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Massage & Chronic Pain: What you Need to Know & VA Benefits
- Adrienne Osborn
- Feb 9
- 4 min read
I will start this article by saying that I’m a Marine veteran. I served honorably from 2001-2006 and am so thankful for the experience. My time in the military has facilitated my personal development, character, and grit. It was an excellent opportunity to mature and grow, secure college money, gain leadership/life experience, and even a home. I love my brothers and sisters in uniform and will spend the rest of my life fighting and advocating for their care and fair treatment.
For a long time, massage was viewed as a luxury relaxation experience to be enjoyed by a select few segments of society in the most painfully pretentious facilities. Thankfully that position is changing rapidly and for good reason. Massage is a critical part of any wellness plan and can be a game changing complementary health intervention when dealing with people who have chronic injuries and pain. Thankfully the medical community is waking up to the importance of massage and
research is being done on complimentary health integrations not only by society as a whole, but by the VA. The research and outcomes may surprise you.
First and foremost, an estimated 20.9 percent of the general population (18+) lives with chronic pain (CDC, Chronic Pain Among Adults, April 14, 2023). When you think about the statistic it is absolutely disturbing. For every 10 people you talk to on a daily basis, two of them are experiencing pain that has lasted longer than 3 months. 17.1 million people in the U.S. experience pain that’s severe enough to interfere with daily living. Among Americans living with debilitating pain, veterans are disproportionately affected (Taylor, et al., 2023). Specifically, those who have served are more likely to be diagnosed with painful conditions. Why is this? Well as a veteran I can tell you quite simply; our bodies are absolutely pushed to their limits. Knee hurting during a hike, keep moving. Back hurt after your MRAP flips; have some 800mg ibuprofen and take it easy for two weeks (turns out he had broken his back in more than one place and they never treated it). So because of the nature of the work and the importance of the mission, the human body and mind are taxed in every imaginable, and even some unimaginable ways. Physical pain, plus psychological distress, plus a less than ideal support system is a recipe for disaster. This is where complementary health interventions can be life-changing for veterans. This is where and how we can truly help.
So now a quick connection between chronic pain and massage. How and why does massage help? You can break the benefits down into two categories. The first is the general physiological things that happen within the human body when you get massaged. Your blood pressure decreases, sensory input interferes pain perception (see gate theory of pain), you relax, your body releases feel good hormones which also decrease the perception of pain, and you connect in a meaningful way with another human being who is there to support you (more feel good neurotransmitters are generated and this also helps pain). The second group of massage benefits is more specific. Simply put, tight musculature and soft tissue (think fascia) can cause pressure on nerves and other sensitive anatomical structures and cause pain, numbness, tingling, dysfunction, compensatory patterns, etc. Pecs tight? Well they pass over the brachial nerve plexus so what do you think could happen if a nerve was being pressed on by a muscle? Muscles of the head, neck, and shoulders are tight? The headaches that accompany these tight muscles are no fun. Low back mobility issues, well now the opposite side hurts worse than the original injury because you started walking silly so the original injury wouldn’t hurt as much. I could give examples all day long, but you understand. Long story short, massage is the manipulation of soft tissues within the human body, so of course massage can help. Lengthen shortened tissues, and shorten chronically stretched tissues to restore the body to a more balanced state and you’d be shocked at how pain and other chronic issues start improving.
So now the important part. How do I access these complementary health modalities through the VA? I don’t know if any of you have heard of the VA Community Care Program but it’s an absolute gold mine for veterans that live with chronic conditions and haven’t had the best outcomes with traditional medicine. There are eligibility criteria that must be met and you can find them outlined at:
So what the VA’s Community Care Program does is provide an avenue for veterans to receive necessary critical and complementary health interventions outside of the VA system when the VA is unable to provide them. This includes massage. This includes acupuncture, hypnotherapy, rehab, long-term care, etc. Please advocate for yourself and use your benefits! You can find more specific information about these benefits, what is covered, and how to access them at:
There is hope for those of us who live with chronic pain. There are programs that vets can utilize to gain free/low cost access to these services within a network of VA approved providers. There are complementary modalities like massage, acupuncture, and other forms of body and energy work. If you have questions or need help understanding, advocating, or gaining access to any resource, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Integrated Bodywork and I would be happy to assist you in any of these areas. I don’t always have the answers, but have good luck finding people who do. It isn’t always easy, but you have the support to navigate these sometimes challenging and frustrating waters. If you are or know a veteran who would benefit from massage therapy services but s/he doesn’t have the ability to pay, please contact me so I can facilitate their treatment and connect them with the appropriate people, agencies, treatment modalities, and resources.
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