hours, exercise programs make fibro folks feel worse.

         

A recent client pointed it out to me in bright flashing lights. She does not look like she has fibro. She is young, thin, and fairly flexible and has no apparent history of trauma other than a car accident 5 years ago.

Several times she has tried to comply with strengthening programs only to have her head and neck pain increase – and her disability from fibro go wild. When she complained of increasing problems, her complaints are dismissed.

Figuring that the definition of insanity was proving true – Crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result - she decided to do her own research.

She stumbled across some articles about trigger points and fibro and decided to try massage. I’m happy to say she is feeling much better.

Reminding us all that it never hurts a massage therapist to believe people when they report symptoms, nor does it hurt to use our skills to relieve those symptoms. It is our strength.