Massages regularly form part of spa treatments and pamper days. However, these times of relaxation are not the only times when massage therapy can be valuable. Massage therapy is also widely used by chiropractors as a very effective technique to help patients deal with a range of different problems that cause them to seek assistance to reduce their pain, improve their mobility and benefit their day to day lives.
Massage therapy is something that has been used for thousands of years and has evolved into varying techniques, each designed to create specific benefits. Here’s what you need to know about the different types of massage therapy and their benefits.
Swedish massage is the type of massage that most people will receive when they opt to visit a spa or beauty establishment for a massage. This is because one of the key benefits of this type of massage is relaxation. It uses kneading, deep circular motions combined with long strokes to help relieve patient tension. It is also effective at helping to manage mild pain, such as that which occurs when a patient has tight muscles or suffers from a condition like fibromyalgia which causes chronic pain.
As the name of this massage suggests, it is designed to target tissues deeper within the body. To do this, a great deal more pressure is needed, and some patients may find this uncomfortable. However, this massage is extremely effective at helping to reduce and even eliminate extreme muscle tension and manage chronic pain. Deep tissue massages are sometimes recommended following an injury. This is because they trigger an increase in the flow of oxygenated blood around the body, enabling it to reach any areas of damage and speed up the healing process. Although deep tissue massages generally aren’t recommended for relaxation, some patients do find that they help them to experience relief from intense stress or anxiety.
Trigger points are involuntary tight, tender spots in a contracted muscle that create pain and problems using it. You may also hear of them referred to as ‘knots’ in the muscle. In many cases, they may be a factor in both back and neck pain. Trigger point massages focus on relieving the pressure within a trigger point so that patients can enjoy less tension, reduce pain and potentially, better mobility making it ideal for those with chronic pain conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. The technique combines gentle, relaxing strokes with stronger, deeper pressure directly onto the trigger points.
As you may have guessed, sports massages are usually recommended for those patients who have experienced a musculoskeletal injury of some description. This could be from a single trauma or due to repetitive movement, such as that which occurs in tennis elbow. Sports massages work by improving circulation and increasing blood flow to the area, thus increasing the rate at which the injury heals. In addition to this, sports massages can be used on a regular basis to help reduce tension, improve flexibility, enhance performance and potentially even prevent future injuries from occurring.
Benefits of Massage Therapy: A Summary
As you can see, there are many benefits to choosing massage therapy provided by an experienced chiropractor. To summarize, these include:
– Management and control of pain without medications
– Reduction of pain levels without medications
– Reduced tension and stress
– Better quality of sleep
– Improved mobility
– Improved flexibility
– Enhanced physical performance
– Prevention of future injuries
– A greater sense of health and wellbeing
For more information about the benefits of massage therapy, or to schedule an appointment, please call Ocean Chiropractic and Health Center today.