Massage Does Benefit People with Fibromyalgia

I was with friends recently and we were discussing massage. A few of my friends suffer from fibromyalgia and one commented that the massage experiences weren't always pleasant. In fact one therapist had refused to provide lighter pressure and objected to my friend calling a halt to the massage. That just made me sad (and angry)! Massage therapists ALWAYS need to listen to their clients. No one knows someone else's body better than they do. People's pain tolerance can vary from day-to-day based upon the season, their activities, medications, and many other reasons.
An unfortunate outcome for my friend was the decrease in motivation to seek massage. That's sad because massage greatly benefits those suffering from fibromyalgia in the following ways:

• increased serotonin level
• decreased circulating stress hormones
• decreased levels of substance P
• decreased tender point pain
• improved sleep patterns
• improved overall sense of well-being

So for those who suffer with this condition, I encourage you to give massage a try. For more information, please check out this article on the National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association website.