Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is much more than just a relaxing back rub. It can reduce pain, improve mobility for people during the recovery process after an injury, fix chronic issues, and improve the quality of life for people with hidden injuries or no injuries at all. Massage therapy is a great option for every kind of patient, and everyone can benefit from massage therapy.
Massage therapy is a great treatment option for people with chronic pain, whether from a personal injury, sports injury, or work injury. And it can help both the body and mind heal after trauma, such as a car accident. Although massage therapy has so many great benefits, many people don’t understand the full scope of what massage therapy is and all of the benefits it provides. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know regarding massage therapy, along with why it’s a great combination with chiropractic care.
What is massage therapy?
Some people only experience the benefits of a massage during vacation or from a willing partner when they have sore muscles. However, professional massage therapy goes way beyond the traditional relaxing massage.
In addition to relieving sore muscles, massage therapy can help people with injuries like whiplash after an auto accident, in addition to insomnia, fibromyalgia, headaches, and more.
Massage therapy, or therapeutic massage, is the manipulation of soft tissues in the body using hands-on techniques that can treat stress, pain, and injury. Massage therapy can be conducted by a professional like a masseuse, physical therapist, or chiropractor. It is very common for people to receive massage therapy in combination with chiropractic care.
What are the types of therapeutic massage?
Here are a few of the most common types of therapeutic massage:
- Deep tissue massages use sustained pressure on targeted areas and slow, deep strokes to treat issues in the inner layers of connective tissues and muscles. It promotes circulation and blood flow to the area, which can reduce soreness and promote healing. It is particularly effective for sports-related injuries.
- Trigger point therapy involves finding specific parts of the body where hard knots have formed and breaking up these knots under acute pressure. Trigger point pressure can release tension and stiffness, and result in pain reduction.
- Myofascial release massage targets pain from myofascial tissue. Myofascial tissue is the membrane that covers, supports, and connects muscles. Myofascial massage involves applying light pressure to the myofascia in order to reduce tension and pain.
- Swedish massage is one of the most popular types of massage techniques. Swedish massage is used to alleviate muscle tension and pain and eliminate stress in the body. Swedish massage can also improve energy throughout the body and improve overall health.
- Hot stone is a type of massage most commonly uses river rocks on various parts of the body. The rocks, which are flat from the river’s currents, are heated before being placed on your body. The rocks help the therapist to apply deeper pressure to areas of focus without causing any discomfort.
- Sports massages are specifically designed for athletes. They can be done before or after sporting events to loosen muscles and improve their range of motion or after a sports-related injury to promote healing.
Combining Chiropractic Care with Massage Therapy
Chiropractic care and massage therapy are complementary practices. They go hand in hand to give patients the best results and aid them in their journey towards wellness. Chiropractors and massage therapists can work together to improve overall treatment. Patients are often more satisfied with the combination of chiropractic care with massage therapy than just having massage therapy alone.
Chiropractic care focuses on problems related to the nervous system and musculoskeletal system, which greatly affect a patient’s help. Massage therapy focuses on deep tissue, soft tissue, and the muscles of the body, so both practices used in conjunction can provide synergistic benefits. In other words, chiropractic care paired with massage therapy can provide massive emotional and physical health benefits to patients.
