Massage vs. Chiropractic, or Both?

When it comes to maintaining a healthy body, it is essential to explore different types of therapies. The question I get the most is “should I get massages?”. My answer, absolutely! I love how well massage therapy & chiropractic care go together. I work closely with Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) to achieve beneficial and lasting results for my patients. Most the the goals of massage are similar to chiropractic care like pain reduction, enhancing range of motion, and improving function. However, massage has been shown to have other benefits like decreased anxiety, improvement of blood flow, relaxation, and improving sleep.

If you have been to my office (or read my blogs ;) ), you know that I do some form of soft tissue mobilization. So shouldn’t what I do be good enough rather than getting a massage? It is very similar but LMTs are able to spend more time on problem areas and maybe uncover compensation patterns. I spend a fraction of time (10-15 minutes) working on an area that is causing pain or dysfunction. LMTs get to spend anywhere between 30-120 minutes depending on the type and style of massage you get. They not only focus on a region, like the shoulder or neck or low back, but they can explore other areas that may be playing a role in your problem. This is why if you go in for low back pain, your LMT might be working on your feet or legs or even shoulders.

I have written other blogs about finding a chiropractor that fits you and your goals, the same thing goes for LMTs. There are several great massage therapists in the F-M area. I have some that I refer to based on their style of treatment because not all dysfunctions are treated the same. You may find that LMTs specialize in a variety of techniques like lymph drainage, deep tissue, myofascial, cranioscaral therapy, etc. If you are seeking pain relief, improved flexibility, better overall health, then consider incorporating massage therapy into your overall wellness routine.