Most of us know someone who suffers from fibromyalgia, the chronic pain disorder that presents as pain in different parts of the body, and where the back, neck and shoulders are almost always affected. In Canada, fibromyalgia affects a large number of the older population. More middle aged and aging people suffer from the condition than any other age group, but an increasing number of younger patients are complaining of pain traits characteristic to those associated with fibromyalgia. Does it have something to do with lifestyle? To an extent, doctors agree. While in most cases joint and back pain is inevitable as one ages, chronic pain among the younger generation has a lot to do with poor posture and improper work-life practices. Sitting at a desk for hours every day and poor sleeping patterns can all contribute to fibromyalgia.
Setbacks of conventional medicine in treating fibromyalgia
Is conventional medicine the only form of treatment for the condition? Certainly not. Even though conventional medicines can be effectively used to control the condition and keep pain at negligible levels, it is not the best treatment there is. Antidepressant drugs, anticonvulsant drugs, anti inflammatory drugs, pain relievers, muscle relaxants and injectable steroids can all be used to manage fibromyalgia. As you can see,these drugs fall in diverse classes. Doctors will often begin treatment with mild pain relievers and antidepressants, moving to more powerful drugs if the initial medications do not seem to work. In most cases, several of these drugs are combined in a treatment regime as the doctor judges to be most helpful. Even then, it is a trial and error approach because the combination that may work for one person may not work for someone else. And so your physician has to keep trying and changing drugs.
The drugs have to be taken regularly. Given the chronic nature of fibromyalgia, one has to keep taking medicine indefinitely to keep the pain under control. Failure to do so can quickly elevate the condition to debilitating state, making it difficult for one to make simple movements. This calls for strict discipline and adherence to taking drugs on the part of the patient, which may not come easy for most people.
Side effects. There are also side effects to deal with. Each drug affects the body differently and when taking combination fibromyalgia drugs, you may have to deal with multiple side effects which can leave you feeling worse off if severe.
The drugs don’t altogether alleviate the pain. They simply lessen pain so that you can carry on with simple day to day tasks. Medications would work great and might even be considered the best treatment if they got rid of the pain completely. But this is not the case.
Because of these setbacks, doctors generally advocate for a multidisciplinary approach when managing fibromyalgia. Take the prescribed medicine for the condition, but combine this with a few other forms of treatment for best results. Alternative fibromyalgia treatment includes physical therapy, exercise, acupuncture, chiropractic, biofeedback, herbal remedies, natural dietary supplementaries, practices like Tai Chi and Qi Qong, and massage.
Massage therapy for fibromyalgia
Both deep tissue massage and neuromuscular massage are considered effective ways of managing fibromyalgia. Enjoy the benefits of a well-delivered massage by going to the good old massage parlor or using a massage chair to effect the massage action. Massage works by increasing circulation and improving blood oxygen levels, which improves wellness in the body.
Massage also decompresses tight muscles, releasing and rejuvenating the tissues therein. This will make you feel better instantly.
Massage will also relieve tension in the muscle, soreness and fatigue. All these will have a positive impact on fibromyalgia pain.
As you integrate massage into your daily activities, you’ll begin to notice an improvement in your wellness, as the pain leaves your body little by little. Many people who have regular massage sessions report such a great improvement in the condition that they’re no longer conscious of the pain. To reap maximum benefits from massage, make it your mission to schedule a session of massage into your daily schedule. It may be impractical to go to the massage parlor everyday. This is where the massage chair comes in. Designed to provide a human-like massage experience, the modern massage chair is poised to replace human massage for many people. The chair works by simulating the human hand movements made during massage. Most massage chairs use combination massage techniques, employing tracks, rollers and air massage systems to give an intensive massage.
Types of massage chairs you can use
Every massage chair is capable of giving you a therapeutic massage that improves your fibromyalgia. The different chairs that you can choose from in the market are heated massage chairs, air massage chairs, roller massage chairs, zero gravity massage chairs and full body massage chairs.
Full body massage chairs
These are the best types of massage chairs for all body relief. A partial body massage chair will also work, but it does not offer the benefit of working your entire body. Usually, part-specific massage chairs will either massage the upper body or the lower body, leaving a large portion of your body unattended. A full body massage chair will cost more but the benefits it gives are worth the price.
Heated massage chairs
These are probably the best types of massage chairs for a thorough, deeply reinvigorating massage. The chairs use heated pads or air sacs to loosen muscles. The presence of heat also alleviates pain and soreness, the very thing you want when managing fibromyalgia.
Roller massage chairs
This is the massage mechanism commonly used in massage chairs. The rollers imitate the hand movement of a masseuse to give an intense massage. The rollers can be programmed to deliver particular massage movements.
Air massage chairs
These types of massage chairs use air bags or air jets to deliver the massage. Many combine the air massage system with either roller massage or heat massage system for a more effective therapy.
Zero gravity massage chairs
These are the most luxurious type of massage chairs that you can buy. Built to recline to the zero gravity position, these chairs make it easy for you to elevate your feet above the heart, imitating the NASA-invented position that places the body against gravitational pull, in the process taking the pressure off the spine. The body feels weightless in this position and adopts a total relaxation state.
Many massage chairs come with multiple massage combinations and you can choose the combination you would like to enjoy at any given time. The more the number of movements a massage system supports, the greater the variety of massage techniques you’re likely to enjoy.
How to choose a massage chair
You’ll need to consider some factors when buying a massage chair. The first one is the price. Your budget is the driving force here and is what will determine what kind of chair you can buy. The good thing is that there is a massage chair for every budget, so you’ll never walk away empty handed. Mid priced massage chairs are the safest bet because they’re a meeting point between the basic and the expensive. However, even the most basic of massage chairs will still deliver a commendable massage so go with the chair that you can comfortably afford.
Massage technique. The more advanced the massage technique used in the chair, the better the massage is bound to be. Choose a chair with a massage technique that is proven to deliver good results. The massage technique also determines how many massage combinations and movements are used in the system. Again, the more the better so make your choice with this in mind.
Features: Is the chair highly adjustable? What kind of settings does it run on? The best massage chairs are highly adjustable and give various comfort positions. This means they can comfortably be used by different people of varying body sizes; each person adjusts the chair to a position that is right for their body and they can use the chair in comfort. Control settings too should be user friendly and provide options such as speed control, intensity control, heat activation (if the chair has a heat function), massage time, and memory options – you should be able to customize your own massage combinations and save the settings in the chair’s memory.
Materials: Manufacturers strive to provide the best quality through the products they use to make the chairs. Still, it doesn’t hurt to confirm that the materials used are sturdy, durable and comfortable. Best materials include stainless steel, treated aluminum, and synthetic leather.
Embracing use of a massage chair greatly helps in the management of fibromyalgia. Massage chairs provide all the benefits of a real masseur, with the added benefit of having the chair within reach anytime you need a massage. The massage therapy they deliver effectively eases pain and relieves muscle tension, leaving the body relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated.