Massage Therapy

H. Hooshmand, M.D.
Neurological Associate Pain Management Center
1255 37th Street, Suite B
Vero Beach, FL 32960

Massage therapy is practically indispensable for the treatment of CRPS/RSD, especially if the patient is undergoing trigger point injections, occipital nerve blocks, and paravertebral nerve blocks. Applying massage therapy immediately after having the above mentioned nerve blocks disseminates the irritating chemicals (e.g., nitric oxide, substance P, and CGRP) away from the area that the nerve block insertion has released the encapsulated chemicals and thus helps the elimination of the irritating chemicals by massage as well as application of moist heat. This is similar to trying to clean a swimming pool that has not been touched for a year. Obviously, the pool is full of residuals of chemicals that have been accumulated in the pool. It is not enough to partially clean the toxic chemicals, but it also needs the flushing of the chemicals out of the pool. The massage does the job of flushing of the chemicals out of the encapsulated areas making the chemicals accessible to capillaries, which absorb the chemicals and excrete them through the kidneys.