“Exercise is the best antidepressant and analgesic that’s ever been invented,” said Dr. Benedict Kolber of the Chronic Pain Research Consortium.
Dr. Kolber was moderating a panel at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society. His remarks were in response to the latest research findings – that moderate exercise reduces pain intensity in fibromyalgia sufferers while boosting the metabolism of key pain-modulating brain regions.
He continued, “But these patients don’t want to exercise. It hurts for them to move. That’s the challenge. Eventually it won’t hurt, but you have to get over that hump.”
That’s why the right exercise plan, along with the added support of skilled manual therapy, is essential for those with fibromyalgia or chronic pain. Modest efforts may be all that can be tolerated to begin with. But it’s important to take the first steps.
With time, your tolerance of exercise will increase, and the brain pathways that dampen your experience of pain will be strengthened, too.
At the same time, regular treatment with NeuroTactile® Therapy or another form of manual therapy can help keep pain levels under control while allowing for a gradually more active lifestyle.
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