How Can Massage Therapy Help People Living with Arthritis?

We observe Arthritis Awareness Month in May. In honor of this, our team at The Wellness Hub thought it would be a good idea to introduce you to some information about arthritis pain and massage therapy. If you're living with arthritis, it's crucial you understand the benefits of massage therapy.

Although living with arthritis pain certainly comes with some challenges, you can reduce your symptoms with the help of a qualified massage therapist—all you have to do is search "Massage therapy near me!" Let's talk more about arthritis and massage therapy. By the end, you'll understand how participating in regular massage therapy treatments can help those living with arthritis in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Types of Arthritis

Whether you're in the process of getting diagnosed with arthritis and want more information or you know what type of arthritis you have already, it's always beneficial to understand what types of arthritis you can be diagnosed with. Here is some more information about a few different types of arthritis:

Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is well known because it is the most common type of arthritis. If you suffer from osteoarthritis, you likely experience pain in your joints—usually in your hands, knees, back, or hips. This pain often comes as a result of your bone cartilage wearing down. Osteoarthritis is sometimes called "wear and tear" arthritis. It usually affects older people, but can sometimes affect younger people. 


Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid Arthritis is another form of arthritis, and although it can result in severe pain in your joints, it can also cause issues in other areas of your body, like your eyes, heart, lungs, skin, or blood. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition and it can affect both the young and the elderly. Over time, rheumatoid arthritis can cause bone erosion.


Psoriatic Arthritis: Psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation of both the skin and the joints. Generally, inflammation of the skin begins first and the proceeds to the joints as the disease progresses.


Lupus: Lupus is an autoimmune condition that causes systemic symptoms in the body, including inflammation of the joints (arthritis). It is similar to rheumatoid arthritis, though lupus comes with many additional symptoms other than joint pain. In lupus, bone erosion does not usually occur as it does in rheumatoid arthritis.

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In What Ways Can Massage Therapy Help Arthritis?

You know a little bit more about arthritis now, so you're more familiar with the different ways that the condition can affect one's physical health. Despite the severity of some cases of arthritis, you might be able to find some relief if you visit a massage therapist on a regular basis.

Here are some things massage therapy can do for people living with arthritis:

Improves Your Blood Flow: Sometimes, people with arthritis have poor blood flow. Not only can poor blood flow lead to swelling and pain, but it can be bad for your overall health and result in throbbing or cramping, too. If you participate in massage therapy, you might just leave the session with improved blood flow.

Reduces Swelling and Inflammation: Those living with arthritis know how bad arthritis-related swelling and inflammation can get. For clients with or without arthritis, massage therapy is known to reduce swelling and inflammation—so attending massage therapy as someone with arthritis can be really helpful.

Makes Pain More Manageable: You don't have to settle for living with severe pain. Massage therapy can alleviate any pain you're feeling due to arthritis. Although it might not completely eliminate your pain, massage therapy usually makes pain more manageable.

Helps with Anxieties You Have Surrounding Your Arthritis: Physical ailments aren't just physical—they impact your mental health, too. For example, you might be anxious because you have a hard time working with your arthritis-induced pain. Getting a massage can release dopamine chemicals in your brain, which improves your mood and reduces your anxiety.

Increases How Much You Can Move: Unfortunately, arthritis can sometimes impact your ability to move. Because exercise is important to living a healthy lifestyle, you want to do whatever you can to maintain your mobility. Getting regular massage therapy treatments can improve your mobility so that you can get closer to completing the exercises you love.

Makes Your Quality of Life Better: If you're in pain, it's possible that you're not going to have the best quality of life. That said, it's certainly possible to have a better quality of life with the help of massage therapy, because getting regular treatments can reduce your pain and make you happier overall.

The Wellness Hub is Here for People with Arthritis in Jacksonville, Florida

Our staff of professional massage therapists are trained to help you ease pain and inflammation caused by arthritis. Please contact us today for more information and to schedule an appointment.

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We are pleased to serve the following Florida communities with massage therapy, chiropractic, organic skincare, acupuncture, red light therapy and more: Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Mandarin, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St Johns, Ponte Vedra and more.

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