While a massage can be one of the most effective relaxation tools, targeted massage therapy can also play an invaluable role in your health and wellness. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association, 83% of respondents think massage should be viewed as a form of healthcare.
We here at Texas Spine Consultants couldn’t agree more. Our team, including Michael Hennessy, MD, Robert Viere, MD, Andrew Park, MD, Chester Donnally, MD, and Heidi Lee, MD, routinely recommend massage therapy as part of an overall treatment plan that can help restore pain-free movement in your spine.
Here’s a look at some of the many benefits of including massage therapy in your overall health and wellness plan.
Sure, a massage can be soothing, but we view it as more of a stress reliever, and this distinction is important. When you’re stressed, there are a number of physiological responses that occur in your body, including muscle tension and changes in your circulation. These responses are designed to help you flee or fight in a dangerous situation, but they’re designed to be only temporary.
When you’re caught in a state of ongoing stress, your body can pay the price. For example, if you have lower back pain or neck pain, being in a state of stress can exacerbate and prolong the pain due to muscle tension.
Through massage therapy, you can reduce your stress, which relieves the tension in your muscles and normalizes the flow of blood in your body.
Not only can massage therapy normalize your blood flow when you’re in a state of stress, it can even improve your circulation. The manipulation that occurs during a massage encourages your blood vessels to relax, allowing blood to flow more freely. When blood flows freely, it can deliver invaluable resources to damaged tissues, such as a herniated disc, to help them heal and repair themselves more quickly.
The muscles in your body are covered by thin membranes called fascia that help support them. Often, these tissues can tighten, which can lead to pain and discomfort. The goal of myofascial release is to relax the grip that these tissues have on your muscles.
The human body is equipped with a lymphatic system, which is designed to flush out toxins and waste, as well as regulate the fluid levels in your body. There are times when this system can become blocked or sluggish and massage therapy is a great way to encourage better lymphatic drainage.
When your circulation and lymphatic drainage are improved through massage therapy, it can help to reduce inflammation, which is one of the primary culprits behind pain and discomfort in your spine. By getting your healing systems to flow more freely through massage therapy, you can combat painful inflammation and stiffness.
The bottom line is that we feel you have everything to gain and nothing to lose by adding massage therapy to your health regimen.
If you’d like to determine if massage therapy can play a role in your spine health plan, please contact one of our offices in Addison or Plano, Texas, to set up an appointment.
