I go maybe 2x a year to treat myself for a massage, but not a 'Swedish' or energetic massage; it does need to be an 'orthopedic massage', if you want to ease out tightened muscle parts, like for me in chest and shoulders, due to my asthma...but that Is muscle-work and may, will hurt a bit.. yes, lots of drinking and an Epsom-salt-bath will ease the muscles into the new released position..you Will feel looser and taller and can open out your arms again.
Much nicer is a healing massage, @A MyFibroTeam Member - from a person , who 'knows' in her hands, feels the energy-streams and can do laying hands on energetic healing, too: because they work not only with the bone, skeletal& muscular structures like physio-therapists and masseuses, but also with the energy-streams. There the 'touch- and senses-benefit' is most wonderful, when they also use aromatic oils for the massage! That is the ultimate feel-good massage , also with longterm benefits.
And for the acutest pain, and a release -{which can also be emotional- emotions tighten muscles!} or after an accident recently which jolted up into my hip, from a jerk and bump of the knee on the dash-board:
I go to an Osteopath or better a CranioSacral-Therapist, which is the 'gentlest' touch, you barely feel it,
( they even work through the clothes), but place their fingers w smallest pressure on the relevant nerve-points( Not your trigger-points) from the skull and neck down to the sacral bone and pelvis, incl feeling at the feet, the energy streams, and the therapist can actually tell you where, what happened at the accident and release it, there and then: I can 'sense' it more& more now, am aware- also a shifting in my emotions, or change of breathing/coughing, when something 'gives'and more, while they are actually working on me. and I can feel taller, freer straight away... after.
The knee may come back w pains a bit in bad weather but at least it didn't jolt me into a total sciatica -attack!.
Once, the SC -Therapist also treated severe TMJ-like pains and tightnesses neuralgia -like pains in face & head,+sinus' pressure all w gentlest of stimulation w 'Fingers only' of underlying lymph- and nerve-/ energy meridians in face , neck and back of skull: All that was affected -without me knowing from a series of dental extractions from 1/2 a year before.. - it saved me from thinking, I had soo bad tooth-ache, and would have to pull another tooth!
Lots of water and rest after such a treatment , for the muscle and energy streams to settle.!
So you see, I think various forms of Physical therapy - to alternative integrative Therapies- like SC-Therapy DO have a place, particularly with Fibromyalgia!.
For me, in fact, Before long-term heavy-duty pain-killers of the opioid kind!!

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My partner massages me on a regular basis. Does help even if just short term but any relief is welcome

I used to get Swedish massages 2 or 3 times a week, it helped immensely, then my insurance quit paying for it and my budget put a halt to it. I recommend everyone try it!

Hot stones massage!

Thank you @A MyFibroTeam Member and @A MyFibroTeam Member for your very helpful comments. I think I am going to start going more regularly for massages and maybe try a different one each time until I find one which helps me the best.

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