‘Oh, my back still hurts,” Jim groaned as he sat on the bed and bent over to pick up his shoe.

“Why don’t you try a massage?” His wife asked,  “My friend Carol swears massage is the only thing that can help her back pain.”

Jim sighed as he tied his shoe.  “I suppose I have tried everything else.  The chiropractor says my back is fine, just the muscles are tight.  My doctor gave me muscle relaxants, which I don’t like to take, and our insurance only covered four physical therapy visits.  Massage can’t hurt my back any more than it already does, I guess.”

Jim is typical of most Americans trying massage for the first time.  Many feel that it can’t hurt to try.  But what does massage do?  What kind of massage should you try?  Those are questions we can answer as massage therapists and will work with you to decrease your back pain.  The type of massage we do relaxes your whole back as well as your whole body, releasing endorphins that will take care of the pain.

Research on Massage Therapy

A July 2001 survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association found that the number of adults receiving massages from a massage therapist more than doubled since 1997.

Most healthcare providers are recognizing massage therapy as a legitimate aid for lower back pain and an effective adjunct to lower back treatments.  Fifty-four percent of healthcare providers say they will encourage their patients to pursue massage therapy in addition to medical treatment.

A study on massage and back pain conducted at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami in 2001 found that:  “Massage therapy Lessened lower back pain, depression and anxiety, and improved sleep.  The massage therapy group also showed improved range of motion and their serotonin and dopamine levels were higher.”

Benefits of Massage Therapy

According to the American Massage Therapy Association, research shows that massage therapy provides several important health benefits, including:

Improved blood circulation.  Massage increases blood circulation, which aids in recovery of muscle soreness from physical activity.

Muscle relaxation and improved range of motion.  Massage causes muscles to relax, which will improve range of motion and help insomnia.

Increased endorphin levels.  The increase of endorphin levels is actually one of the greatest benefits of massage therapy.  Endorphins are the actual chemicals the body produces that make you feel good, which is very effective in managing chronic pain.