Massage and Lupus Treatment

Your lupus treatment can be supplemented with massage therapy. Massage for lupus can be used between flare-ups to help manage the pain and stress caused by the disease. When you get a lupus massage it's important to find a trained therapist that will know how to treat you. Let's look at what this disease is in more detail and how massage therapy benefits it.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease. The immune system turns on healthy tissue in the joints, skin, organs, and blood vessels causing damage to these systems. As with most autoimmune diseases, doctors don't know what exactly causes it. Women are more likely to suffer from it than men. It is also more common in African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans.

There are quite a few symptoms to this disease. It affects different people in different ways, so you'll see some people who are severely affected and some who aren't. Often people with this disease go through periods called flare-ups or flares when their symptoms show up. During these periods the sufferer may experience some or all of the following symptoms.

fatigue
weight fluctuation
joint pain
fever
rash on cheeks and nose
mouth sores
skin lesions
dry eyes
shortness of breath
chest pains
hair loss
memory loss
anxiety
depression

There are four types of this disease:

The Systemic form of this disease affects all the systems in the body.

The Discoid form affects the skin.

The Neonatal form is quite rare and affects newborn babies.

This disease can also be Drug Induced. It occurs because of a reaction to prescription drugs.

Depending on your symptoms and the severity of your condition your doctor will prescribe you medications as a lupus treatment. These medications have helped many people live an active life with this disease.

Massage Therapy

Massage can be used to supplement your lupus treatment. This disease causes quite a bit of inflammation. This inflammation causes pain that makes it difficult to cope with daily life. Massage can be used to push toxins out of sore muscles and decrease inflammation.

Massage reduces the amount of stress hormones in your body decreasing the anxiety and depression usually associated with the disease.

Just as every sufferer responds to lupus differently, every sufferer responds to lupus treatment differently. Some people may respond well to massage and others may not. When you get a massage for the first time, you should be sure to tell your therapist to start out with gentle strokes. As the therapist works and you are more accustomed to it you can get deeper work. There is no particular type of massage that works best with lupus treatment. Take a look at lots of different types of massage to chose one that interests you most. Remember don't get a massage during a flare-up.