This Old Therapy Can Make You Feel Brand New

By Dr. Dave Edenfield

When people think of going to the doctor, their first thoughts are of getting an injection or having to take medicine that tastes bad.  Therefore many people have an aversion to going to the doctor.  But what if there was a therapy that felt good?  Would that change people’s opinion?  Well there is one form of deep tissue treatment that we use in our chiropractic practice that not only feels good, but it works to solve a number of clinical issues.  Our patients call it a godsend.  We call it massage therapy.

Massage has been used to treat stress and pain for thousands of years.  Written references to the effects of massage have been cited in such places as ancient Rome, Greece and Mesopotamia.  Hippocrates himself described medicine as “the art of rubbing.”  Massage therapy was introduced to the US in the 1850’s by a pair of physicians who had learned massage techniques while studying in Sweden.  While the treatment fell out of favor during the 1940’s, by the early 70’s a new resurgence of the therapy was seen as everyone from celebrities to athletes sung its praises.  Today, massage is an accepted and popular form of therapy with more than 18 million adults in the US and more than 700,000 children having received massage therapy in 2010 alone.

While the term “massage” is uniformly used to describe the manipulation of muscles and soft tissues of the body, there are actually dozens of different forms of massage, including Balinese, Barefoot, Deep Tissue, Metamorphic, Myofascial, Pediatric, Shiatsu, Swedish and Trigger Point, just to name a few.  Many forms of massage are performed while lying down, while others are performed in a seated position.  Specialized massage tables and ergonomic chairs have been designed to allow the patient to relax while the practitioner plies his or her trade.  Specialized tools and massage oils have also been developed to enhance the effects of treatment. 

Here are some of the benefits that are experienced by those who receive regular massages:

·         Pain Relief

·         Stress Reduction

·         Improved Posture

·         Lower Blood Pressure

·         Better Flexibility

·         Fewer Headaches

·         Enhanced Healing

·         Stronger Immune System

Studies of the benefits of massage have demonstrated that it is an effective treatment for a number of medical conditions, including: Arthritis, Digestive Disorders, Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, Sciatica, Sleep Disorders, Sports Injuries, Tendonitis, Tennis Elbow and Whiplash.  In one study by the National Institute of Health, 400 patients with low back pain were given 1 hour of massage per week for 10 weeks.  In its final analysis, the NIH study reported that:

 “Significantly greater improvements in disability and persistence of symptoms were seen at 10 weeks in both massage groups compared to those who received usual care. For example, at 10 weeks massage recipients were better able to perform daily activities, were more active, spent fewer days in bed, and used less anti-inflammatory medication than those who received usual care.”

Regardless of the style of massage, these treatments are universally applied to relax the muscles, reduce stress and relieve pain.  Used in conjunction with other forms of alternative medicine and chiropractic care, including ultrasound therapy, cold laser therapy, Vax-D and spinal adjustments, massage can be a valued therapy that not only works good but feels good.

Dr. Dave Edenfield  and Dr. Steven Warfield are part of the team of doctors and therapists at http://chiropractor-jacksonville-fl.com and http://endyourpain.org who are dedicated to helping you and your family lead  healthier, happier and pain-free lives.