In my first year of giving massages, I developed a style for reaching "Trigger Points" with a deep tissue massage that does not add pain, and the results have been dramatic, especially for people with chronic pain.

Pain is the body's way of telling us that we are doing or have done harm. To ignore it or suppress it (usually with medications) adds to the harm.

When I massage to reduce pain, I am extremely careful to work with my client to determine appropriate levels of speed and pressure. Adding pain is EXTREMELY counter-productive. It trains the client's muscles to expect pain, and they automatically tense up. This makes it difficult to massage to their deeper depths without using excessive force, which then adds more pain.

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