Chronic pain resulting from surgery does not always need to be solved with more surgery. Alternative treatment modalities like massage therapy and acupuncture may be more effective and less invasive than more surgery to reduce or alleviate chronic pain. 

This is a topic I talk to people about nearly every day. 

As a massage therapist I am able to reduce pain levels and in some cases improve capsule contracture. It is important to note that in the case of capsule contracture you should see your plastic surgeon to rule out implant rupture. As long as that is not the case, a massage therapist may be able to reduce scar tissue. By treating the scar tissue chronic pain can be reduced.

I also recently experienced the benefits of acupuncture for my lymphedema. I have a low grade, well maintained lymphedema. However, I was starting to have nerve symptoms in my arm, pins and needles, sharp, sometimes shooting pain, and burning pain. After a few acupuncture treatments the nerve symptoms subsided and my arm is back to normal. 

It is important to say here, if you have been living with chronic pain for a long time, it may take a series of treatments to get you to a place where your pain is lessened for extended periods of time. This is a bit of a marathon commitment. If you commit to treatment and do your homework, chronic pain can often be reduced through massage therapy or acupuncture or a combination of the two.

This is not something that is often recommended by doctors. Again, I think it is because they do not know who to refer to or the success people are having.

Have you benefited from massage therapy or acupuncture?

Continue the conversation in the facebook group Surviving is JUST the Beginning or follow me on Instagram.