Whether discomfort is caused by repetition, immobility, or strenuous activity, back pain plagues many of us at various points in our lives. Across North America, low back pain is one of the top reasons people seek out medical care, and it’s notoriously tough to remedy. Patients try out medicines, injections and even surgery, only to find that their pain remains – or in some cases worsens.
Increasingly, therapeutic massage is regarded as a valuable treatment option for patients who would rather avoid pharmaceutical options, or find that physiotherapy and chiropractic therapies do not provide complete solutions. Both upper and lower back massage has been shown to have numerous benefits, alleviating the source of pain and improving the patients’ quality of life in several significant ways.
Tension Release and Increased Range of Motion
The neck and upper back muscles may be tight and sore from sitting all day at a desk – or keeping up with a rigorous athletic training routine. A skilled MT uses a range of approaches, from Swedish massage to deep tissue techniques to ease tension and restore range of motion to this sensitive area. Lower back massage can help relieve pain caused by pregnancy, disc herniation, inflammation, and even bone or joint conditions. Lumbosacral area pain can cause patients to walk differently to avoid discomfort – overusing certain muscles while restricting the motion of others. By working to increase range of motion, therapeutic massage can address such imbalances and improve patient mobility.
Stress Relief and Relaxation
Expert manual therapy stimulates the release of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin – the body’s feel-good chemicals that not only provide natural pain relief but also boost mood and one’s general sense of wellbeing. For some patients, this means the option of reducing synthetic painkillers, and a degree of relief from anxiety and depression brought on by chronic back pain. And massaging the large muscles of the back has been shown to help patients fall – and stay – asleep, which is of course essential for optimal physical and psychological health.
Circulation and Healing
Another valuable benefit of back massage is its promotion of improved circulation. Administered by a registered massage therapist, treatment increases blood flow, carrying oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and organs of the injured area. And as circulation improves, so does the potential for massage to heal muscles and tendons that have become tight, weak or atrophied – and better blood flow can reduce recovery time for sore, tense back muscles. Increased circulation is particularly important for patients who have recently undergone back surgery, have scar tissue, or have suffered a sports injury.
