Rub That Joint and Muscle Pain Away 
by Steven Home, RH (AHG) as printed in Nature's Field
Anyone who’s ever rubbed a sore elbow or shoulder knows massage can bring immediate relief to pain and stiffness. But few realize what a potent tool self-massage can be in healing arthritic joints.
Inflammation causes tissues to swell, which means that excess fluid gets trapped in the spaces around the cells. This inhibits oxygen and nutrients from getting to the tissues and slows the removal of waste materials.
When we only take supplements internally for joint problems like arthritis, the lack of micro-circulation in the damaged joint makes it difficult for the nutrients and healing constituents to reach the areas where they are needed. Massage removes this excess fluid by pumping in into the lymphatic system. This removes waste material from around the cells and brings healing oxygen and nutrition to tissues. Since pain often indicates a lack of oxygen at the cellular level, massage can bring immediate relief from pain and promote long-term healing at the same time.
Of course, the effects of massage don’t last forever. Eventually, the pain returns. The problem is that chronic inflammation causes connective tissue to lose structural tone, which means it is very easy for a damaged are to swell again. The famous lymphologist, Dr. C. Samuel West, likened this to a balloon that has been inflated so many times that it has lost it’s elasticity. Thus, the area readily swells again.
According to Dr. West, if you could make the pain go away for even a short while by massaging the area, it was possible to get the tissue to heal completely. The key was to not just rub the fluid out until the pain stopped; it was to massage it often enough that you never allow it to swell up again. This keeps the fluid out of the tissue so that healing can take place.
So, if you can massage a painful joint or area of the body and make the pain go away, don’t wait until the pain has returned before massaging again. Massage the area again while it still feels good, or, at least when the pain has started up but is still at a relatively low level. Dr. West suggested that if the pain returns after four hours, then massage the area every two or three hours.
Don’t be discouraged; you won’t have to do this forever. If you do it consistently for a few days, you will be amazed at how quickly the area will start to heal. As you keep the fluid out of the tissues, the structural tone will begin to return, making it harder for the tissue to swell again. So, the longer you do it, the less often you will have to massage the area to keep it pain free.
You will eventually get to the point where you may not have to massage it al all, and this can start happening in as little as three to four weeks. You may not think you have time for this, but what’s the inconvenience of massaging an area half a dozen times a day for a few weeks compared to the costs and risks of surgery or long-term pharmaceutical use?
