A therapeutic massage involves the application of the hands or elbows with the intention of solving a physical problem, such as back pain. Alternatively, non-therapeutic or relaxation massage is more passive and is typically used to promote comfort.
Most massage techniques are designed to promote pain relief, stress reduction, and improved movement in daily living. Chronic pain can cause stress levels to rise. Your muscles become tighter, which can contribute to pain levels and lack of mobility over time. It can become harder to sleep, mental health issues can be exacerbated and your digestive system can be affected. These are only a few of the results of prolonged stress, but needless to say stress worsens the symptoms of chronic pain. The stress and pain cycle can be a tough one to break. However, massage is one approach which can help.
Massage therapy is turning out to be more broadly accepted as a dependable treatment for many types of pain within the medical community. It is also accepted as an adjunct to other medical treatments. In general, massage is rarely given as the primary or sole treatment for pain management. It is often employed as one factor of therapy and to aid in preparing the patient to partake in exercise or other treatment methods.
Regardless, Chiropractic care often coupled with massage can be an essential and operative component of your pain management routine. In general, benefits of massage therapy include: increased blood flow and enhanced circulation; muscle relaxation which subsequently improves range of motion; increased endorphin levels; improved sleep and lessened bouts of insomnia. Below is a quick summary on various types of massage that may be appropriate to help relieve your pain.
Swedish Massage
This is the most popular type of massage, therefore, most research regarding the benefits of massage have utilized Swedish massage techniques. It is important to note that Swedish massage is very gentle and does not target precise pain points or apply deep pressure. It is widely recognized as being highly relaxing which is excellent for sufferers of acute or chronic pain. Despite how mild Swedish massage is, it enhances blood flow and thus can aid in the removal of excess lactic acid from muscles, thereby helping alleviate muscle pain and can be more suitable for the elderly and those with more fragile health.
Neuromuscular Massage
This type of massage therapy is also known as “trigger point” massage due to the fact that it targets regions of tension and muscular spasm in the back. The massage therapist directs pressure to a particular region of interest. Neuromuscular massage can sometimes cause soreness at the outset since the focus of its pressure is directly on tender regions. Be sure to communicate with your therapist to identify the appropriate pressure. Similar to Swedish massage, neuromuscular massage also works to flush lactic acid out of the muscles to alleviate pain. It is always advised to hydrate well before and especially after a neuromuscular massage.
Acupressure
This type of massage stimulates vital spots on the body to impede pain sensations and stimulate the natural pain relievers of the body. In general, the best approach for pain relief is to apply sustained pressure on vital points for one to three minutes. This pressure is applied by using hands, fingers, or other devices and can be incorporated into other various types of massage as well.
Shiatsu
This form of massage is very similar to acupressure, as the word shiatsu literally means “finger pressure”. The primary difference is that practitioners of shiatsu do not use their full hand to apply pressure – only the fingers are used.
Chronic pain can often cause constricted blood flow and can be one of the issues in muscle knots. Massage therapy works to increase blood flow to the affected areas as well as works the excess toxins out of the tight area. Muscles are also relaxed throughout the massage process, helping to shed a lot of the tension. Massage therapy offers pain relief benefits by increasing circulation and causing the brain to produce ‘feel good’ chemicals. Ultimately, massage therapy not only targets painful areas, but also addresses full regions of the body leaving them feeling refreshed. We’ve found that many conditions can benefit from massage therapy, including:
- Back pain
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Joint pain
- Neck pain
Since massage therapy is non-invasive and quite safe, we feel that there’s very little to lose and everything to gain by adding massage therapy to your overall treatment plan. Achieve pain relief with Magic Touch Therapeutic Massage and Spa in Slidell.
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Established in Slidell in 2016, Magic Touch Therapeutic Massage and Spa has been dedicated to enhancing well-being through specialized massage and healing techniques. With over two decades of experience, our services range from deep tissue and medical massage to myofascial release and trigger point therapy. Our intuitive and skilled approach has successfully treated a variety of conditions, including sciatic pain, fibromyalgia, and migraines, offering not just relief but a renewed sense of well-being.