Best Type of Massage for Lower Back Pain: A Pain Free Guide

Hello there! Since your here maybe you got a pain in your back that you cant get rid off? and is trying to find ways to minimize or diminish this feeling. Now in this article I want to show you the best type of massage for lower back pain. I hope you enjoy reading!

How common is lower back pain?

Low back problems are extremely common. In the United States, it is estimated that 15% to 20% of the population, and approximately half of working-age adults. Low back pain  is a symptom and not a specific disease, and there are a large number of potential causes. The vast majority of patients with LBP have a musculoskeletal cause.

What is the cause of lower back pain?

As you used your muscles to the limit,  the tissues of the body bind and stick to other tissues. Tissues in our body need to have space in order to expand and move and do their function. When muscles bind or clump to each other it would cause adhesions  will result to shorter muscles. In some cases your nerves or tendons might be trap and  will cause pain.  Bad body mechanic such as improper postures or unable to warm up your muscles would be a cause of pain. Pain should be controlled and not be controlling you! Nowadays there are a lot of therapy, such as drug therapy and in our topic for today is massage therapy.

 

Can massage help you with your lower back pain?

There is a positive effect of massage as a therapy for people who suffers from low back pain. In fact massage is one of the ancient arts of wellness. First mentions of massage occurred in China in 2700 BCE, and spread to the Middle East, Greece, and India.

Massage is an alternative for people with back pain especially people who are not fond of taking medicines. Targeting the correct muscles can ease the pain, soreness, and tension. Healthcare professionals recognize back pain massage treatment as a safe and natural relief for lower back pain. Furthermore, healthcare providers even encourage back pain patients to seek massage therapy in addition to medical treatment.

 

Best massage techniques for back pain

Therapeutic massage

• This is any type of massage that targets an area of your body to relieve specific discomfort. Therapeutic massage is a type of complementary and alternative medicine practice that is o to treat muscle pain. This massage therapy has is being use for the treatment of mental and emotional problems, including stress, anxiety, and depression.

Deep tissue massage

•  This massage therapy involves putting and pressing deeply through the muscles to the bone as possible. People who are seeking for relaxation this is not for you! This allows the release of adherent tissues and helps relax tightly knotted muscles that cause lower back pain. Before getting a massage make sure that you talk very well to your therapist regarding the massage. It usually starts with light strokes and eventually going deeply over the course of the massage. After the session, you will experience muscle soreness for several days. Indulging in a warm bath with Epsom salts can help alleviate the soreness.

 

Swedish massage

• One of the best type of massage for low back pain and what we usually think of is Swedish massage as it benefits relaxation and relief from cramped muscles so when relaxation is your goal during a massage therapy session this is your go to. This involves gentle deep tissue massage which emphasizes long circular movements and kneading with tapping and vibration. when you think about getting a massage. Swedish massage involves a variety of techniques, including:
  • Effleurage – Characterized by long, sweeping strokes from the top to the bottom of the muscle.
  • Petrissage – It involves rolling and kneading motion on the muscle. Pressure usually depends on the sensitivity of the client. This technique focuses more on the tense area of the back. The massage therapist begins the Swedish massage with a light petrissage and eventually increases the pressure to release muscle tension.
  • Tapotement – This technique involves light and rhythmic tapping or drumming. The pressure and speed can be either relaxing or energizing.
  • Friction – The massage therapist may apply deep pressure to the affected muscle to release tension.
• Swedish massage therapists can provide relief from stress and sore, tense muscles as the  therapist gentle strokes  help clients feel rested and relaxed.

Shiatsu massage 

• Shiatsu massage for lower back pain uses a rhythmic application of pressure over the body which is a style of the Japanese culture. With this application the body is stimulated in which it will heal itself. It is an alternative technique that involves manual pressure which is applied to a specific points on the body in order to relieve tension as its goal. Shiatsu ( meaning finger pressure) uses thumbs, fingers, elbows and knees to concentrate pressure at certain energy pathways in the body called meridians. Shiatsu is also known as acupressure which works to reduce muscle tension and fatigue and is thought to increase and improve blood circulation in the body as well improve the drainage system of the body.

>> Here’s a Step by Step Guide in Further relaxing your back up to the thigh muscles!<<

Sports massage

• As the name implies this type of therapy is geared towards athletes. It will be use to prevent injury and help them to return to sport.
• Sports massage provide relief to those affected with sports related injuries and in addition it can also help to alleviate anxiety, and muscle tension. Sports massage also tends to help boost your athletic flexibility and performance. This can be either done in a specific part of the body or it can be a full body massage. Your therapist may use either deep pressure or soothing strokes depending on your preference. If pain persist and turns into a chronic one, a sports doctor or licensed sports therapist.

