I was recently diagnosed by my MD with Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia: “a medically unexplained syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain and a heightened and painful response to pressure.” (American Chronic Pain Association)

My body is more sensitive and more inflamed than the average healthy body. My chronic pain is caused by the numerous health issues I’ve written about in the last few blogs. Fibromyalgia affects more and more of the American population every year, with various causes being infection, stress, PTSD, depression/anxiety, and so on.

Because a medical professional has dubbed me with the fancy label of “fibromyalgia positive” I can legally start getting prescriptions filled for western pain killing drugs that are highly addictive and temporarily sedate you, rather than healing the roots of the pain. I prefer to continue healing my body naturally, which includes my weekly massages at my local acupuncture clinic in NE Portland.

“Treating” myself to a massage has been an immensely beneficial practice. It is an entire hour, lying in a dimly lit room, having my masseuse Alisha slowly and methodically press into my sore, exhausted muscles and give me relief. It is one uninterrupted hour of peace, when I can meditate on God, on loving my body, in a safe space entirely focused on me. It is one hour a week when I simply tell someone what hurts, and she responds by using her small, strong hands to comfort me, to tell me wordlessly, “It’s going to be ok. I’ve got you. I’ll help make everything hurt less.”

Does this sound appealing to you? Did a deep longing start to stir in you, start to slowly wiggle its way to the surface of your skin? We all need to be touched now and then, in an affirming and non-sexual way. We all need some soothing, some of our daily tension and stress to melt away, a few moments of precious rest from the non-stop chaos of the outside world. You don’t need to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia to be deserving and worthy of a regular, monthly massage.

Many health insurances cover a part of the cost of therapeutic massage. Find a practitioner who takes your insurance, and your co-pay could be as little as $10! If your insurance doesn’t cover this, start investigating clinics in your neighborhood that offer massage and compare out of pocket pricing. I highly suggest asking friends and co-workers for referrals- the highest quality people always get sent to you like a beautifully wrapped gift from someone else in your circle who’s already benefited from their talent.

Do you treat yourself to lattes? To manicures? To eating out with friends? To that new pair of pants that make your butt look fabulous? I urge you, my darlings, to lay out your monthly budget on the kitchen table and take a hard look at how much you are spending on your mental and physical well being. Can you move some numbers around to allow for a once-a-month one hour sanctuary of deep relaxation and rejuvenation? I promise you the dollars will be well spent. I promise you that your quality of life will improve. You deserve to not just survive, but to thrive. Massages can ease you off the side of a crumbling cliff of desperation, and set you sanely back on solid ground.