Back pain is a common problem most of us deal with every day. It’s estimated that 80% of adults will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime, whether it’s from work, working out, holding a child, or a past injury. Unfortunately, there are few treatments that can reliably relieve back pain. Frequently used treatments include over-the-counter medications, injections, and in extreme cases, surgery. Luckily, massage therapy is an excellent alternative treatment.
A 2011 study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
found that nearly 40% of patients reported that their moderate to severe back pain was virtually gone after 10 weeks of massage therapy. On average, participants found that their ability to move about their daily activities increased and their pain decreased. The three groups were assigned either Swedish massage, trigger point massage, or their usual care routine as a baseline. While this study found similar effects for both massage styles, there are many different treatments to choose from depending on the type of pain and where it’s located.
Common Causes of Back Pain
Some common causes of back pain are overuse of muscles due to strain, poor posture, exercise, or injury. These can cause the body’s fascia to tighten or become “sticky.” Fascia is the connective tissue that wraps around all parts of the body and holds it in place. Tight or sticky fascia can restrict mobility and cause muscles to tighten. This often leads to back pain if it is not relaxed.
Benefits of Massage Techniques for Back Pain
Massage therapy stimulates blood circulation in the body, helping to improve the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. This helps to reduce inflammation and stiffness associated with back pain and aids in the recovery of healing muscles, which can reduce back pain.
The relaxation and tranquility of the massage experience also releases serotonin and endorphins in the brain. This can reduce your perception of pain and provide huge mental health benefits as you focus on healing and taking a break from your busy day.
Finding the Right Massage to Treat Your Back Pain
Choosing the right massage therapy can help target problem areas in the back and address pain at the source. There are different techniques used in massage therapy to help manage and eliminate back pain, and you can choose the technique that best suits your lifestyle and type of back pain.
Swedish Massage for Back Pain
A relaxing massage combines smooth and long strokes to ease muscle tension and increase blood flow to the soft tissues of the back. Mild to moderate pressure can be used to help relax your back muscles and calm your mind.
Deep Tissue Massage for Back Pain
Moderate to strong pressure is used in deep tissue massage to reach the tissue layers beneath the back muscles. This technique is used to break up knots and relieve tension to provide longer-lasting relief. Deep tissue massage reaches the connective tissue that often causes chronic pain from tight muscles and fascia.
Trigger Point Massage for Back Pain Relief
Trigger point massage focuses on tight spots in the muscles and tissues called "trigger points." These areas are also called muscle knots, and they often cause pain to radiate from that point or trigger pain in other parts of the body. This pain may go away quickly after being triggered, or it may last a long time. These trigger points occur in your back when your muscles are tense from overwork and cannot relax on their own. A massage therapist will identify these areas and use touch and finger pressure to release them.
Hot Stone Massage for Back Pain Relief
Hot stone massage uses heated stones placed on your back to target specific muscle areas and relieve pain. The heat and weight of the stones soften the muscles and relieve tension. The therapist will use the stones to perform gentle to firm massages that penetrate deep into the muscles. The combination of massage and heat increases circulation and promotes healing of tension and injuries.
Sports Massage for Back Pain Relief
Sports massage therapy combines massage, resistance, and stretching to relieve muscle soreness and tension caused by sports and sports injuries. The therapist uses special techniques to help you achieve your sports goals and needs. Sports massage can help increase flexibility and range of motion in your back where pain has been limiting you. Whether you are a serious athlete or someone who is physically active, sports massage is a great addition to any treatment regimen to help relieve stubborn back pain.
Myofascial Release for Back Pain
Myofascial release therapy relieves stiffness and pain caused by the connective tissue surrounding your muscles. Fascia is the network of connective tissue that covers the body, holding all the muscles and organs together, and myofascial tissue is tissue specifically designed to relieve back pain.
