Unfortunately, muscle tension and spinal dysfunction are both all-to-common problems. Millions of Canadians suffer pain and discomfort from them. Fortunately, there are excellent and effective treatments available: massage therapy treats the soft tissues of the body, like muscles, and chiropractic adjustments treat misaligned joints, like the spine.
These ailments are so common, many people who suffer from one, also suffer from the other. So it stands to reason that lots of people can benefit from a combination of both massage therapy and chiropractic adjustment. Indeed, Chiropractic adjustment and massage therapy from a Scottsdale Chiropractor can be even more effective when combined than they are used independently. If you have no time to go a massage therapist then you may use deep tissue massagers in your home before or after a chiropractic adjustment.
However, this raises the question:
Ultimately, there is not a single correct answer to this question for all patients. Instead, the answer will depend on the specific details of your situation. At a consultation with your chiropractor and massage therapist, they can help you figure out which arrangement will serve you best.
Chiropractic Adjustment first, Massage Therapy Second
If you seem to require frequent and regular chiropractic adjustments, then having your massage after the adjustment may be beneficial. After your chiropractor has adjusted your joints into the right position, you don’t want muscle tension to wrench them back to misalignment. A massage right after your adjustment can help keep your muscles relaxed and neutral, so that the proper alignment is allowed to hold and stay in place. This way, the benefits of the adjustment will last longer and you might not need to book your next ones as frequently.
As an added bonus, many patients enjoy having a massage after an adjustment because it feels great! After the abruptness of a chiropractic adjustment, a soothing massage is a great way to achieve blissful relaxation. There is nothing quite as satisfying as walking into your appointments with a painful back sporting one of these cool workout shirts and walking out with a well-adjusted and relaxed body. Between appointments, a home massage system with heat can help until your next appointment.
Massage Therapy First, Chiropractic Adjustment Second
If you suffer from a particularly tight muscle, then it is a good idea to have it treated with massage before you go in for your chiropractic adjustment. If the tight muscle is close to the joints that your chiropractor will treat, then its tightness could interfere with the adjustment. Receiving a massage first ensures that there are no tight muscles in the way and your chiropractor will be able to access the joints better.
Many athletes use muscle percussion therapy first in order to prevent muscle damage. Using a muscle massager gun, like the well-known Exogun, will encourage your blood circulation and increase oxygen flow to targeted areas, which will help you to recover faster and enhance your performance.
While chiropractic adjustments are very rarely painful or uncomfortable, muscle tightness or spasms could cause pain during the procedure. Prior massage can protect against this pain. If this is your first time receiving a chiropractic adjustment, then having the massage first can help you relax beforehand.
Whichever order you ultimately pursue, a combination of these two treatments can be remarkably effective for relieving pain, restoring mobility, and improving your quality of life. If you are unsure of the order that will be best for you, consult with your therapists. You can also experiment by trying both arrangements to see what works best for your body. If you’re looking for more information about obtaining a great massage, check out bestmassagechairguide.
Author Bio:
Paul Graver lives in Toronto with his lovely wife Liz and his pet dog Berno. He is now leading a quite retired life after being in the health industry for about 30 years. But being retired hasn’t stopped him from being updated about the latest developments in the medical field. He loves reading and writing about living healthy and staying fit. He can be followed on twitter.
Hi Brandon
Therapeutic massage in combination with chiropractic care is an excellent & complimentary way to maintain your physical health.
My clients often ask me the same question and there are a number of factors to determine whether a massage before or after would have the best result.
First and foremost, what is the nature of the injury? Depending on the severity a Dr’s visit maybe required to determine what type of injury you have.
If you have just tweaked a muscle or it feels like you have overused the muscles, there isn’t a hard and fast rule saying you need to experience one therapy before the other. The only way to know is to try and then see how your body responds.
Thank you for the information on massage and chiropractic adjustments. I get both massages and adjustments pretty regularly but I wasn’t sure how to coordinate them correctly. I have tight muscles so it sounds like it would be good for me to get a massage before going to the chiropractor. Do you know suggest that I talk both him and my massage therapist to make sure they coordinate their treatments?
Not every chiropractic school teaches the importance of addressing the upper cervical spine with a specific protocol. Not every chiropractic student is exposed to the unique upper cervical perspective on caring for the spine. And of those schools that teach upper cervical care, it is taught as an extra elective in the curriculum—not as the foundation for spinal care.