Impact of Massage Therapy on Acute and Chronic Inflammation

From elite athletes who train and perform regularly to those who exercise infrequently or even rarely, inflammation is something nearly all of us have experienced at some point or another. Whether it’s due to overuse, specific injury or some other source, inflammation is one of the most common bodily responses to pain and minor damage.

At the offices of Jenna Baker LMT, our deep tissue massage services are perfect for those dealing with varying levels and sources of inflammation. Let’s go over some basics on this important subject, one that’s relevant all over the body, and detail how massage therapy can help.

Basics on Inflammation

While inflammation is generally considered a negative in the body, it’s not all bad at all. In fact, inflammation is the body’s response to minor cellular damage, the way it begins healing processes that can repair and in many cases improve the muscular or skeletal area.

At the same time, inflammation is generally uncomfortable or even outright painful. It’s not something many of us want to be dealing with on a daily basis, and if you’re an athlete, it’s something you work to regulate often so you can return to activity sooner and with the requisite strength. This is where massage therapy can help play a role – let’s look at the two primary types of inflammation and how these services can help with both.

Massage and Acute Inflammation

Acute inflammation refers to single instances of inflammation, and it’s extremely common. If you twist your ankle while running and it swells up for some period of time, this is a form of acute inflammation.

There’s specific research that shows the way massage therapy can help with acute inflammation after exercise. Studies have shown that massage therapy can provide a similar effect as anti-inflammatory medications at the cellular level, allowing people to experience relief from what can often be painful and uncomfortable symptoms.

Massage and Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is inflammation that appears regularly for a variety of reasons. Chronic inflammation has many potential causes and contributing factors, two of which are stress and anxiety – massage therapy is know to help reduce and improve these areas, and as such it can have an impact on chronic inflammation as well.

When folded into part of a pronged response to chronic inflammation, massage therapy can be hugely beneficial. Such a program will also include eating more omega-3 fatty acids, which help limit white blood cells that cause inflammation, plus eating lots of fruits and vegetables – nearly all of them have high quantities of anti-inflammatory agents in them.

For more on fighting inflammation with massage therapy and other methods, or to learn about any of our deep tissue or injury massage services, speak to the staff at the offices of Jenna Baker LMT today.