It's unusual for health insurance to cover massage therapy, but it may be covered if it's prescribed by your doctor or physical therapist. An alternative is for family members to learn massage. Schools often give short courses on the basics, and there are instructional books and Web sites. Users of the Thera Cane can apply massage to their own sore muscles or trigger points. There are benefits for the person receiving massage and for the person giving it.
Some people can do self-massage of pressure points on the head, face, torso and feet.
You can also use products that apply pressure on trigger points, usually involving hardwood or rubber knobs. Altaffer points to another significant benefit of massage. People with disabilities who are skinny and shy about their bodies live in their heads more than they live in their bodies. So it's nice to celebrate your body, give your body a treat every once in a while. Pinczewski takes Mestinon for his myasthenia gravis, and finds massage relieves the cramps that sometimes occur with the drug.