Shiatsu Massage Magic!

Episode 7: Shiatsu Massage for Fibromyalgia

Part 1 of the Massage and Fibromyalgia Series

I love a good long massage to help relieve my pain symptoms from fibromyalgia. I look forward to my massage therapist doing her magic. The soft candles, the aroma therapy, the soothing music, everything about the experience is mystical and moving.

My massage therapist combines a number of massage modalities: deep tissue, lymphatic drainage, myofascial release among others, most of which have strong evidence for beneficial outcomes for fibromyalgia. Recently I have done a deep dive into the efficacy of four different modalities of massage for fibromyalgia including shiatsu, lymphatic drainage, deep tissue, and myofacial release. Not surprisingly, I discovered that their is strong evidence that massage is an excellent alternative treatment for the chronic pain of fibromyalgia.

Massage Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Massage therapy has been around for thousands of years and as many as 4000 years ago in ancient China . Although massage is considered an alternative therapy, it is widely used across the world for relaxation and pain relief including for fibromyalgia. Most studies suggest that to experience all the benefits of massage including pain relief, reduced anxiety, and reduced depression, massage therapy sessions must continue a duration of 5 or more weeks. I'm down with that. Though, I receive monthly massages because my insurance does not pay for it and my budget cannot compete with the going price of regular massage therapy, I would be happy to enjoy the benefits of weekly massages!

Massage therapy choices are vast. Although all types of massage therapy generally feel good and have amazing benefits there are some types that are recommended for fibromyalgia over others. Shiatsu, Lymphatic Drainage, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release are all highly recommended for fibromyalgia pain relief Interestingly, Swedish massage, the most popular form of massage brought to the United States in 1850, has proven to be less effective in treating the pain symptoms of this disorder. I have experienced all of 5 of these modalities and all, save myofascial release (more on that in Episode 10), feel great. Let's start by digging into why shiatsu massage is an effective alternative treatment for fibromyalgia

Shiatsu Massage:

The Japanese word Shiatsu translates as "Finger Pressure", Today we look at it as a form of acupressure with the inclusion of not only finger pressure but also palms, elbows, and sometimes feet on specific areas of the body to release tension.

But, Shiatsu massage goes beyond pressure; it is a manual manipulation of a person's "Qi", or in its simplest terms a person's energy. It involves pressing, holding, kneading, tapping, and joint mobilization. This is all in an effort to unblock and balance the flow of energy throughout the body.

Shiatsu for Fibromyalgia:

In short, shiatsu works by stimulating circulation and reawakening areas in your body with low energy, or "Qi". By stretching and pressing on points on the body along meridian channels the therapist reinvigorates blood flow, releasing tension and toxins. With an eight week duration of twice weekly massages, shiatsu massage has been shown to reduce pain intensity, decreased sensitivity to pain, improve sleep quality and the overall health and well being of persons with fibromyalgia.

Shiatsu From a Science and Medical Perspective:

Some studies showed that Shiatsu massage was associated with a decrease cortisol levels; cortisol is the primary stress hormone linked with chronic stress. Shiatsu massage is also associated with a decrease in the potent pain neurotransmitter, substance P, and release of serotonin, which is responsible for mood and happiness and regulates sleep; all of which may be responsible for improved sleep in patients with fibromyalgia. Shiatsu massage has potential as a promising alternative therapy to help reduce pain, pain intensity, and improve sleep.

My Husband the Would-Be Shiatsu Massage Therapist

All of that aside, my husband , the would-be massage therapist had he not realized he didn't like touching strangers in his internship at the end of his studies (that's for another blog, or journal entry later ...) studied Shiatsu massage at a reputable massage therapy school here in Minnesota. I was the beneficiary of said studies. When he pressed on certain areas near my spine, I could feel a tingling in my skull, on other areas near my spine, I could feel a zap all the way down to my heels. None of this was painful, it was surprising, like when a chiropractor adjusts your neck and you can feel it crackle and zap from the skull to the toes - Shiatsu was gentler than that, and for me, longer lasting. Though at the time I did not know I had what we just recently learned was fibromyalgia, I am sure his amateur, yet well-trained efforts staved off some of the worst of my condition for years.

If you want to learn more about Shiatsu massage and its implications for relief from the symptoms of fibromyalgia, I encourage you to do a simple search for shiatsu massage or investigate the sources I used for this blog. Also, I found an excellent YouTube channel that SHOWS shiatsu massage being performed on a fibromyalgia patient. It entails only the massage itself with no talking or instruction, so it will not teach you how to do shiatsu or tell you anything about it. However, it is well filmed, and as a viewer, you can almost feel the effects of the massage yourself. ShiatsuShane is the name of the channel and watching his technique, my husband, the would-be shiatsu massage therapist, agrees that it appears he knows what heis doing. I have contacted Shane to find out more about him and his shiatsu massage training and will update you with that information when I receive it from him.

Until then...

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Karen Palmen, EdD is a veteran educator in Saint Paul, Mn. She teaches Dance and English at Saint Paul Central High School. She has an active TikTok page that features humorous, political, mental health, and educational content (kickin it with karen). And a a dormant YOUTUBE channel with the same name, featuring fermented foods and other cooking oddities.

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