Massage for PMR

[Collsie77]

I have had PMR for 9 years. Will massages benefit me at all?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

May do, but you need a physio who understands PMR, if not then may do more harm than good.

[Collsie77 in reply to DorsetLady]

thank you

[piglette]

I enjoy a gentle massage. I have one on my feet and legs every so often and have had shoulder ones too. Mention to the person who does it that you have PMR.

[Collsie77 in reply to piglette]

thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It depends. It is unlikely to make much difference to the PMR itself but I find it very useful and beneficial for what I call the add-ons such as the tight/spasmed muscles caused by myofascial pain syndrome which is often found alongside PMR.

I have always used and like therapeutic massage which often includes manual mobilisation of trigger points. Therapeutic or sports massage isn't like a spa massage - it works on muscles that aren't in a healthy state and can be quite painful. Because of that previous experience I expect that I may feel worse afterwards for a short time as any inflammatory substances in the tight muscles may be released into the bloodstream and give rise to systemic symptoms - much like a flare of PMR - until they are cleared out from the body. On the whole and in the longeter term though - I find the effects positive.

I suppose, like a lot of things in PMR, you have to try it to see if it helps you. And as piglette says - make sure the therapist knows what they are doing in a PMR patient (many don't) and what both of you are aiming for before you start.

[Collsie77 in reply to PMRpro]

thank you

[herdysheep]

I have therapeutic massage, and have done since a bad car smash, later horrendous sciatica, both pre pmr, and kept it going in the 10 years or so since. As we age, we rarely have 'just' pmr and I have found it keeps me going. Ditto the other things PmrPro has said!

[Lyndaki]

I would dearly love a nice gentle, relaxing massage, but I’m frightened I’d end up looking like I’d been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson! I bruise so easily on my arms & shins that I daren’t risk it…even though I’m down to 2.5 mg Prednisolone….so it’s a treat I think I’ll just have to wait for!

[herdysheep in reply to Lyndaki]

I would love a gentle massage! 😊

[Broseley]

I tried a therapeutic massage as advised by a locum GP before diagnosis. It didn't make one iota of difference to my PMR symptoms, but it was quite relaxing. She said my muscles were fine, even though they felt like they'd seized up.

[Viv54]

I have had and still have very similar pain as you. A good friend of mine told me about resistance bands about 3 weeks ago, thought i would give it a go ! Its all about gentle stretching with it. I found the exercise on you tube , i can not believe the difference this has made in such a short time ! Its a gentle 20 minute work out, my muscles are already getting stronger, still have pain , but nowhere as bad.It eases it in my case . Hope this helps, best wishes Viv.🌷

[Pmrhiker in reply to Viv54]

Hi Viv, could you post a link or the name of the YouTube workout? I’d love to try it, I was in pretty good shape before all of this and I really want to try and get back some muscle tone.

[Viv54 in reply to Pmrhiker]

Hi, She has a few , Senior Fitness with Meridith, i chose the beginners one, for a couple of weeks , then moved you to the full body gentle one. I have kept the same strength band as i dont want to rock the boat, as its going well! Good Luck hope it helps.Best wishes Viv🌷

[artfingers]

I go for massage and he works on trigger points, tight muscles, but gently. He knows of my PMR and we have figured out what works well for me. Expensive ($50 a session for 50 minutes) but worth it usually twice a month. I had physical therapy and had to tell the PT therapist to quit working on my legs as she could not use a gentle touch and it did way more harm than good.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to artfingers]

About the same cost as UK…I’ve recently paid slightly more for physio £45 for 45 mins - US$60

[FohFoh]

Agreed with Dorsetlady. Deep tissue massage works very well but it must be a massage therapist who is certified to do that specific work. You do not want bruised or otherwise damaged muscles, tendons, etc. I made that mistake once. The relief was almost immediate, but the next day, I could hardly move my shoulder for a week, and my biceps were very sore.