Massage; Reflexology - Bursitis - Holistic Treatment

Massage

Gently stroking the muscles near the affected joint can ease both bursitis and tendinitis, says Vincent Iuppo, N.D., a massage therapist, a naturopathic physician and director of the Morris Institute of Natural Therapeutics, a holistic health education center in Denville, New Jersey.

Here’s the massage that Dr. Iuppo recommends: Lubricate your hands with vegetable oil or massage oil. (Scented oils can make the massage more pleasurable, Dr. Iuppo says.) Place your hands on the “belly” of the muscle you want to massage (the belly is the thickest part of the muscle). Use the effleurage stroke (page 570) to warm up the muscle for several minutes, then switch to the friction stroke (page 570) for another five minutes or so. Do not massage directly on the joint, because that could cause more pain and inflammation, says Dr. Iuppo. He suggests massaging the area for 10 to 15 minutes every day until the pain clears up or to help prevent flare-ups.

Reflexology

When working on your hands or feet, focus on the reflex that matches the part of the body where the pain is flaring up, says St. Petersburg, Florida, reflexologist Dwight Byers, author of Better Health with Foot Reflexology. For example, Dr. Byers says to work on the shoulder reflex if you have bursitis in your shoulder.