Exclusive Content

Massage therapy can help manage MS symptoms

By Dan Digmann

I used to have tunnel vision when it came to massage therapy

For years, my sole focus when I went in for my regular 60-minute sessions was the ways a massage would help me to serve as the primary caregiver for my wife, Jennifer, who is living with secondary progressive MS. 

Getting a massage was a reliable way to relax and ease the muscle tension triggered by helping Jennifer with transfers throughout the day and the stresses that accompanied my caregiving responsibilities.

I eventually realized that such therapy also can help me as a person who has lived with relapsing-remitting MS the past 25 years. 

It's not like I was ignoring research that shows the potential benefits of massage therapy for people living with MS. I suppose I just wasn't paying attention. 

Again, I had tunnel vision.

Be honest: have you ever pursued massage therapy as a way to help manage your MS?

Whether it’s to introduce you to this idea or to reinforce the reasons why you should get regular massages, I am eager to share with you three overarching reasons I have found massage therapy helps me as a person living with this chronic disease of the central nervous system. 

1. Living with MS is more than a full-time job.

Think of the people in the working world who schedule massages to relieve the stresses of their employment. Now, let’s be real: MS isn’t something we punch a clock on and only live with for 40 hours a week. It’s with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

I’m saying this not to overwhelm you. It’s to remind those of us living with MS that we are dealing with unpredictable and immeasurable challenges that rival even the most stressful jobs on the planet. 

So, yes, we each deserve to take the time to schedule massages to escape and relieve the stresses of our lives with MS. Trust me, we’ve earned it.

2. Self-care isn’t a luxury

I used to think that getting a massage was more like a luxury. Like I was being selfish and spoiling myself. Jennifer helped me to see this treatment in a different light: It is a form of self-care.

Massage therapy is something that helps me to deal with many of my primary MS symptoms, such as numbness in my feet, legs, hands and arms. Plus, the relaxation that comes through a massage can help to relieve muscle tension and pain.

3. Research backs the benefits of massage therapy for MS

There have been many research projects conducted that support the benefits of massage therapy for people living with MS. Such research shows it often is used as part of an interdisciplinary approach in managing MS and its related symptoms, such as fatigue, pain and spasticity

Again, these are three reasons I have found message therapy to be an important way to supplement the management of my MS symptoms. As always, be sure to check with members of your healthcare team to discuss it as an option for you.