Lower Back Pain Relieved by Massage

Back pain is a very common ailment for moms, gardeners, mechanics, weekend sports warriors, and those who sit a lot. Most back pain suffers have tried traditional pain relief like muscle rub creams, muscle relaxant pills, chiropractors, and even physical therapy. If your pain is still nagging you, massage should be something you are willing to investigate.

The American Massage Therapy Association found in 2001 that massage clients have doubled since 1997. Healthcare professionals are recognizing the value of massage therapy and recommending that their patients include massage therapy as part of their pain management treatment plan. As much as 54% of healthcare professionals are in favor of using massage therapy in addition to more traditional treatments.

There was a study on back pain and massage therapy conducted in 2001 at the University of Miami that found that massage does lessen lower back pain, depression, anxiety and improved sleep. It also showed that massage improved range of motion and improved serotonin and dopamine levels (International Journal of Neuroscience, 106, 131-145).

Research shows that massage has the following benefits to those who suffer from back pain:

The massage therapy that has been the most beneficial to lower back pain sufferers has been "neuromuscular therapy" along with "trigger point" therapy. This is useful for those who suffer back pain as a result of muscle strain.

The technique uses alternating levels of concentrated pressure for the areas of spasming muscles. The therapists uses the fingers, knuckles and elbow to apply the pressure. The pressure should not vary for ten to thirty seconds, once applied to a spasm.

When someone is suffering from back spasms the muscles are painful to the touch. The muscle is lacking in blood flow, which causes the pain. The blood brings oxygen to the muscle and without proper oxygen the muscle produces lactic acid. The lactic acid makes the muscle feel sore after physical activity. Massage relaxes the muscle, which in turn releases the lactic acid from the muscle. Now the muscle should be receiving more blood and thus more oxygen.

This massage will feel painful at first until the lactic acid is released from the muscle. The therapist will adjust the pressure based on what the client tells them. The massage should never be overly painful. The client will usually describe the pain as being a "good pain" when describing the pressure. The saying, "it hurts so good" comes to mind.

The client may experience some mild post-massage soreness, much like after exercising. This mild tenderness should generally subside within 24 to 48 hours following the treatment. Muscles should remain relatively relaxed following therapy, but this depends on a number of factors including the amount of muscle stress experienced, your activity level and the severity of your pain level prior to the massage. For best results book regular massage visits. Your massage therapist can suggest the best schedule for your particular circumstances.