Remedial Massage And Anxiety

Melbourne Combined Natural Therapies do not recommend that any form of massage or natural therapy be the sole form of treatment for anxiety disorders. Remedial massage can however be a very powerful addition to an anxiety sufferer’s treatment strategy.

What Is Anxiety & How Can Remedial Massage Help?

Anxiety is very common, statistics show that around 14% of Australians aged 16-85 years of age are affected by anxiety disorders. The severity can range from mild right through to life threatening (where the individual is barely able to function). There are many different forms as well as triggers.

Aside from the mental and emotional side of anxiety, sufferers often experience physical issues. Anxiety can have a significant impact on your muscles, causing both physical tension and discomfort. When you’re anxious, your body enters a state of heightened alertness, often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” response. This physiological response can lead to muscle-related symptoms in a number of ways:

Increased Muscle Tension

Anxiety often causes the muscles to contract and tighten, especially in areas like the shoulders, neck, back, and jaw. This is part of the body’s natural response to stress, as muscles prepare for potential physical action. However, prolonged tension can lead to discomfort, pain, and even headaches.

Chronic Tension

If anxiety is persistent, the muscle tension can become chronic. Over time, this can cause muscles to feel stiff, sore, or fatigued. The constant state of tension can lead to a cycle of discomfort, making anxiety symptoms worse and contributing to even more muscle tightness.

Muscle Fatigue

When your muscles are tense for long periods, they use more energy, which can result in muscle fatigue. This can lead to a feeling of weakness or heaviness in certain areas of your body, particularly in muscles that are frequently affected by anxiety, like the neck and shoulders.

Jaw Clenching and Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)

Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms like clenching your jaw or grinding your teeth (bruxism), especially while sleeping. This can lead to jaw pain, headaches, and even tooth damage over time.

Anxiety & Breathing Changes

Anxiety often leads to shallow, rapid breathing (also called “chest breathing”), which can contribute to tightness in the chest and muscles surrounding the diaphragm. This kind of breathing doesn’t allow your muscles to relax fully, contributing to physical tension in the body.

Altered Posture From Anxiety

Anxiety can affect your posture. For example, when you feel stressed, you might hunch your shoulders, tighten your stomach, or hold your body in a tense position. Over time, this poor posture can contribute to muscle imbalances and discomfort.

Anxiety & Pain Sensitivity

People with anxiety often report feeling more sensitive to pain, including muscle aches and soreness. Anxiety can lower the threshold for pain, making you more aware of any discomfort in your body.

Where Does Remedial Massage Come In?

Obviously remedial massage has the ability to make people feel more relaxed, but the research suggests a lot more than that.

UMEA University in Sweden conducted a study where they measured blood pressure, glucose and insulin levels before, during and after remedial massage. They also documented how the subjects felt after the remedial massage session.

In addition to the improvements reported by study participants, they found that remedial massage reduced anxiety among the participants and also reduced stress. The research showed a decrease in blood pressure and participants found it easier to breathe. Interestingly skin contact seemed to be one of the most important parts of the remedial massage as the treatment was found to have less effect when the therapist wore gloves.

Remedial massage was found to activate an area in the brain called the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. This area is linked to sensations of happiness and enjoyment, according to UMEA University. Touch is now believed to be important in many other medical situations, from premature babies to patients recovering from surgeries.

If you would like to add remedial massage to your treatment regime we would first recommend visiting your GP before booking in for treatment. In addition to remedial massage therapy, the doctor may suggest certain medications, psychotherapy or counselling.