Beyond Relaxation: How Massage Therapy Helps Ease Persistent Pain
By Emily Ashburton-Dunning
Over the years, I’ve welcomed many clients through the doors of Ashburton Therapy Clinic, people carrying not just tension or stress, but very real, persistent pain.
Some arrive with tight shoulders and neck pain from long hours at a desk, others are managing the aftermath of injury, stiffness, scar tissue, aching joints, many live with chronic discomfort they’ve almost come to accept as normal.
Often, they come not for pampering, but for answers, relief, a way forward.
Massage therapy can really help.
It’s not a cure-all, but when done thoughtfully and professionally, massage becomes a powerful tool for managing pain, encouraging healing and helping people feel more at ease in their own bodies again. Here's how.
Unravelling the Body’s Protective Tension
Pain changes the way we move, our bodies learn to guard sore areas, tighten around them, avoid certain movements and over time, this protective tension creates even more discomfort.
Massage helps interrupt this cycle. By easing muscular tension and gently working into restricted areas, we begin to create space for healing. We remind the body that it doesn’t need to brace itself anymore.
Clients often say, “I didn’t realise how much tension I’ve been holding,” until they feel it release.
Supporting Muscular and Joint Recovery
Whether you’re dealing with shoulder impingement, a stiff lower back, or ongoing hip tightness, massage can help restore movement and reduce pain. Through focused, hands-on work, we improve circulation, bring oxygen to the tissues and ease the tight bands that build around injury sites.
I work slowly and specifically, always listening to the body, never forcing. This kind of care takes time, but it’s deeply effective.
Deep Tissue Massage: Targeted Relief for Persistent Pain
For clients with long-standing muscular discomfort, deep tissue massage is often the treatment I recommend.
This approach works into the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, those stubborn, tight areas that feel like they never fully relax. Whether it’s chronic neck stiffness, sciatica or that aching spot between your shoulder blades, deep tissue massage helps:
Break down muscle adhesions
Improve mobility and range of motion
Reduce inflammation and promote healing
Ease postural imbalances that contribute to pain
Yes, it can be intense, but it’s never harsh and it’s always tailored to your threshold, with your comfort as the guiding principle.
You may feel a little tender after the first session (a bit like post-workout soreness), but that often gives way to a real sense of release and renewed ease over the days that follow.
What Clients Often Ask Me
Will massage really help with my kind of pain?
If your pain is muscular or movement-related, there’s a strong chance massage can help, especially when used as part of a wider care plan. I’ll always take time to understand what’s going on for you, ask about your history and explain exactly how we can approach it together.
Do I need to be in pain to benefit from deep tissue massage?
Not at all., some clients book in regularly to stay ahead of tension before it becomes pain, but if you are in pain, that’s exactly what this treatment is for. It’s here to help you feel better, not just for an hour, but long after you’ve left the clinic.
How many sessions will I need?
That really depends on your body and the kind of pain you’re experiencing. Some people feel a big improvement after one session. Others need a series of treatments to fully address chronic issues. We’ll go at your pace and reassess as we go, always with your wellbeing in mind.
It’s OK to Ask for Help
Pain has a way of wearing you down, not just physically, but emotionally. I see that in so many of my clients: the fatigue, the frustration, the quiet hope that maybe this time, something will actually work.
If that’s you, I want you to know you’re not alone. Massage may not fix everything overnight, but it can help, it can bring relief, it can give you back some ease, some movement, some hope.
And that’s where healing begins.
You don’t have to wait until the pain is unbearable. You don’t have to tough it out. You deserve care that listens to your body, your needs and your story.
If you’re ready, I’m here.
Warmly,
Emily Ashburton-Dunning
