Massage therapy and chiropractic care both provide a wide variety of positive benefits to the body, mind and spirit. These holistic hands-on modalities are natural and drug-free methods for addressing conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system. These include pain relief, improved mobility and posture, and a general feeling of well-being. They can enhance athletic performance, help reduce the symptoms of chronic health issues, and ease a variety of other common ailments.
When massage and chiropractic treatments are combined, they achieve synergistic effects, increasing the effectiveness of each treatment. The two techniques work together to create an integrated approach that improves overall health and function while reducing the recovery time for most ailments. Aside from providing a great deal of pain relief, therapeutic massage and chiropractic work well together to improve the body’s overall structural integrity, which leads to better balance and a sense of whole-body well being.
Often, the root cause of a patient’s condition may be found in multiple places. As such, a chiropractor will typically use several diagnostic techniques before making an adjustment to alleviate a patient’s pain. This may include imaging or lab tests such as X-rays, CT scans or MRI. Chiropractors also work closely with other health care professionals, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists and massage therapists.
Aside from addressing spinal misalignments, chiropractors frequently refer their patients for massage therapy because it is an effective way to manage pain and treat a wide range of other health conditions. Adding massage therapy to chiropractic treatment allows the therapist to loosen muscles and ligaments, making it easier for the chiropractor to restore proper alignment of the spine and reduce muscle tension and stiffness. Massage therapy also helps to increase a patient’s tolerance for adjustments, as it lowers the level of discomfort associated with spinal manipulation.
In addition to the physical benefits, therapeutic massage also has psychological and emotional benefits. The gentle manipulation of the muscles and soft tissues of the body encourages the release of endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers that promote relaxation and decrease stress hormones. It also helps to improve circulation, which increases oxygen and nutrient delivery throughout the entire body. This enables the body to heal more quickly and reduces inflammation and swelling in injured tissues.
In combination with chiropractic care, massage therapy provides even more significant and longer lasting results than either technique alone. A relaxed body is more open to treatment and is able to absorb the healing properties of chiropractic adjustments, which are known to work deeper than other forms of manual therapy. In addition, a combination of massage and chiropractic can reduce the duration of treatment, as fewer visits are required to achieve a desired result. This means you can spend more time doing the things you enjoy without the aches and pains of an unhealthy body.