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Massage used to be considered an indulgence, but it’s now recognized as a legitimate therapy for some painful conditions. Therapeutic massage may relieve pain by way of several mechanisms, including relaxing painful muscles, tendons, and joints; relieving stress and anxiety; and possibly helping to “close the pain gate” by stimulating competing nerve fibers and impeding pain messages to and from the brain. Therapeutic massage is an active area of research. In particular, it has been studied for its effect on pain in the back, hands, neck, and knees, among other areas. A study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice showed a reduction in hand pain and an improvement in grip strength among people who had four weekly hand massage sessions and did self-massage at home. They also slept better and had less anxiety and depression than people in the control group who didn’t receive hand massage. A study published in Annals of Family Medicine in 2014 found that 60-minute therapeutic massage sessions two or three times a week for four weeks relieved chronic neck pain better than no massage or fewer or shorter massage sessions. Massage therapy can involve varying degrees of pressure. Some people find certain forms of massage, such as deep tissue massage, to be painful. Massage doesn’t have to be painful to be therapeutic, so be sure to tell your therapist the type of touch you prefer (light touch, firm pressure, hard pressure). Lighter may be more relaxing and therefore more beneficial, depending on your situation. People with certain pain conditions such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome may only be able to tolerate light pressure. There are no data to suggest that massage is harmful, but there are some specific situations where it is not recommended: massaging an inflamed area of skin, for example, can make it worse by causing irritation. One should not have massage to an area of infection, as it might spread the infection. The American Massage Therapy Association lists heart problems, infectious disease, phlebitis, and some skin conditions as reasons to avoid massage. Choose a licensed therapist; your PT may be able to make a recommendation.

A growing number of people recognize the benefits of massage, not just as a form of relaxation, pampering, and indulgence but as a healthcare modality. After all, massage therapists go through extensive training and certification to understand the human body and how varying degrees of pressure and movement manipulating the body’s soft tissues like muscles, tendons, and ligaments can affect those areas. Mayo Clinic says that massage is now considered part of integrative medicine because it’s used for a wide range of medical conditions. Studies indicate that massage benefits include stress reduction, reduction of muscle tension, and improved immune function. At Mayo Clinic, medical professionals may recommend massage therapy to help people cope with the pain and stress of various conditions, such as acute pain, heart disease, stomach problems, or fibromyalgia. There are many types of massage techniques, or modalities, which trigger different responses in the body to help adults with varying ailments. 2022 is likely to see increased awareness of massage therapy as a complementary form of healthcare.   Here are a few recommendations from a massage therapist: find a therapist that you connect with. find a therapist that has several modalities to offer. not all massage modalities require that the client undress. be comfortable talking with your massage therapist, questions are important. how quickly do they respond to a text or email? pay in advance, keep money out of the equation. do they keep notes do they sit and review at beginning and end of session

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system – comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system, which has been shown to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, as well as many other systems of the body, such as digestive, musculoskeletal, respiratory, circulatory, and more. CST has also been shown to help with the physical components related to such somatic conditions as Post Traumatic Stress, depression and anxiety. By facilitating the body’s natural and innate healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for helping people with a wide range of healthcare challenges associated with pain and dysfunction, including: Chronic pain. Fibromyalgia. Migraine headache. Fascial adhesions. Multiple sclerosis. Neuralgia. Neurodegenerative diseases. Temporo-mandibular joint syndrome. Stroke. Post-concussion syndrome. Speech impairment. Epilepsy. What can I expect from a craniosacral therapy (CST) session A CST session is similar to massage therapy, except you stay fully clothed The treatment session begins with a consultation with your trained therapist to identify troubled areas. Soft music and low lighting are often used to increase your state of relaxation. The therapist uses gentle pressure techniques to assess the existence of possible disruptions and/or restrictions in your fascial system. Light touch and fascial release may help your muscles and organs naturally relieve stress, which improves function. Other patients often report feeling a sense of deep relaxation.

