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Does Massage Therapy Really Help Back Pain?

If you are one of the many people who have had massage therapy, then you will know that yes, it does help with back pain. However, there are some of you reading this that have had a massage and found your pain became worse after it.

If used correctly massage can work wonders, it just won't work wonders for everyone. To understand this better you first must know more about massage and what it actually does.

What is massage therapy?

There are numerous to massage a muscle, you can have your spouse/friend rub your shoulders when you are stressed and you can feel great afterwards. This is still massage and has its benefits.

But therapeutic massage has its aim as relieving your pain. Massage therapy for back pain therefore uses a variety of massage techniques. You can be aggressive or gentle depending on your philosophy of massage.

The common forms used for back pain are: orthopedic massage, medical massage, sports massage, trigger point massage. These strive to work on specific muscles or areas that are causing your pain.

What does massage do?

When you rub a muscle, you are improving the flow of blood and lymph in the area. As the blood supply increases you remove the waste products which are the result of injury to the muscle.

Massage will also help muscles to relax as the fibers are gently stretched, this will also benefit your flexibility. People report other benefits of improved sleep, stress relief and general health benefits. Why?

There are more than muscles being worked on. There are many Acupressure points around the body, a lot that run either side of your spine. When you massage the area you will also stimulate these points and the benefits they bring.

Is massage therapy all you need for back pain relief?

Unfortunately not, sure it is a great way to relax your muscles and to stimulate the blood supply to the area. But back pain is not just caused by muscle tension.

Research has shown that back pain is caused by many micro-injuries that occur from your daily tasks - lifting, bending, twisting, and even prolonged postures such as sitting at your desk. These micro-injuries place tension on your joints and muscles, which then pull your spine out of alignment, creating spinal imbalances.

Massage will aid the muscle relaxation, but you still need to correct the weak muscles and other spinal imbalances. Massage just doesn't go far enough to give you long term relief.

Does this mean you shouldn't have a massage?

No, massage is a great tool. Once you have rebalanced your spine and removed your back pain, a regular massage has numerous benefits - removing stress, boosting energy and moods, stimulating Acupressure points and relaxing muscles.

You also get to lie down for half an hour or more, away from the stresses of work and home. This in itself is a great benefit for more than just your back pain. So find a good massage therapist, one that you trust your spine and health with and enjoy.