The goal of Myofascial Release is fascial freedom. Many people experience feelings of deep relaxation during a session and are left feeling lighter in their bodies with relief of pain, a decrease in symptoms, or a greater range of motion. For others, the process can kick off what some refer to as a “healing crisis,” “rebound effect,” or “therapeutic pain.”
A healing crisis is a temporary increase in symptoms after treatment. It’s also an indication of the body’s desire for healing.
The Healing Crisis with MFR
John Barnes is famous for saying, “With Myofascial Therapy, the worst thing that can happen is nothing.” What John is explicitly speaking of is injury, and when Myofascial Therapy is performed correctly, this is true. The treatment should never injure. However, it’s possible to experience unusual or uncomfortable symptoms during and after Myofascial Release in the form of a healing crisis.
A healing crisis is a temporary increase in symptoms after treatment. It’s also an indication of the body’s need for healing.
Why does a healing crisis happen?
The short answer is that no one knows. There are theories ranging from those presented by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D in The Body Keeps the Score, to those who believe a healing crisis is related to a release of toxins. I tend to subscribe to both theories, but in terms of myofascial release, I believe it’s often the resurfacing of old memories, emotions, and stress that have been frozen in the body, creating physical, emotional, and mental imbalances. When the body is properly supported and ready, old stresses can resurface, presenting a chance for you to feel them and release them in the present moment.
“For real change to take place, the body needs to learn that the danger has passed and to live in the reality of the present. | Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D”
John Barnes Myofascial Release is well suited to support the physical component of the healing process—it treats and affects the whole body, not just the site of the symptom, while respecting the body’s timeline for healing.
How long does it last?
With Myofascial Therapy, things sometimes feel worse before they get better. It’s uncomfortable to feel everything we’ve tucked away in our bodies, but feeling is a path to healing. And while most symptoms should clear up within 24-48 hours, the healing crisis can continue longer for some.
Over the years, most of us have learned to shut down the communication between mind and body. We are taught not to show emotions and to push through pain. In this state, pain is the only form of communication that can get our attention. After treatment, sometimes it’s not so much a matter of new or more intense pain but rather increased awareness as we learn to tune into the signals the body is sending.
This is happening to me! What should I do?
When you are experiencing a healing crisis, a gentle reminder that you don’t have to figure out the cause of what you’re feeling. A story is not needed for healing. All you have to do is process the sensations in your body. Don’t force. Don’t resist. Text me if you need me, and remember, you don’t have to “feel” it all at once. You are in control and can choose to feel as much or as little as you are ready to process at the time.
Let the healing process be simple. You have tried to figure it out long enough. If you could have figured it out, you would have done that by now. Let go, trust your body, and allow yourself to heal.
Finally, if needed, seek someone who can hold space for your emotions, like a trusted friend, life coach, or talk therapist. These feelings are coming to the surface to be felt. It’s okay to nurture them and yourself.