(this article comes off of the CDC website) Post-COVID conditions can include a wide range of ongoing health problems; these conditions can last weeks, months, or years. Post-COVID conditions are found more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience post-COVID conditions, even people who had mild illness or no symptoms from COVID-19. People who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and become infected may also be at higher risk of developing post-COVID conditions compared to people who were vaccinated and had breakthrough infections. There is no single test for post-COVID conditions. While most people with post-COVID conditions have evidence of infection or COVID-19 illness, in some cases, a person with post-COVID conditions may not have tested positive for the virus or known they were infected. CDC and partners are working to understand more about who experiences post-COVID conditions and why, including whether groups disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are at higher risk. As of July 2021, “long COVID,” also known as post-COVID conditions, can be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Learn more: Guidance on “Long COVID” as a Disability Under the ADA, Sectionexternal icon About Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions Post-COVID conditions are a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health problems that people experience after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Most people with COVID-19 get better within a few days to a few weeks after infection, so at least four weeks after infection is the start of when post-COVID conditions could first be identified. Anyone who was infected can experience post-COVID conditions. Most people with post-COVID conditions experienced symptoms days after their SARS CoV-2 infection when they knew they had COVID-19, but some people with post-COVID conditions did not notice when they first had an infection. There is no test to diagnose post-COVID conditions, and people may have a wide variety of symptoms that could come from other health problems. This can make it difficult for healthcare providers to recognize post-COVID conditions. Your healthcare provider considers a diagnosis of post-COVID conditions based on your health history, including if you had a diagnosis of COVID-19 either by a positive test or by symptoms or exposure, as well as doing a health examination Symptoms People with post-COVID conditions (or long COVID) may experience many symptoms People with post-COVID conditions can have a wide range of symptoms that can last more than four weeks or even months after infection. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away or come back again. Post-COVID conditions may not affect everyone the same way. People with post-COVID conditions may experience health problems from different types and combinations of symptoms happening over different lengths of time. Most patients’ symptoms slowly improve with time. However, for some people, post-COVID conditions may last months, and potentially years, after COVID-19 illness and may sometimes result in disability. People who experience post-COVID conditions most commonly report: Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort (also known as “post-exertional malaise”) Fever Respiratory and heart symptoms Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Cough Chest pain Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations) Neurological symptoms Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”) Headache Sleep problems Dizziness when you stand up (lightheadedness) Pins-and-needles feelings Change in smell or taste Depression or anxiety Digestive symptoms Diarrhea Stomach pain Other symptoms Joint or muscle pain Rash Changes in menstrual cycles People More Likely to Develop Long COVID Some people may be more at risk for developing post-COVID conditions (or long COVID). Researchers are working to understand which people or groups of people are more likely to have post-COVID conditions, and why. Studies have shown that some groups of people may be affected more by post-COVID conditions. These are examples and not a comprehensive list of people or groups who might be more at risk than other groups for developing post-COVID conditions: People who have experienced more severe COVID-19 illness, especially those who were hospitalized or needed intensive care. People who had underlying health conditions prior to COVID-19. People who did not get a COVID-19 vaccine. People who experience multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) during or after COVID-19 illness. Some people affected by health inequities including people from racial or ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities. Data for Long COVID Studies are in progress to better understand post-COVID conditions and how many people experience them. CDC is using multiple approaches to estimate how many people experience post-COVID conditions. Each approach can provide a piece of the puzzle to give us a better picture of who is experiencing post-COVID conditions. For example, some studies look for the presence of post-COVID conditions based on self-reported symptoms, while others collect symptoms and conditions recorded in medical records. Some studies focus only on people who have been hospitalized, while others include people who were not hospitalized. The estimates for how many people experience post-COVID conditions can be quite different depending on who was included in the study, as well as how and when the study collected information. Estimates of the proportion of people who had COVID-19 that go on to experience post-COVID conditions can vary: 13.3% at one month or longer after infection 2.5% at three months or longer, based on self-reporting More than 30% at 6 months among patients who were hospitalized CDC and other federal agencies, as well as academic institutions and research organizations, are working to learn more about the short- and long-term health effects associated with COVID-19external icon, who gets them and why. Scientists are also learning more about how new variants could potentially affect post-COVID symptoms. We are still learning to what extent certain groups are at higher risk, and if different groups of people tend to experience different types of post-COVID conditions. These studies, including for example CDC’s INSPIRE and NIH’s RECOVERexternal iconexternal icon, will help us better understand