If you have lingering pain after an injury, and it should be gone, or if you have chronic or recurring pain from headaches, sinuses, hips, etc., you know how frustrating it can be to get lasting relief. Many people are taking matters into their own hands, literally by working on their own bodies. Why use self massage for pain? Here are some reasons.

Price

It is much cheaper to get a tool, or a whole arsenal of them, in fact, than to make regular visits to a massage therapist, bodyworker, or chiropractor for help. While I wholeheartedly endorse their services, realistically speaking, most people cannot afford them very often. (How I wish I could!)

Massaging yourself costs very little, yet the benefits are many. You can start with a simple rubber racquetball, which costs about one dollar at any sports equipment store. You cannot argue with that!

Convenience

You do not need to make an appointment, drive in traffic, find a parking space, or wait for an appointment to get help. You can do self massage at any time, and almost any place. (Sometimes this depends on your level of modesty!)

Control

You are the one in control of the experience when you massage your own body. You can pinpoint the area of pain, apply the exact amount of pressure you want, and determine when enough is enough. Even if your therapist or bodyworker has excellent communication with you, they cannot read your mind or feel what you are feeling. Only you can.

Knowledge

When you do self massage, you learn about your body and get in touch with yourself. You find out where you hold tension, what sorts of techniques work best for you, and what feels good.

When you focus on your body, you learn to trust your inner voice, that higher power or intuition. That is always connected to our natural, inborn desire for balance and good health. By working on your own body, you learn to tune into that and follow it.

Effectiveness

Self massaging works, period. It is effective and simple. You figure out where it hurts, find out where on your body to massage and how, and do it. You can repeat it several times throughout the day, if necessary, or use it when pain awakens you in the middle of the night.

Those are some of the reasons to use self massage for pain. If you have suffered with discomfort or muscle tension and are frustrated with your treatment results so far, consider taking charge of your body and working on yourself.