If you or someone you love has neuropathy, you probably know how frustrating it can be. Living with this condition means becoming familiar with bouts of pain, tingling, and numbness, often in the feet and hands — and this daily discomfort can take a toll on a person’s well-being.
Since you’re here, you may be wondering if massage can help neuropathy. Are foot massages good for neuropathy? What about other parts of your body? And if it can help, how does it work?
In this post, we’ll cover everything you should know about massage and neuropathy, including massage therapy’s potential wellness benefits and how to decide if it’s a good fit for you.
What Causes Neuropathy?
Neuropathy refers to damage or disruption in nerves that commonly leads to numbness, tingling, or pain in specific areas. Some of its most well-known causes include:
- Diabetes
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Autoimmune disorders
- Chronic alcohol abuse
- Inflammatory conditions
- Chemotherapy
- Infections
With all this in mind, there are still many instances when neuropathy doesn’t have a clear cause. It can be frustrating to get to the bottom of the symptoms, and that’s why finding ways to improve quality of life is so essential.
Benefits of Massage for Neuropathy
Massage is thought to stimulate circulation, relieve tension, and offer other natural wellness benefits throughout the body. But how exactly can this help if you have neuropathy?
Here are four benefits of massage for neuropathy to know about:
1. Gets Your Blood Flowing
Circulation is key for optimal well-being, and that’s why people often talk about finding ways to improve it. This can mean exercising, quitting smoking, or drinking lots of water. And for some, it can mean making massage therapy a regular part of their routine.
It makes logical sense that massage is good for circulation, and research also seems to support this. In one 2014 study from the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers found that massage boosted skin temperature (and theoretically, blood flow) 25 minutes after receiving the therapy.
In some cases, poor circulation can be part of the source of numbness or tingling in the body. It’s thought that massage can combat this by boosting circulation and pushing oxygen and nutrients to areas that need it most.
2. Eases Pain and Discomfort
You probably know that massage is incredibly relaxing, but did you know that it has the potential to alleviate aches and pain? In a 2020 study, researchers set out to see how massage could help non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with foot neuropathy-related pain.
They found that a 20-minute massage session positively impacted patients’ pain levels (and even their sleep quality!) over four weeks.
3. Boosts Quality of Life
One of the most well-loved benefits of massage is that it can improve your quality of life — and this benefit can make a significant difference for those living with neuropathy.
One 2017 study found that aromatherapy massage significantly increased the quality of life scores in patients with neuropathy. Many people believe that massage provides these benefits through the numerous ways it supports physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
4. Promotes Relaxation and Stress Relief
Living with unpleasant sensations in your hands, feet, and other parts of your body can make everything feel a little more overwhelming. Neuropathy can be a source of stress, and some research suggests that chronic stress could even make symptoms worse.
For those living with this condition, massage can release stress and tension from the body. Lowering your stress means more relaxation, which can play a huge role in helping you feel better — both physically and mentally.
Should You Try Massage for Neuropathy?
Before you decide to jump in and try a hand or foot massage for neuropathy, you should talk to your doctor about whether or not it’s right for you. While most people feel that it helps, not everyone is a good fit for massage. It all depends on your current conditions and health.
If you find that massage is safe, enjoyable, and useful for you, you can begin a self-massage routine at home. You can try this with your hands or even with the help of a loved one.
There are also high-quality devices that can help you self-massage and unwind at the end of each day, without having to do it yourself (or recruit your loved ones to help!)
How to Choose a Massage Device
There are tons of massagers on the market — but for the most relief, you’ll want to choose a trusted device with advanced technology.
The MedMassager Foot Massager Plus is one option that is trusted by physicians and wellness-focused customers around the world. It uses therapeutic technology with 11 speeds and up to 4,000 RPM to help you customize the way you target discomfort.
MedMassager does not recommend using this device below the knees to treat peripheral neuropathy, or any time you have open sores or wounds. That being said, it’s still an exceptional healing tool when used as an indirect method for reducing swelling, boosting blood flow, and promoting well-being.
The Bottom Line
Overall, massage is a powerful way to improve your quality of life when living with neuropathy. Regular massage means more relaxation, less tension, and better circulation. Beyond that, it even has the potential to reduce pain.
Before you get started with any massage routine, be sure to check in with your doctor to ensure it’s safe and healthy for you.
Are you ready to reap the restorative, wellness-boosting benefits of massage? If so, be sure to check out MedMassager's range of therapeutic devices today.
For more information on using a massager when you have neuropathy, feel free to visit this page.
