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Massage Therapy for Back Pain
Massage Therapy for Back Pain
By Brennan Howe
Massage therapy breaks down scar tissue and releases muscles from
spasms. It is becoming increasingly more recognized as a form of
medical treatment; a study by the American Massage Therapy
Association found that 54% of healthcare providers encourage massage
therapy, along with other types of therapy for back pain. Studies
have shown that massage therapy is more effective than both
chiropractic and acupuncture for relieving pain due to muscle
spasms. The benefits of massage therapy include improved
circulation, which helps alleviate muscle soreness; muscle
relaxation, which helps muscles move without pain; and increased
endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers. If muscle spasms do
not relax with massage therapy, that means inflammation is likely
present and cannot be treated with massage. So if you know your
back pain is due to inflammation, it won’t help to seek out massage
therapy.
You should be aware that the kind of massage you receive in a spa
is not the same kind of massage used to treat back pain. Swedish
massage is the most common type of massage found in spas and similar
places that offer massages, and while it feels good, it is too
superficial to reach deep tissue and muscles and have any lasting
affect on back pain.
The kind of massage used to treat is called Neuromuscular
therapy (NMT), or trigger point myotherapy. This type of massage
works to relieve pain by balancing the musculoskeletal and nervous
systems. NMT incorporates special massage therapy techniques,
myofacial release, and stretching to relive both acute and chronic
patterns
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of pain.
There are many massage training schools throughout the United
State. Along with massage, neuromuscular therapists study
neurological laws governing pain, the roles of soft tissue in pain,
and palpation, as well as anatomy, physiology, and the function of
the spine. In order to practice, massage therapists must be
licensed and you should make sure that when looking for a massage
therapist, you choose one that has had training in neuromuscular
therapy. To find a massage therapist, get a referral from your
doctor or contact the American Massage Therapist Association.
A neuromuscular therapist will ask you for all of the information
that other therapists do and examine your spine to determine where
exactly the pain is and what’s causing it. She will determine where
nerves are compressed and where they are trapped within soft
tissue. The therapist will work to relieve your with her
hands, fingers, elbows, and pressure bars, which are used to reach
deeper into spinal muscles and tendons. She will use some kind of
lubrication and start first on superficial tissue before moving
deeper. This should not hurt, but you will feel pressure, and you
may be sore afterwards due to the muscles releasing lactic acid.
The therapist will also palpate trigger points, elevated
neurological areas deep within the muscles. This may hurt
initially, but the pain should go away quickly as the therapist
continues to work. Back pain should respond to massage within four
treatments over six weeks. If not, massage is clearly not the best
treatment.
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