A simple massage session can be beneficial when combined with traditional back pain treatment. It can help to alleviate pain and speed up recovery, even after weeks and months of flare-ups. When combined with other treatments, your body could feel at its best.
While there are many massage types you can choose from one session at a time, you’ll find one that suits your needs. Read on to discover what you have to know about massage therapy and how it can help with chronic back pain.
Choosing the Right Type of Massage
Choosing the best massage therapy can be difficult. One difference is that practitioners’ levels of training and experience vary greatly. Furthermore, the types of massage available vary greatly.
Swedish massage is the most common type of massage. “The majority of massage school graduates are proficient in Swedish massage, which focuses on relaxation,” says Arthur Madore, a licensed massage therapist at Osher Center.
Long, gliding strokes, kneading, friction, rhythmic slapping, and vibration characterize Swedish massage. Deep tissue, pressure point, Thai, and neuromuscular massages are all available.
Allowing Massage Therapy to Work
In the most rigorous studies, massage was found to be more effective than acupuncture and physical therapy. It is difficult to determine the optimal “dose” and frequency of massage for low back pain due to the small sample size of studies.
Massage can help with pain in the neck, knees, and hips, as well as other muscles, joints, and connective tissue. The evidence for these applications, however, is not as strong as it is for low back pain.
Check to see if your local hospital provides integrative or complementary medicine. Professional massage is usually included in these programs. You can also inquire about acupuncture and chiropractic treatments while you’re there.
What You Can Get From Massage Therapy
Massage therapy has numerous health benefits, including the following:
- Massage increases blood circulation, which aids in muscle recovery after exercise.
- Massage expands one’s range of motion. Muscle relaxation also promotes sleep.
- Massage causes endorphins to be released. Massage therapy has been shown to increase endorphin levels. Endorphins are serotonin-producing chemicals in the body that are extremely effective at managing chronic pain.
Neuromuscular massage therapy is the most effective treatment for lower back pain. Trigger point myotherapy is another term for it–the back pain is caused by soft tissue injuries, according to the American Academy of Pain Management.
Neuromuscular Massage Therapy (NMT)
On spasm areas, neuromuscular therapy alternates between increasing and decreasing pressure concentrations. Massage therapy pressure is often applied with the elbow or fingers. A muscle spasm should be treated with ten to thirty seconds of pressure.
Massage Therapy for Reducing Muscle Pain
Spasming muscles are painful to the touch. Pain is caused by ischemic muscle tissue. Ischemia occurs when a muscle is deprived of sufficient blood flow due to spasm. As a result, the following unfavourable process occurs:
- A lack of blood also implies a lack of oxygen.
- Lactic acid is produced when muscles lack oxygen.
- Lactic acid contributes to muscle soreness after exercise.
Lactic acid is released after muscle relaxation with massage therapy, and the muscle receives adequate blood and oxygen. Muscle spasms should be relieved by the massage’s pressure. It’s critical to communicate with your massage therapist about the pressure you’re getting, whether it’s too much, too little, improving, or deteriorating. The response of the therapist should be appropriate while giving just the right amount of pressure.
Conclusion
Perhaps a day trip to the spa isn’t just about healing your muscle tissues. The best thing about massage therapy is that it also helps clear your mind and put you in a good mental state. So go ahead and treat yourself to a deep tissue session to relieve tension from both your body and mind!
Are you looking for affordable massage therapy in Bondi Junction? Invigor Health offers specific services that cater to your needs. Book a session today and experience being pain-free!
