The benefits of fascial counterstrain therapy just keep accumulating

Note: This column describes the author’s experiences with fascial counterstrain therapy (FCS). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy.

It’s still hard to believe how much I’ve benefited from adding fascial counterstrain therapy (FCS) to my self-care routine.

For the last year or so, my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) has been particularly difficult to manage. I’ve dealt with more pain flares, anxiety, and exhaustion than is typical for me, and on top of that, a bad fall from my horse resulted in a broken and dislocated rib and plenty of EDS-related soft-tissue problems. But since starting FCS, I’ve seen a dramatic reduction in my pain and mobility issues — not just those related to my injury, but overall with EDS. For the first time in ages, a pain flare actually started to recede on its own.

Usually, once an EDS pain flare starts, I’m out of luck until I can get in for some bodywork to calm it down. Recently, however, I experienced a flare after driving a lot over just a few days. I took some over-the-counter pain relievers to hold me over until I could get an appointment, but after a few days, I noticed I was actually feeling a bit better — and not because I was mentally blocking out the pain, as I often do. Instead, it seemed my body was calming itself down.

This is very rare for me. Typically, a pain flare snowballs, and I can’t stop the downward spiral on my own. This time, while I wasn’t magically at 100 percent, there was a significant improvement. While I still needed bodywork, the pain was nowhere near as bad as it could have been. My therapist focused on relaxing tight muscles and relieving soreness, rather than trying to play whack-a-mole with the all-over pain in my hyper-reactive body. I was shocked.

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That alone is fantastic, but I’ve also noticed that my stress and anxiety levels are much lower after a few sessions of FCS. I’ve always known that my pain and anxiety are intertwined, but this has really shown me how much.

In addition, my physical therapist was able to calm my badly irritated vagus nerve. The damage was causing me to get stuck in fight-or-flight mode, which resulted in heightened anxiety. Getting that calmed down — and now knowing there’s a way to do so — has been huge.

My body just seems calmer in general. It’s not as quick to flare, and I’m experiencing what I suspect is more “normal” soreness after activities like yard work instead of stronger EDS pain.

During my last few bodywork sessions, my massage therapist, Kim, has commented on how much stabler my body feels. I’ve gone from being hyper-reactive pretty much everywhere to hardly anywhere. And not only that, but Kim says she feels like she’s actually been able to make some progress with difficult muscle areas instead of spending the entire session putting out fires.

Of course, I still have not-so-great days when I’m feeling “funky but functional,” but I’m so thankful to now have another tool in my toolbox, both for maintenance and more acute issues. My experience with FCS has reminded me that new therapies and treatments continue to be developed, and trying new modalities may offer surprising benefits. I’m always on the lookout for ways to better support my body.

Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.