Can Myofascial Release Therapy Help With My General Aches And Pains?

Do you experience pain or discomfort in your back, neck, or shoulders?

Perhaps you're dealing with a chronic condition like fibromyalgia, nerve impingements, or tendonitis.

If you're like most adults in America, you probably have a range of aches and pains that never seem to go away. Chronic pain, stiffness, and tension become increasingly common daily as we age.

Unfortunately, these minor issues, whether chronic neck pain or a nagging twinge in your back, can add up over time.

Chronic pain can significantly affect your quality of life, physical health, and mental and emotional wellbeing.

As a result, you may be tempted to turn to traditional pain management methods such as medication and surgery, which can come with various side effects.

But what if there was something that could provide relief from this discomfort?

A natural, non-invasive technique that could provide relief without any side effects.

Enter Myofascial Release Therapy - a therapeutic treatment that targets the underlying root cause of general aches and pains and gets rid of them for good. If you’re frustrated with the limited options provided by traditional healthcare treatments, Myofascial Release offers a solution without any harmful side effects. 

When traditional treatments fail to provide relief, it can be easy to feel discouraged. That's why myofascial release therapy is such a game-changer.

This innovative approach applies pressure to your body's fascial system, helping to release restrictions and promote healing.

As a result, myofascial release therapy can help you find relief from chronic pain and/or overcome injury by harnessing the power of your body's natural alignment and mobility.

But what is it, how does it work, what conditions can it treat, and what are the benefits?

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What is Myofascial Release Therapy, And How Does It Work?

Before delving deeper into how MFR works, let's first explain "myofascial tissue." The strong, fibrous connective tissue that surrounds and supports everything in your body – including your skin. It contains elastin fibers that provide flexibility and strength.

But when subjected to prolonged stress caused by injury, poor posture, or surgery, it can develop tension areas that cause pain and decreased range of motion, causing a domino effect that can cascade into and cause havoc in all areas of your body. 

Myofascial Release Therapy is a specialist form of hands-on treatment that focuses on releasing this excess tension and the restrictions in your fascia (the connective tissue surrounding your muscle, organs, and just about everything else in your body).

When left unaddressed, excess tension in the myofascial system can cause pain and restrict movement.

Working with a specialist myofascial therapist will help resolve trigger points in restricted areas of the fascial system, increase range of motion in affected joints, improve muscle function, and create an increased sense of overall well-being. 

It is a natural and effective way to address chronic pain and mobility issues. 

Unlike traditional massage techniques, Myofascial Release Therapy requires active participation and adoption of an effective at home treatment program to best uncover areas of tension and restriction that may otherwise go unnoticed. 

What Are The Benefits of Myofascial Release Therapy For General Aches And Pains?

If you deal with daily aches and pains, we urge you to consider having a course of myofascial release therapy sessions with us.

This specialized treatment relieves the tension and discomfort that can form in your body from the overly tight and thickened fascia.

Using gentle pressure and specialized muscle and connective tissue elongation techniques, our treatment helps eliminate pain, improve your mobility, and promote a feeling of lightness and wellness in your body.

Whether you have chronic pain or want to enhance your physical performance and recover better, myofascial release therapy can help. 

What Type Of Aches And Pains Does Myofascial Release Therapy Treat?

Back Pain: 

Myofascial Release Therapy is an effective treatment for back pain related to poor posture, injury, or surgery.

It also helps to release the chronic tension that most of us hold in the myofascial tissue in the back and spine to promote healing and prevent future injuries.

Neck and shoulder pain: 

Myofascial release therapy relieves neck pain and shoulder stiffness by releasing tension in the entirety of the body and improving blood flow to the affected areas, restoring natural movement, and reducing pressure on the myofascial tissue in the cervical spine. 

Nerve impingements and tendonitis: 

Myofascial release therapy can aid the healing process for compressed nerves and swollen tendons by reducing pressure and promoting blood flow.

Weak and painful joints: 

Myofascial release therapy can restore the natural range of motion and functionality in joints affected by wear and tear and osteoarthritis, reducing pain and stiffness.  

Chronic and systemic conditions: 

Myofascial release therapy can also alleviate the symptoms of chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. 

How Does Myofascial Release Work?

As we’ve already covered, Myofascial Release Therapy is a form of alternative therapy that targets your fascia, the thin connective tissue surrounding your muscles and organs, nerves, eyelids, and everything else. It focuses on releasing tension and pain by applying pressure to certain areas of your body.

Myofascial Release Therapy is better than conventional pain management methods because it provides more longer-lasting results that medication often does not. 

It effectively eliminates tension and restores natural elasticity.

But how does it work?

The John F. Barnes' approach to Myofascial Release Therapy that we use at Release Works involves the application of gentle pressure on specific areas for a minimum of 3-5 minutes, which is required in order for the collagenous aspects of myofascial restrictions to begin to soften and solidified ground substance to begin to rehydrate. Anything other than sustained pressure, that the body does not perceive as "danger" or "injury", will produce temporary results. 

Specific pressure, for sustained amounts of time, in a specific way unique to your body, into areas of fascial restriction, is essential for promotion of long-term healing and significant pain relief.

Its gentleness makes it suitable for pressure-sensitive patients. It is an effective, natural, and safe method of treating chronic pain.

It can help alleviate pain and improve mobility and functionality without any of the side effects associated with conventional pain management.

There are other techniques that we DO NOT use due to their limited long term effectiveness in reducing aches and pains. These include:

Rolfing: 

Rolfing involves manipulation and realignment of the fascia and bones in your body to improve posture and alleviate pain. It is a forceful, and frequently intensely painful, method of breaking up fascial restrictions. 

Structural Integration: 

Structural Integration helps your body move more efficiently by improving alignment and balance. It is a protocol based therapy that is applied in the same way to every body. It is also a forceful, and frequently intensely painful, method of aggressively breaking up fascial restrictions. 

Again, to be clear, these are NOT methods we use, although they are a form of myofascial release. 

How To Prepare For A Myofascial Release Therapy Session

Myofascial Release Therapy has the potential to provide relief from a range of different symptoms that are often associated with chronic pain.

Addressing and resolving myofascial restrictions in the body allows bones and joints to naturally realign, restoring better balance to the body. For those struggling with chronic pain or mobility issues, it is often the only thing that helps.

When you are preparing for a session, there are a few things you can do to maximize the benefits of the treatment:

These simple steps can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your Myofascial Release Therapy and how you feel in general.

The Myofascial Release Therapy Experts

At Release Works, we are proud to provide a unique form of holistic healing that helps the body restore its natural balance.

We reduce pain and inflammation, improve mobility and flexibility, and alleviate many other physical ailments using gentle pressure and John Barnes myofascial techniques.

But this therapy goes beyond just physical benefits - it can also profoundly impact your mental and emotional wellbeing.

By promoting relaxation and reducing stress, we help you feel more energized, playful, and youthful.

Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, recovering from an injury, or just looking to improve your overall health and wellness, let us help you restore balance and vitality to your life.

It is a powerful therapeutic technique that can help alleviate pain and discomfort throughout the body, including weak or painful joints, conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches and migraines.

You CAN find relief with myofascial release therapy. Don't let pain and discomfort hold you back – book a free consultation.