You may feel like you’ve tried everything else possible to relieve your chronic back pain, but have you considered massage therapy? Massages are typically thought of as an indulgence, but massages have developed beyond relaxation and now include techniques to help aid in pain management. Keep reading to see how massage therapy can help you find relief.
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Back Pain
Massage has been used to aid in relaxation, but how does it work? There are various massage methods that each serve a different purpose, but a key advantage of massage is to get the blood in your body moving. Improving blood flow can stimulate your muscles and allow oxygen to return to the muscular tissue, helping it to recover from an injury while also providing a boost to your mood and energy. A bonus is that you experience a decrease in stress which in turn lowers your heart rate and blood pressure.
Massage Therapy Considerations
Of course, before seeking massage therapy for your chronic back pain, it is important to speak with your physician. If you have conditions such as burns, open wounds, deep vein thrombosis, osteoporosis, have inflamed muscles, or take blood thinners, your doctor may advise you against massage therapy and can discuss alternative treatment options to manage your back pain.
Reasons to Try Massage Therapy for Back Pain
If you’ve been taking over the counter or prescribed pain medication, massage therapy is a great drug-free alternative. Massage therapy offers short-term benefits, but with regular sessions, it can help to reduce how much or how often you find yourself reaching for that bottle of medication. Another reason to try massage therapy is that it can help you get more in-tune with your body, allowing you to become more self-aware of your pain and the relief you feel after each massage therapy session.
Types of Massage Therapy for Chronic Back Pain
Depending on the cause of your chronic back pain, there are several different types of massage that can be helpful. Here are a couple of techniques that focus on chronic back pain treatment:
- Deep tissue massage: Deep tissue massage focuses on using slow motions and deep pressure to reach muscles and tendons that are needing manipulation. Pressure is applied using hands, and sometimes elbows, to enable the massage therapist to get as deep as needed to apply enough pressure to the muscle or tendon. This pressure can feel uncomfortable, but it is necessary to help encourage blood circulation and enable oxygen to return to the muscle.
- Trigger point release therapy: Trigger point release therapy is built on the idea that pain in one area of your body can be related to something going on in another part of your body. Depending exactly where in your back you are experiencing chronic pain, the massage therapist may apply pressure to a trigger point that is connected.
Note: With these forms of massage therapy, after the first few sessions you may feel some soreness for a day or two, as oxygen and blood flow return to the muscles, but it will subside.
CBD Massage for Chronic Back Pain
Since hitting the mainstream market, CBD has been used for treating symptoms of anxiety and as a natural chronic pain reliever. Paired with massage, it can be beneficial in treating chronic back pain. CBD has a natural relaxing effect, which is an added benefit. Check with your massage therapist to see if this is a good option for you.
Frequency of Treatment
Massage therapy for chronic back pain is not a one and done treatment. It can take several treatments over the course of six to eight weeks to feel lasting results. Usually within just two sessions you should feel some relief, and if you don’t, you may want to consult with your physician to discuss additional treatment options.
If you are ready to find relief from your chronic back pain, or if you’d like to learn more about our massage services at Spa Solai, we have two locations in Tucson, making it easy to schedule an appointment. You can contact Spa Solai Skyline at (520) 447-7727 ext. 1 or Spa Solai 6th at (520) 447-7727 ext. 3.