If you were injured in an accident and are still suffering from chronic lower back pain, then you may want to see a chiropractor. A chiropractor can help in several ways. The most obvious is by giving you a spinal adjustment. However, he or she might also offer massage therapy treatments too. Here's how massage can help.
Improves Blood Flow
One benefit of massage is that it increases blood flow into the muscles being worked. Much like increased circulation from a heating pad decreases pain, massage can also help reduce muscle pain. Plus, when more blood flows into your muscles, it brings oxygen and nutrients along with it. These feed your muscles the building blocks they need to heal from injury and grow new tissue.
Relaxes Muscles
When you're in pain, you have a natural tendency to tense your muscles. This can lead to other problems such as muscle soreness and fatigue. Also, the tense muscles may cause you to carry yourself differently, which can pull your spine further out of alignment. Massage is very relaxing for both your body and mind. It is a form of stress relief that can help you let go of the tension in your muscles. Simply losing some tension in your muscles could be enough to reduce your level of pain.
Releases Trigger Points
You may notice when the therapist massages your muscles that you have specific spots that are tender. These sore spots are called trigger points. They are caused by muscle knots and adhesions that contribute to your overall back pain and interfere with healing. To work on this points, your therapist will do a trigger point massage, which applies deep firm pressure on the sore spots. This type of massage can be painful because pressure is applied strong enough and long enough to break apart the knots and adhesions in your tissues. When the knots are worked out, normal blood flow can resume and healing can speed up. Even though the treatments may sound aggressive, when you get a massage from a medical professional, you can be sure your back will be protected, and nothing will be done to make your condition worse.
Your chiropractor may perform some of these massage techniques or you may get the treatments from a massage therapist in the clinic. A therapist is well-trained in muscle function and location, and knows which muscles to concentrate on according to the type of back pain you have. You may notice relief after your first session, but you'll probably want to have multiple massage treatments over the course of your recovery. When massage is combined with spinal manipulation, you may finally get the relief you seek from your injured back.
Check with a doctor like Haring Marc DC for more information.
Share2 May 2017
Ever since childhood, I’ve been a driven person. Even as a young kid, I always strived to make good grades. With my schoolwork, I was never satisfied unless I made a perfect score. As an adult, I still tend to be a perfectionist. For instance, I won’t leave my home until every hair is in place on my head. In my career, I work diligently to please my many clients. Unfortunately, my perfectionist nature often causes me to become tense. Whenever I’m stressed about something, the muscles in my neck and shoulders become extremely tight. Sometimes, this issue leads to tension headaches. Thankfully, I know where to go when I begin experiencing muscle tightness. I visit my trusted chiropractor. On this blog, you will discover the methods a chiropractor uses to relieve tension headaches.
