The Synergy of Therapeutic Massage and Chiropractic Care: A Guide for Beginners
Hi, Anchorage.
As of today, our fine city has received 87 inches of snowfall this winter. Wow! That’s more than we usually get in an entire season, and it’s only… January?
Oh boy.
Is your back getting a little worn out from shoveling? That’s understandable, and it’s also why we thought it would be a good time to talk about how massage therapy and chiropractic care can work together to help get you out of pain.
Maybe your roof-shoveling adventure went awry.
Or maybe you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Isn’t mid-life grand?
Perhaps you pushed it too hard at the gym or cruising downhill at Alyeska.
Whatever it is, when it comes to severe back pain, it’s all hands on deck until you feel better.
That’s why combining massage therapy with chiropractic care can do wonders for your body, ensuring your muscles and your skeleton work harmoniously to bring your body back into balance.
Our therapists at Anchorage Massage Therapies are familiar with combining massage techniques as a primary or complementary treatment to chiropractic care.
In this blog, we’ll explain the difference between therapeutic massage and chiropractic care and how the two treatments work together to maximize healing, recovery, and spinal health.
Pardon the snow pun, but let’s dig in.
What’s the difference between massage and chiropractic care?
Massage therapy and chiropractic care are two distinct forms of healthcare, each with its own method and purpose.
Therapeutic massage therapy primarily focuses on muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A Massage therapist typically uses their hands to manipulate soft tissue by kneading, stroking, tapping, and applying pressure.
People often seek out massage therapy to:
Relieve sore muscles
Reduce muscle tension
Detoxify the lymphatic system after surgery or an injury
Provide overall relaxation
Decrease symptoms of migraines or stress headaches
Our Anchorage massage therapists use their hands, elbows, and forearms to apply pressure to the soft tissues of your body.
Treatments at our clinic range from light stroking, such as Swedish or Lymphatic drainage massage, to deep tissue massage that penetrates deeper layers of your muscles to get you out of pain.
The primary goal of massage therapy is to relax your muscles, increase your circulation, and promote general well-being.
Massage therapy also focuses on the relaxation of the mind.
It helps to activate your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which helps foster a deep sense of calm and relaxation.
What is chiropractic care?
While massage therapy focuses on your muscles, chiropractors mainly address your musculoskeletal system, primarily your spine.
Chiropractors work to correct alignment issues and improve your body’s physical function to alleviate pain and improve the workings of your nerves and overall body.
People often see a chiropractor to treat:
Back pain and disc problems
Whiplash and neck-related injuries
Joint pain and arthritis
Sciatica
Chiropractors have a wide variety of techniques and instruments they use to help get your body back into alignment. These include:
Adjustments: An adjustment is when chiropractors use their hands or small instruments to apply a controlled, sudden force to your spinal joints. This process is known as spinal manipulation or an “adjustment.”
IDD Therapy: IDD therapy, or Intervertebral Differential Dynamics Therapy, is a non-surgical treatment modality to relieve pain or conditions affecting your spinal disks. It involves the use of a specialized table that gently stretches your spine. There are chiropractic care centers in Anchorage that use IDD therapy.
Heat Therapy: Chiropractors may apply heat with heating pads, gel packs, or infrared light before adjustments to help relax muscles and relieve pain.
Electrical Stimulation: Some chiropractors use low-voltage electrical currents to help relieve your pain, penetrate your muscle tissues, reduce muscle spasms, and speed up your healing process.
To recap, massage therapy is done by a therapeutic massage therapist to manipulate the soft tissue of your muscles. Chiropractic care is done by a chiropractor to improve your skeletal alignment.
Which is better, massage or chiropractor?
Whether massage therapy or chiropractic care is better for you depends on your physical condition.
You may want to start by asking your medical doctor for a referral for massage therapy and chiropractic care, as your insurance may cover these treatments with a referral.
Your medical doctor can also order any x-rays or scans needed to diagnose your condition, which can assist your therapeutic massage therapist and chiropractor in helping to treat you and relieve your pain. Your doctor can also guide you through which specialist to see first.
