When it comes to proper body maintenance, massage therapy and chiropractic care are the perfect duo. Both health care professionals help keep your body moving with less pain.
Stress, injury, poor eating habits and many other factors play a role when our bodies are not performing at their best.
Not only does muscle/joint pain and body aches affect us physically, but also mentally. It’s easy for depression and mental fatigue to creep in when we cannot accomplish everyday tasks or do the activities we love pain-free.
So how can massage therapy and chiropractic care help? Read below and find out.
Massage Therapy
The definition of massage therapy is the manipulation of the muscles and other soft tissues of the body to relieve pain, promote healing, or improve physical function.
Massage helps relax tight muscles that are causing pain and/or irritating (compressing) a nerve. Massage loosens up connective tissue (fascia) to help your body move more fluidly. It also calms the nervous system by promoting an increase of happy hormones like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine.
With an increase of these hormones, you’ll be able to sleep better, feel less stressed, anxious or depressed. As a disclaimer, please keep in mind, massage is not a cure-all for depression, but could definitely help by being a part of your mental wellness journey.
Other benefits of massage therapy include:
Increase of circulation
Improve joint mobility
Promotes healing after surgery or injury
Holistic approach for chronic pain management
Strengthens immune system
Chiropractic Care
A Chiropractor diagnoses (massage therapists cannot diagnose) and treats patients who are having health issues associated with the body’s muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems.
A Chiropractic adjustment (manipulation of the spine) will align the spine and other joints to help relieve pain from musculoskeletal disorders or injuries. Having your spine aligned will also take pressure off a nerve that’s being irritated (compressed) by a disc or joint that is out of place.
Like massage, a chiropractic adjustment can help you have better posture, sleep better, improve mobility and mood, and give pain relief from a variety of ailments. Chiropractic care is also known to enhance the immune system and improve digestive functions.
Together
As you can see, both massage therapy and chiropractic care help with the same systems in your body, except chiropractors put more emphasis on the skeletal system and massage therapists focus on the muscular system.
When you put the two together, it’s a complete treatment for your musculoskeletal system.
That’s why sometimes you need both massage and adjustments for optimal care.
Receiving a massage before an adjustment is extremely beneficial. When tight muscles, ligaments and tendons are loosened up, the adjustment will be more effective and have a longer hold.
If you’re in need of pain relief or are looking for overall wellness, come see me (click here to schedule a massage appointment) and Dr. Ethan Langford, DC (click here to make an appointment with Dr. Langford) at Langford Chiropractic.
We can’t wait to help you live life with less pain.