 

 

Neuromuscular massage or trigger point therapy

• Neuromuscular massage targets myofascial trigger points under the skin, which are known to be responsible for musculoskeletal pain. These trigger points are taut bands of muscle tissue that are highly sensitive and induce pain when stimulated.
  • When treating lower back pain, the therapist identifies trigger points in the back, buttocks, and thigh. These bands are pressed firmly with the thumb, one at a time, for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The client should tell the therapist for his/her preferred intensity, it should be a bearable and comfortable experience. The sequence of compression is repeated several times on all the trigger points.
  • This type of massage relieves tightness in muscle tissues and loosens the fibers through sequential compression and relaxation. The release of tension within the muscle fibers encourages new blood flow, promoting healing.

  Trigger point therapy may be beneficial in treating acute low back pain originating from muscle tissue.

Myofascial Massage

• In contrast to trigger point therapy the therapist targets the fascial trigger points in order to help relieve muscle pain throughout the body, including the back. Fascia are the covering of each muscle compartments that are interconnected within the nervous plane, in where myofascial massage concentrates on a wider expanse of muscles all over the body. At first, tight spots with increase muscle tensions are identified via gentle strokes all over the body and upon identifying the spots pressure are increase slowly in the trigger points in the fascia. The myofascial massage can also effectively relieve fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Hot Stone massage

• With heated basalt stones are placed in specific locations on the body and either staying them in placed or moving them from skin to skin is what a hot stone massage is identified. it s a type of relaxation which promotes healing and reducing pain. The stones are heated by placing them in hot water.
  • As the stones heat a specific part of the body it promotes vasodilation which improves blood flow and increase oxygen in cells thereby relaxing the muscles as it expands thereby reducing muscle cramps and spasms.
  • Hot stone is used for lower back pain which the client lies face down and stones are placed in two rows on either side of the spine and followed by a large stone on the sacrum or above the buttock area. Then the lower limbs are then massage with the  heated stone lubricated with oil massage.

Yoga massage

• This massage type involves gentle yoga stretching with massage strokes. It is also known as Thai Yoga massage or Thai massage.
• With the stretching mechanism of Yoga massage it aims to lengthen back muscles, open the hips and loosen the hamstrings especially in the case of back pain. The client performs passive yoga stretches, while the therapist massage specific areas in the body or lower back in this case to relax the tissues and thereby relieving the stress.
• Yoga massage may help improve posture and alignment, and build strength in the connective tissues.
• Joint and muscle flexibility are improved through lower back stretches and massage strokes applied at the same time.

>>More on YOGA<<

Side Effects of Massage Therapy

• Overall in all clients will experience some minor discomfort after a massage session and some could actually experience headache, tiredness or fatigue, increase soreness in the massaged areas and even bruising. However one some study states that usually that negative symptoms appear in less than 12 hours up to 36 hours or less. However the positive benefits began immediately after a massage and lasted more than 48 hours.
• Not all experience side effects but the probability of side effects after a massage typically depends on:
  • pressure tolerance of the client
  • force exerted by the therapist
  • clients tolerance to pain and bruising
• Some individuals may also develop allergic rashes to the massage oil. Pain experienced during a massage should always be within tolerable limits.

 

When to avoid Massage Therapy

• Massage are generally safe, non invasive treatment but not all people are suited for massage this includes the following:
  • When the client has history of easy bruising, because he/she might have a genetic disorder in which just a little manipulation could cause internal bleeding
  • History of medications use that may cause blood clots by the client as it might get dislodge while manipulation
  • If the client has a contagious disease not only it may harm yourself it could also affect your therapist.
  • If you are sick or having a fever in general, your body is already weak and having a massage could also make your body weaker.
  • Medical conditions such as uncontrolled hypertension.
  • Any open wounds, swollen muscles or any recent fractures should not have a massage as it could further aggravate the disease.
  • People who are pregnant or being treated for cancer should talk to their doctor about the safety of massage.

Conclusion

Again massage therapy for lower back pain is a safe, non invasive and alternative treatment for people who experienced low back pain. Massage should not be painful and always think of what is best for you. Any type of massage could help alleviate pain and could bring your body to a relax state. Remember always that massage is not a definite treatment so always consult your doctor or a professional if your pain still exist after exhausting all non invasive treatments.

Thank you for reading!