In many cases, seeing both a massage therapist and a chiropractor can be the most beneficial.
Is it better to get a massage before a chiropractor?
As we mentioned, massage therapists are trained in working with the body’s muscular system. In contrast, chiropractors have a more profound knowledge of the body’s skeletal system.
Combining the two modalities can bring a powerful and significant shift in your body’s healing ability.
Massage therapy can help loosen up your muscles before your appointment with a chiropractor, helping your muscles be more pliable so that the chiropractor can adjust your skeletal system more efficiently.
Massage therapy after a chiropractic appointment is beneficial, too.
After an adjustment, your muscles may try to return to the shape they were familiar with, even if it’s out of alignment with your skeleton.
A massage therapy session after seeing a chiropractor can help an adjustment “hold” better by relaxing the muscles so they don’t pull the bones back into the wrong place.
Benefits of combining massage and chiropractor
There are so many different ways that combining massage and chiropractic care can help get you on the road to wellness faster than just one of the modalities alone.
Enhanced pain relief
Chiropractic care corrects spinal and joint misalignments, while therapeutic massage addresses muscle tension and tightness. Together, they can provide more comprehensive pain relief from back pain, neck pain, headaches, and muscle strains.
Improved mobility and flexibility
Chiropractic adjustments can improve joint function and range of motion. At the same time, massage therapy can loosen tight muscles and increase flexibility. This combination is especially beneficial if you’re recovering from an injury or a chronic joint or muscle condition.
Increased circulation
Massage therapy helps improve blood flow throughout the body, speeding up your healing process. Enhanced circulation complements the benefits of chiropractic adjustments by ensuring that nutrients and oxygen are delivered efficiently to your tissues and that waste products are removed more effectively.
Stress Reduction
Our massage therapists are known for helping clients reduce stress and relax. Stress reduction can be super helpful in conjunction with chiropractic care because stress often exacerbates musculoskeletal issues and impedes healing.
Better Posture
Chiropractic care can correct misalignments that contribute to poor posture, while massage therapists can increase your awareness of your body, including posture, movement patterns, and areas of tension. The heightened awareness can be instrumental in preventing injuries and maintaining overall health.
Synergistic healing
When used together, therapeutic massage can warm up and loosen muscles before an adjustment, making the adjustment more accessible and potentially more effective. Post-adjustment massage can help keep your muscles relaxed to maintain the benefits of the adjustments.
Customized Care
Both chiropractors and massage therapists can tailor your sessions to meet your unique needs and health goals (and if you’re working with someone who doesn’t, you should look for someone else!) A personalized plan ensures you receive the most appropriate and effective treatment for your condition.
Holistic Health Focus
Both massage therapy and chiropractic care are grounded in treating the whole person, not just the symptoms. The holistic approach can lead to better overall health and wellness.
Preventative Care
Regular chiropractic adjustments and massage sessions can serve as preventive care, helping you maintain good health and prevent potential issues from becoming problematic.
From mental health, to physical health, combining these two practices along with proper nutrition and adequate rest, can help transform your overall wellness.
Are chiropractors massage therapists?
Chiropractors are technically only massage therapists if they also have a license to practice massage therapy.
Most chiropractors have a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree but are not licensed massage therapists.
However, many chiropractors have licensed massage therapists on their staff as it’s widely recognized how beneficial combining the modalities can be.
If you’d like recommendations for chiropractic services in Anchorage, ask us, and we’ll be glad to point you to a few of our favorite providers.
Let’s get you feeling better
Now you know how combining massage therapy in Anchorage with a local chiropractor can give you the ultimate advantage in healing.
Whether you’re struggling with back pain or neck pain, recovering from a sports injury, or looking for a way to deal with chronic migraines, blending massage therapy with chiropractic care can help ensure you’re giving your body a fighting chance to find relief.
When you’re ready to get started, book an appointment with us. Even if you don’t have a referral or aren’t covered by insurance, you can save money by purchasing a massage therapy package for regular massage sessions to supercharge your health and wellness. You can buy a package on our booking page.
Enjoy the snow, and if you need help dealing with ALL of it, we’ve got you, Anchorage.
