Massage Can Help Reduce and Relieve Pain After Surgery
Pain is a common and unfortunate result of most, if not all, surgical procedures. For most patients, post-surgical discomfort is a temporary condition that will naturally subside as healing progresses.
Effectively managing post-operative pain is often key to a successful recovery. If you are coping with extreme or poorly-managed pain, you may find it difficult to begin moving or to participate in other recovery therapies in a timely fashion. In the worst case scenario, post-operative pain can, if not addressed effectively, become chronic, lingering for months after the procedure.
Prescription-strength medications—including opioids and other “pain killers”—have traditionally been used to manage post-operative pain.
Many physicians and surgeons are beginning to recognize that specialized massage techniques such as manual lymphatic drainage can play a role in managing post-operative pain as well.
While massage is unlikely to replace the need for pain medication entirely, incorporating massage into post-operative recovery can, for some patients, significantly reduce the need for strong—and potentially dangerous—pain medications.
How Massage Reduces Pain After Surgery
Lymphatic drainage massage helps reduce post-operative pain by restoring the proper flow of fluids at the surgery site and throughout the whole body.
Surgery is a necessary trauma for the body. The body’s reaction to this trauma is a natural build-up of the stress hormone cortisol. As cortisone builds up, the blood vessels begin to constrict, which in turn reduces the availability of oxygen and nutrients needed to heal the injured area.
Massage eliminates this reactive build-up of cortisol. As cortisol levels decrease, the body can resume the proper flow of oxygen-rich blood, antibodies, and nutrients to the surgery site, decreasing pain and promoting faster healing.
Manual lymphatic drainage massage also addresses painful post-operative swelling. Post-operative swelling is usually caused by a build-up of lymphatic fluid at or near the injured tissues. Lymphatic drainage restores the proper flow of lymphatic fluid to help eliminate cellular waste from damaged tissue and bring healing white blood cells to damaged tissue.
And as anyone who has had a regular massage knows, massage can reduce stress, promote relaxation, and increase feelings of overall well-being, all of which is especially important for anyone recovering from a traumatic surgery.
Why Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Not all massage techniques are appropriate in a post-operative setting.
If your surgeon or primary care physician has recommended massage as part of a well-rounded pain management regime, it is important to verify the type of massage that is appropriate for your specific state of health.
In most cases, the only form of post-operative surgery that is appropriate is manual lymphatic drainage. This is a gentle form of body work designed to encourage the proper flow of fluids while not disturbing tissues that have already been damaged by surgery.
Manual lymphatic drainage massage requires specialized advanced training and should only be performed by a therapist who is licensed in this specific technique.
At Lymphatic Drainage Massage Clinic, we specialize in post-surgical manual lymphatic drainage. We understand the important role that this technique can play in managing post-operative pain and discomfort. Because promoting your recovery is our primary concern, our massage therapists will tailor your lymphatic drainage massage to meet your unique needs.
If you have undergone a surgical procedure, or are planning a surgical procedure, speak with your surgeon about incorporating manual lymphatic drainage into your post-operative recovery and contact our mobile Massage Clinic to schedule your massage today.
Contact Our Mobile Massage Clinic | The Villages, Florida
In Home or In Office Massages by Jacqueline in the Central Florida area. Certified for many different massages and treatments. Specializing in Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) post surgery recovery massage.
To schedule an appointment with Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Advanced Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapist, Jacqueline Bosco CMLDT, Oncology, please call (813) 298-5603. We believe nothing is more important than human touch.
Providing massage services to patients in The Villages, Florida, Sumter County, Leesburg, Eustis, Mount Dora, Tavares, Lady Lake, Fruitland Park, Wildwood, Bushnell and surrounding areas.