September is Arthritis Awareness Month
“Arthritis” comes from the Greek word meaning
“inflamed joint”. There are many different conditions that fall into the
category of Arthritis; one hundred different kinds, to be exact, and one in
seven people suffers from some form of Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an
autoimmune disease whereby the body, for some unknown reason, attacks its own
joint tissue. It can occur at any time during their lifetime, from youth to
senior. Osteoarthritis is the most common condition and is considered to be the
“wear-and-tear” arthritis. It generally
affects people later in life depending on how active their lifestyle was or is
and how many injuries they incurred.
What can Massage Therapy and Acupuncture do for
Arthritis?
Many people living with arthritis are prescribed high
doses of pain killers including opioids such as Demerol and OxyContin or
tranquilizers and sedatives such as Valium, Ativan or Xanax. These medications
are habit forming and might lead to addiction and abuse and harm their health
in the long run. Massage Therapy and Acupuncture might be acceptable
alternative or complements to conventional medical care for arthritis. They
won’t cure arthritis; however these treatments can help with pain management,
swelling and stiffness. Medical acupuncture is a practice of inserting thin
sterile needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being.
According to recent studies, stimulation of acupuncture points produces a
cascade of chemicals and leads to the release of endorphins and enkephalins,
the body’s natural pain killers. Acupuncture treatments work well for knee,
wrist, hand, foot and ankle arthritis and pain associated with it.
During both massage therapy and acupuncture, the focus
of the treatment is to relieve the compressive forces on the joint by using
techniques within the client’s pain tolerance to reduce stiffness, pain,
swelling, spasm and to increase the overall range of motion of the affected
joints and the muscles surrounding it. Joint play techniques can also be
applied directly to the joint to increase lubrication which could, in turn,
help to increase nutrition of the cartilage. Any other areas of the body that
are compensating for the pain can be addressed as well as any postural concerns
or dysfunctions. Your therapist can give you homecare advice such as diet and
specific exercises, hydrotherapy or stretches to prolong the effects of your
massage and acupuncture as well as to reduce your overall pain on a daily
basis.
Hot wax during arthritis treatment?
Several layers of melted paraffin wax can be applied
to hands, feet or other parts of the body and are covered with plastic sheets
and towels. The wax is then peeled off after 30 minutes. The deep penetrating
heat from the wax increases blood circulation and softens collagen of
connective tissue in preparation for massage or acupuncture. It also softens dry, cracked skin and
decreases pain from stiffened or spastic muscles and joints. It is a great
addition to your treatment.
Heat in the form of Infrared light or Hot Packs can
also be used to relax muscles and manage pain.
Creams can be used to relieve pain as well. Your
therapist could use Capsaicin creams which are the natural substance that gives
the heat in hot peppers. These creams
can be effective if applied locally. Other muscle creams such as “Ultimate Pain
Rub” containing Methyl Salicylate, Menthol and Camphor could also be
considered.
