Health

Fibromyalgia Massage Therapy - Tips For Choosing A Therapist

If you have fibromyalgia, you know it is painful. He has heard that massage therapy can be helpful and would like to try it. Is massage therapy a good thing when it hurts? How does pain help? How can you tell if you're seeing a good therapist? How do you know if this will help you? As a massage therapist for 10 years and suffering from fibromyalgia for over 25 years, I highly recommend massage. Here is information to help you choose a therapist and get your money's worth.

 

With all the new massage schools and massage companies popping up around us, it's hard to know where to go and what to expect unless you have a recommendation. The types of modalities and styles vary as much as each individual therapist. You may need to try several modalities and several therapists before deciding which one is right for you. Massage Center in Marina

 

Based on my experience as a therapist and suffering from fibromyalgia, here is what I would recommend that you ask a therapist before scheduling an appointment:

 

Call and ask a lot of questions about the type of massage they are doing.

Ask if they have ever worked with clients with fibromyalgia.

Ask for the names and number of people they worked with to get references.

Ask what they charge and for how long so there are no surprises.

Ask about the massage protocol, such as clothing versus sheets, etc.

The more information you have in advance, the better the decision you can make. If the therapist seems irritated by all of your questions, it's time to move on. You are a client and you hire a therapist to help you. Once the massage begins, keep in mind that you are still the client and that you have hired the therapist to work for you. You have to tell him what you need.

 

It is YOUR responsibility to provide feedback to the therapist. If it doesn't tell you it's too deep or too light, you have no complaints. You should continue to provide information about yourself to the therapist because we are all different and each part of the body has a different tolerance for pain.

 

For example, in me, a therapist cannot go deep enough into my neck and shoulders, but then he has to put as little pressure as possible on my ankles so that I don't jump off the table. You won't know unless I speak (or yell). Therapists are not minded readers. If you are not communicating with them, then they should ask you questions like, "Does this sound deep enough? Would you like a lighter grip? Does this seem like the right place?"

 

While massages are meant to be relaxing, fibromyalgia is something different. With many of my clients, I had to start very lightly and over time increase the pressure so that I could penetrate deeper into the muscle to release the pain and allow blood and oxygen to pass through the seemingly "knots". to be. with fibromyalgia. This is how massage helps fight fibromyalgia; it hurts and it takes time.

 

Some patients, especially men, require deeper pressure early on. How can I know? Because I never hesitate to ask questions or ask for comments. Massage in Naif

 

As a paying client, you also have the right to ask the therapist to spend more time on areas that you think require more work. If there are areas that you would rather not work on, you also have the right and responsibility to inform the therapist. Clear communication is the only way to get what you pay for.