For people who suffer from some type of cancer, pain can be an all too common situation to deal with on an everyday basis. It may arise from the disease itself or be an outcome of the aggressive cancer treatment. Either way these patients very much want a way to relieve the pain and discomfort. Drugs have been the traditional answer but there are other alternative treatments which can have great benefit. One such technique is called myofascial therapy. We will describe this technique further and review some interesting details.
Myofascial therapy or myofascial release as it is sometimes referred to as an excellent way to help to treat chronic pain of all kinds. Not only does it have benefit for cancer patients but it has been used successfully on patients suffering other diseases such as multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia as well as pain caused by injuries.
This type of therapy is designed to relax muscles and help patients to achieve relaxation and well-being.
There are two key types of myofascial therapy. The first is called direct and it involves direct stimulation of the fascia or connective muscles. The practitioner seeks especially tightened areas and works the fascia to achieve relaxation of release. The goal is to stretch and elongate the tissue.
This technique is the most common type of myofascial technique and is believed to be the most effective. Since the tissues are worked directly, it is important to have someone do so who is properly trained in order to minimize the risk of injury or discomfort.
The indirect method of myofascial therapy attempts to achieve desired results without direct manipulation of the deep tissue. It is based on the theory that the body always tries to achieve balance and may not necessarily need to be forced to do so. In order to achieve myofascial release, the practitioner applies a light pressure for three to five minutes generally.
There have been a number of studies regarding myofascial therapy. None of them appear to conclude that it can indeed relieve pain. However many patients do report favorable results despite these findings. And the technique can be further improved if it is applied in conjunction with out techniques like electrical stimulation of the tissues.
In any case this is a technique which can have very desirable results when used properly. It can help patients to
overcome the pain the feel either from the disease itself or from the treatments he/she is receiving. It can help the person to relax and be better equipped to deal with the stresses associated with the onset of the disease and the course of treatment.
The ability to relieve stress and reduce pain can do much to improve the patient’s quality of life and put his/her in a better state of mind. It is very important to try to help people to feel better and myofascial therapy may be a very effective way to do so.
It is important to note that this technique is not intended to be a standalone treatment for cancer. Rather it is a very viable way to help to reduce the pain and discomfort associated with the disease or the undesirable side effects of traditional therapy.
