By Aaron Robbins , LMT
As most people are aware massage therapy can be useful in multiple ways ranging from relaxation and stress relief to pain and injury relief. Another effective treatment for muscle and soft tissue pain is neuromuscular therapy. It is a form of massage that specializes in two things: the location of pain areas, usually called trigger points, and the alleviation and removal of these points.
Neuromuscular therapy is based on how skeletal muscles work and the neural effects of their manipulation. Central to neuromuscular massage is the knowledge of trigger points, which are also referred to as myofascial points. These point are considered as tissues that are strained and stressed, and the goal of the massage is to stimulate these points sufficiently with the aim of relaxing them. This is how the pain is taken away.
Myofascial trigger points can be caused by injury, trauma, and ischemia, or the lack of supply of oxygen. Neuromuscular therapy works by applying pressure to these points in regular intervals. This is the unique feature to this form of massage. It does not apply pressure or stimulation directly to the trigger point, but to surrounding areas or to areas that affect it. This is why knowledge of the human anatomy and skeletal muscle structure is essential. By knowing on which points are causing pain, the neuromuscular therapist can then know which areas of the body to work on to treat the trigger points. This is also why neuromuscular massage is considered holistic in its approach at pain management and relief.
Neuromuscular therapy uses the hands, fingers, and thumbs. Should the situation need it, the elbows are also sometimes used. As to the sensation, people often report some level of pain associated with the massage. But as with any other massage, you would have to give the treatment some time to feel the effect. Usually, the calming effect can be felt within the therapy or at the end of it. Some patients are also confused at why the therapist would focus on areas that seem to be unrelated to the painful areas. As mentioned earlier, neuromuscular therapy works by addressing the areas that are affecting the trigger point, and these may not be located at the painful area itself.
Some of the conditions that neuromuscular massage can address are postural distortion, ischemia, tight joints and muscles, adhesions in the tissues, and sore muscles. It can also lead to stress relief if the source of stress is physical exhaustion or muscle fatigue.
You can get neuromuscular massage from physical therapists and other health professionals. Since the practice of neuromuscular massage requires ample knowledge of the human body, it requires training and education to be qualified to practice it. You should look for certification should you want to try neuromuscular therapy yourself.
What’s different about neuromuscular therapy is that it takes a more scientific approach at massage by basing it on the human physique. Through the manipulation of myofascial trigger points, this massage aims to relieve pain and stress on the muscles and tissues. If you prefer a massage that is more grounded on how the body works, then you could give neuromuscular therapy a try.
