Massage Therapy and Chiropractic Care: A Harmonious Relationship

Benefits of using both Massage and Chiropractic for musculoskeletal and nervous system health

 Benefits of Massage

-Reduce pain, muscle soreness and muscle tension

-Reduce stress and increase relaxation of mind

-Improve circulation, energy and alertness

-Lower heart rate and blood pressure

-Improve immune function

-Release toxins

Benefits of Chiropractic

-Remove pressure on nervous system

-Improve function of nerves, organs and all body systems

-Restore range of motion

-Improve immune function

-Reduce pain

-Recommendations for Nutritional Support

Why this is such a great collaboration?

Removing subluxations and improving alignment with chiropractic can be life changing and life enhancing.  Healing and supporting the body from the inside out with proper nutrition and supplementation is now being seen as vital in the medical community.  Add to those therapies the benefits of massage and we have a total natural health plan for optimal living. 

Using a massage therapist that works closely with a doctor of chiropractic can be advantageous when looking to add massage into your health care routine. 

In a chiropractic setting, you are getting a medical massage with a professional who works with the Doctor to understand your total health picture.  Together they create a cohesive treatment plan to match your goals and needs.  The ongoing collaboration and discussions of patient cases keep skills sharp and relevant to current trends and options for care.

Quality Practitioners

Currently in Michigan, therapists must complete up to 700 hours of instruction and curriculum to graduate from an accredited massage therapy program.  They must pass an exam administered by the State to obtain a license.  They must complete 18 hours of continuing education to renew their license every 3 years. 

In the chiropractic office setting, this service is considered a medical massage, not a “rub-down” or spa service.  Another advantage is that in this setting, many therapists also are trained on administering other modalities such as traction techniques, e-stim, cold laser therapy and exercise instruction.  They work with the Doctor to be certain that these are proper for the patient history and current condition. 

Although relaxation massage is available, many patients benefit from a more problem-focused medical massage in the chiropractic setting, where goals of improved overall health are systematically addressed and documented for best patient outcomes.

Expectations

A health questionnaire specific to massage and a pre-visit consultation should be performed to determine patient safety, techniques, desired results, and contraindications to care. 

After the consult, you can undress to your level of comfort in privacy and be under the sheets before the session begins.  Most people keep their lower undergarment on, but some keep more clothing on such as tank tops or bras.  You must be comfortable to relax and breathe during the session.  The therapist will drape your body with the sheets to minimize exposure of areas being worked on.  The massage table in most cases with have a heating pad to keep your body warm.  If you are ever uncomfortable you should be able to let the therapist know what you need, and they should be able to accommodate your request.  

Communication by both parties is vital to the success of the session.   For example, if the session is one hour long, you may not be able to address multiple concerns and get a full body relaxation session, including everything from skull to hands and feet.  In some cases, a longer session or multiple sessions may be required to achieve the desired results.  Do not expect them to do everything in one session. 

Another topic to address is the pressure used during the session.  Before beginning the session, you may discuss your expectations for pressure with the therapist and there should be several “checks” of the pressure during the session.   Some clients just say “it’s OK” hoping that the massage therapist will lighten up soon, or conversely, they hope that it will increase but never truly communicate this and are disappointed with the outcome.  Remember that more pressure is not necessarily a good thing and can irritate certain areas or conditions based on several factors.  These can include hydration levels of the tissues, the proximity to tendons and ligaments, health history, medications, or other things that the massage therapist has been trained to identify or have experienced in their clinical practice.    

Post Massage Care

Do NOT underestimate the importance of drinking water after a massage to flush out lactic acid, uric acid and creatine that are released from the tissues into the bloodstream.  Your kidneys will appreciate an extra liter of water over the next 24 hours!

Half your body weight in ounces is recommended daily amount of water

A warm Epson salt bath can be beneficial in assisting with the detoxification process and relax muscles following a massage session. 

You may be sore for 24-48 hours after massage.  You may experience a light bruising of the skin in certain areas.  These are normal reactions.  If you experience sharp or isolated pain following a massage, reach out to your therapist and/or doctor for additional instructions. 

Follow Up Sessions

A top benefit of working with a massage therapist and chiropractor in one location is that they can correlate their care to create the best recommendations for any necessary follow-up.  Each case presents with different concerns and a customized care plan is best for patients to achieved desired results and meet health goals.  Some patients return as often as once a week when working on multiple areas, and others find a monthly or bi-monthly session keeps them on track.