September is pain awareness month, and those of us at Essential Massage Therapy in New Jersey are more than happy to join the cause and promote awareness! Every day, thousands of people are in pain. Your friends, your neighbors, your family—nobody is exempt from these challenges! Even worse, many who have relied on prescription painkillers find that they are developing dependence or tolerance—the medicines build up in the body, meaning that more and more are needed to relieve pain. Even those who never abuse these medications or seek them outside of their doctor’s office can become dangerously addicted. So what can you do about it?

The goal of National Pain Awareness Month is to make people aware of the effects pain can have on their lives… and to help promote other effective strategies. If you or a loved one is dealing with chronic pain, the first thing you should do is consult with a pain management doctor. While he or she may not know you as well as your primary care provider, a pain management specialist can help you to try alternative ways to deal with your pain, such as medications that work on nerves, body chemistry, or other issues. Your pain specialist may also recommend other changes, such as diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Each person is different, and each person’s pain management is different.

A popular technique to help manage pain is massage! Study after study has shown that massage is beneficial for back pain, migraine pain, joint pain, and more—just search the internet to find plenty of published studies supporting the use of massage for pain. At Essential Massage Therapy in New Jersey, we use a variety of different techniques in massage and aromatherapy to help our massage clients feel their best. While we are not medical doctors, we are experts in massage, and work with you to figure out what makes you feel better.

This month, challenge pain head-on with a strong plan and awareness: Awareness that you are not alone, and awareness that there are many options to manage pain. To start feeling your best today, set up an appointment with Connie at Essential Massage Therapy in Sparta!

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