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New research on fibromyalgia is being done all of the time. The resultant volume of published studies can be overwhelming to keep up with. There is recent research and studies being published suggesting that one of the main components of the dysfunction of Fibromyalgia (aside for the nerves and brain signals) is the Fascia. This is known as Myofascial Pain syndrome but is often considered a symptom of Fibromyalgia. There are ways that you can treat this aspect of fibromyalgia in your own home with Myofascial release.

The fascia is the membranes that encase your muscles. It is similar to the “silver skin” that you find on beef. Studies show that this fascia membrane is an important part of the signals that cause the muscles to tighten and spasm. It is also an important part of the inflammatory reaction of the body. Other studies are showing that myofascial release can be very useful in treating myofascial pain. However, not everyone has the extra income needed to schedule twice-weekly Massage therapy appointments. There are ways to achieve the same results at home. Here is a closer look at Myofascial release.

At-home myofascial release

There are several tools and methods for performing Myofascial release in the comfort of your own home. Weight lifters and trainers do it all of the time. Here is the disclaimer right off the top: Myofascial release hurts! I mean it hurts really bad sometimes, and especially the first time. You are deeply manipulating the fascia and the muscle tissue. You will find that you might use more foul language that usual when performing these techniques, but once you get the knots worked out and continue doing it on a regular basis, studies show significant improvement in Fibro symptoms. Here are tools and methods for at-home Myofascial release.

Rolling it out

This is a common practice in the fitness world. You will need a foam roller. You basically lay the affected part of the body on the roller and use your body weight and rolling motion to work the deep tissue. I recommend rolling out your whole body, or at least more than just one muscle in the area that is having issues.

Tennis balls

Individual balls or two balls in a sock are great for a more targeted myofascial release. Just like the foam roller, you simply lay or sit on the ball and move back and forth to massage the deep tissue. This is also a great treatment technique for piriformis syndrome as well. I recommend that you look for balls from the dog toy section of the store. Dog toy manufacturers have started making solid rubber balls that can withstand the abuse that dogs can inflict on them. This makes them great for massage purposes.

Hand rollers

These are great for the legs and neck especially. They are a little difficult to use for the back and shoulders.

Yoga

Yin or restorative yoga can be very helpful for helping work out the tensions in muscles and fascia. There are several routines that you can do to help with fibro pain. You can even incorporate the balls and rollers into the routine for a more focused therapeutic effect.