More on Massage Therapy And Chiropractic

Massage Therapy is available at Move Well Chiropractic!

Massage Therapy is available at Move Well Chiropractic!

When you are injured there are various phases you must go through to recover. The most important is the “pain phase”. Massage and chiropractic together are incredible in getting you through this phase. You heal much more quickly when the muscles are relaxed (massage) and the nerves have no pressure on them (chiropractic).

Before an adjustment, massage helps to stabilize the spine, creates greater blood circulation, relieves muscle tension and warms the soft tissues making the joints more pliable and easily adjusted. Following an adjustment, massage can be used to further relax you, allowing the chiropractic adjustment to be more effective.

Also, both massage and chiropractic are known to release endorphins and serotonin, the body’s natural pain killers. If you have been in an auto accident or work related injury, these two forms of therapy combined together provide the fastest form of care to get you out of the pain phase.

Other Benefits Of Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy:

  • Reduces stress related tension, which experts believe accounts for 80-90% of disease
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Improves circulation of blood allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs
  • Helps relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain
  • Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication
  • Fosters faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments; reduces pain and swelling; reduces formation of excessive scar tissue by encouraging elasticity
  • Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion
  • Enhances athletic performance by reducing recovery time for strenuous workouts and eliminating subsequent pains of the athlete at any level
  • Enhances the health and nourishment of the skin
  • Improves posture
  • Stimulates the lymphatic system, the body’s natural defense against toxic invaders
  • Improves immune function
  • Improves sleep
  • Can help nervousness, anxiety and depression

How To Get The Most From Your Massage

  • Arrive on time. If you arrive in a frenzied, rushed state, it will take longer to get to a relaxed state. If you need to cancel please let us know with at least 24 hours notice.
  • Try not to eat just prior to a massage session.
  • Good communication is very important. Before the session, let your massage therapist know what your needs are. During the massage session, report any discomfort, whether it is from the massage or due to any problems or distractions related to the environment, e.g., room temperature, music volume, lighting, etc. Feel free to give feedback to the massage therapist regarding the massage, e.g., amount of pressure, speed of movement, etc.
  • Give the massage therapist accurate health information
  • Don’t be afraid to discuss any apprehensions or concerns. It is important that you be as comfortable as possible during your massage. Your massage therapist is a professional dedicated to do her best to help you feel at ease.
  • If you do not want to remove all your clothing, wear clothing that you will be comfortable wearing during the massage and will allow the massage therapist to touch and move the areas of your body you expect will need to be worked on.
  • Tightening up, i.e., contracting or hardening your muscles during the massage is counterproductive. If you are able to, relax those muscles. Let your massage therapist know this is happening. They may need to adjust the massage technique being used. They may also be able to help you relax the affected area.
  • Breathing helps to facilitate relaxation. People often stop or limit their breath when they feel anxious or when a sensitive area is massaged. If you realize you are stopping your breathing, let yourself breathe.
  • If you are dizzy or light headed after the massage, do not get off the table too fast.
  • Drink extra water after a massage.
  • Allow for some open, quiet time after your massage session if possible.

Sometimes one needs a little time to integrate or absorb the results of the massage session or needs some “re-entry” time. Massage has its greatest benefits over time. The therapeutic effects of massage are cumulative, so the more often a person gets a massage, the better he or she will feel and the more quickly one’s body will respond. From one session to the next, relaxation deepens as the chronic patterns of stress in the body are affected and released. These changes are readily felt in day-to-day life as well, which adds another dimension of reinforcement. If you are getting massage to address chronic muscular tension or recovery from a soft tissue injury, more than one session is usually needed, so be prepared to schedule several sessions.