The unique treatment can have a remarkable impact on long-term healing and pain relief.
Despite being one of the most effective treatments for musculoskeletal pain, myotherapy sounds like a mystery treatment too many. We’re often asked ‘what is myotherapy massage?’ by clients who go on to experience amazing results in pain relief. Myotherapy is a form of manual therapy which focuses on the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain and associated issues. It aims to trace the original source of the pain, and treat both the cause and the symptoms by incorporating trigger point therapy with dry needling and a number of other soft tissue massage techniques.
If you’re an active person or someone who has regular massage treatments - you may be familiar with trigger points. You may not like the sound of them, either! As the name implies, trigger points are hypersensitive places in muscles that cause pain in response to stress - whether physical or emotional. Myotherapy is based on the notion that the release of stress in the muscle followed by rejuvenation of the muscle will help heal it and prevent further pain.
What does myotherapy involve?
To put it simply: a wide range of massage techniques. Myotherapy incorporates trigger point therapy with dry needling or whichever method of soft tissue manipulation will be most effective for you. Trigger point therapy involves applying pressure to strategic nerve endings throughout the body, to encourage the muscle spasms causing the pain to cease and release. Once the trigger points have been located and relieved, the therapist will work to rejuvenate, revive and heal the wider area by stretching it or incorporating dry needling. Dry needling involves the insertion of Filiform needles (don’t worry, they’re very tiny!) into the skin at trigger points to relieve a knotted muscle. The needles are fine and don’t inject any fluid - which is how it was named dry needling. Sometimes, other massage techniques like, cupping, shiatsu will also be used. Myotherapists can also provide nutritional advice, postural advice, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) and heat and cold therapy. It’s about treating the cause and symptoms of your stress holistically.
What is the difference between myotherapy and remedial massage?
We’re often asked this question, and we understand why! Both remedial massage and myotherapy can be effective in treating a range of muscular-stress related issues - and both can be hugely beneficial to your overall health. The key difference is that myotherapy involves dry needling and a broader spectrum of massage techniques and treatments to help relieve and treat specific trigger points. Myotherapists are qualified to treat joints, nerves, muscles and myofascial system (thus the name - myotherapy). Remedial massage, on the other hand, works with manipulative muscle methods to relieve pain and promote relaxation and has a number of unexpected benefits, including better memory and growing taller.
Who can benefit from myotherapy?
Now that you know what myotherapy is, and how it differs from remedial massage - you may be wondering if it’s the right treatment for you. Patients suffering from various types of head and neck pain can hugely benefit from this treatment. It can also help to promote more comfort for people suffering carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis. Research has also shown that myotherapy can help improve chronic low back pain, reduce stress and anxiety - as well as muscle soreness and fatigue - and contribute to effective pain management treatment for fibromyalgia. It can even be used to improve quality for patients with terminal illnesses such as cancer, and help reduce swelling in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis.
Myotherapy is one of our most frequently asked-about treatments, and one of our most effective when it comes to healing. Its unique use of trigger point therapy combined with dry needling and a broad spectrum of massage techniques make it an extremely impactful - and highly targeted - option for clients seeking long-term pain relief and improved quality of life. You can find out more about myotherapy or book an appointment with one of our specialists here.
