Do you or a loved one suffer from chronic pain? Mainstream pain medications can often have unpleasant side effects. Many people are increasingly seeking options to help manage their chronic pain condition naturally. As a result, they are adding to their health care regimen ancient methods of healing like traditional Chinese medicine, meditation, herbal remedies, reiki and, of course, massage.

The National Institutes for Health defines chronic pain as any pain that lasts for more than 12 weeks, though it can persist much, much longer. Like acute pain, it may stem from an injury, but chronic pain continues long past the normal healing time for the initial injury.

Another cause of chronic pain may be an illness or a condition, such as fibromyalgia or endometriosis. In some people's cases, no known cause exists.

How Shiatsu massage can help

Shiatsu massage involves using the fingers, palms, elbows and feet to manipulate the body at specific points along the body's meridians, depending on the patient's specific condition. Your practitioner may also use gentle tapping, kneading or stretching techniques to alleviate your pain during a Shiatsu session.
Your practitioner will do a comprehensive diagnosis before treating you to understand your medical history, the areas of the body you are experiencing pain and what underlying problems you may have. Shiatsu combines the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine with the Western sciences to help make a diagnosis and determine a course of treatment.