Massage therapy is not just for relaxation purposes at a spa, it can also be beneficial for relief from pain. One area worth looking at concerns amputee patients. Many people have to undergo surgery to get a limb removed. According to the National Limb Loss Information Center in the U.S. alone there are over one million people affected. While the many reasons for this trauma range from cancer to sustaining injury the effects of losing a limb are devastating and painful.
There are many causes of the pain that a person faces. There may have been an injury that caused the loss of the limb in the first place. Chronic circulation issues that cause decreased blood flow to the area can also lead to amputation. There is also the pain to cope with when the remaining limbs and muscles have to compensate for the loss. Getting out of a chair or getting into bed become time consuming and painful when they used to be simple tasks. Usually, some form of therapy is taking place to strengthen muscles or in preparation to wear a prosthetic limb. Massage becomes an important part of treatment to soothe aching muscles so that therapy can continue and progress. It also helps promote circulation and cross fiber friction massage can help decrease the amount of scar tissue. The touching involved can also help with the pain involved from increased sensitivity in the affected limb.
Furthermore, there is also another facet of pain linked specifically to amputations called phantom pain. This happens when you feel pain in a part of the limb that is no longer there. Around two thirds of victims deal with this pain and it has been noted that as many as 40% of people still experience this pain at least a year later. A study showed that watching another person rub a part of their body helped to relieve pain in the limb(use link). This was called virtual massage and showed many benefits. Physically massaging what’s left of the limb could also help with phantom pain. It has been shown that some form of touch whether it is light or actual massage is a great pain reliever.
Finally, massage can provide some relaxation to the client. Having a massage session after therapy and then rest and ice can help prevent some of the pain felt the next day. There will still be soreness until the muscles are strong enough but pain relief makes the therapy that much more helpful since the person is not tense from a lot of pain. A massage before going to bed can prevent the stiffness that occurs from being mostly stationary while sleeping in the overnight hours and allow for a more restful sleep. If the person wakes up with stiffness then a massage in the morning can help alleviate pain so that the daily routine can continue.
In conclusion, many factors are involved when it comes to dealing with the loss of a limb. Psychological issues should be addressed along with the physical aspects. While massage is an important part of rehabilitation for the client any massage should be approved by the client’s doctor. Working along with the rehabilitation team can help the amputee recover more quickly. Quicker recovery times can prevent prolonged periods of immobility. They can also prevent other new and continuing complications that may arise from losing a limb.
Sources
Kania, Anna. Integration of Massage Therapy into Amputee Rehabilitation and Care.” InMotion
