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Chiropractic Massage Therapy
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Published: September 12, 2006
It is no mistake that the word "chiropractic," which is of Greek origin, literally means "done by hand."
Chiropractic medicine, an alternative approach to healthcare, which has been used by ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Native Americans, was formally introduced in 1895 by Daniel David Palmer, a faith healer from Davenport, Iowa.
Palmer used his hands to manipulate the spine as well as other joints and muscles in a technique to restore nervous function and a person's "innate intelligence" or life force, which he believed flows through every person. This medical method has since been used to treat and correct a variety of illnesses, from chronic diseases to ailments such as back pain. One treatment method that evolved out of this was chiropractic massage therapy.
Massage therapy works by manipulating the soft tissue of the body to improve blood circulation, reduce stress, and manage pain and chronic conditions.
Improving blood circulation is vital to one's health. People who have good circulation tend to heal faster. The applied pressure during the massage opens blood vessels, which allows more blood to pass through the muscles, aiding in a patient’s quick recovery. The pressure also helps to pass lymph throughout the body. Lymph, unlike blood, needs muscle stimulation in order to move through the body. Lymph helps get rid of toxins and waste. By sending more blood through the muscles and removing toxins and waste, muscles are able to heal faster and chronic conditions - such as back pain - can be managed.
Most importantly, massages reduce stress. Stress can lead to higher injury incidence and slower recovery periods. During a massage, the body releases endorphins, which help the patient feel relaxed, healthy and stress-free.
Although there are more than 150 different types of massage, some of the most popular are the Swedish, deep tissue and neuromuscular therapy.
Swedish style massage works by employing the method of kneading and using long, smooth strokes in the direction of the heart. The five strokes - effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement and vibration - all work to improve blood circulation.
The deep tissue massage focuses mainly on one muscle or joint group in the body. The masseuse starts on a superficial muscle layer and slowly works down through all the layers of muscle. This allows for deeper muscle relaxation and better range of motion for the muscle and joint group. The deep tissue massage is often used by chiropractors to manage chronic back pain.
Finally, neuromuscular therapy combines both massages to improve postural and structural imbalances within the body. The patient's back and posture are initially assessed to determine what areas are necessary to massage.
In the past, only chiropractors and alternative healers used massage therapy to manage illness, chronic pain and stress. Recently, many conventional health care providers are turning to massage therapy as a treatment for patients due to the obvious physical and psychological benefits.
Sources:
Alternative Healing. 2005. Thomson Gale. 11 September 2006 <http://www.faqs.org/health/Healthy-Living-V2/A lternative-Medicine.html >
Spine Health. 2006. Spine-health.com. 11 September 2006 <http://www.spine-health.com/Topics/conserv/mas sage/massage1.html>
Associate Bodywork and Massage Professionals. 2004. ABMP. 11 September 2006 <http://www.abmp.com/home/index.html>
Chiropractic medicine, an alternative approach to healthcare, which has been used by ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Native Americans, was formally introduced in 1895 by Daniel David Palmer, a faith healer from Davenport, Iowa.
Related Articles
Palmer used his hands to manipulate the spine as well as other joints and muscles in a technique to restore nervous function and a person's "innate intelligence" or life force, which he believed flows through every person. This medical method has since been used to treat and correct a variety of illnesses, from chronic diseases to ailments such as back pain. One treatment method that evolved out of this was chiropractic massage therapy.
Massage therapy works by manipulating the soft tissue of the body to improve blood circulation, reduce stress, and manage pain and chronic conditions.
Improving blood circulation is vital to one's health. People who have good circulation tend to heal faster. The applied pressure during the massage opens blood vessels, which allows more blood to pass through the muscles, aiding in a patient’s quick recovery. The pressure also helps to pass lymph throughout the body. Lymph, unlike blood, needs muscle stimulation in order to move through the body. Lymph helps get rid of toxins and waste. By sending more blood through the muscles and removing toxins and waste, muscles are able to heal faster and chronic conditions - such as back pain - can be managed.
Most importantly, massages reduce stress. Stress can lead to higher injury incidence and slower recovery periods. During a massage, the body releases endorphins, which help the patient feel relaxed, healthy and stress-free.
Although there are more than 150 different types of massage, some of the most popular are the Swedish, deep tissue and neuromuscular therapy.
Swedish style massage works by employing the method of kneading and using long, smooth strokes in the direction of the heart. The five strokes - effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement and vibration - all work to improve blood circulation.
The deep tissue massage focuses mainly on one muscle or joint group in the body. The masseuse starts on a superficial muscle layer and slowly works down through all the layers of muscle. This allows for deeper muscle relaxation and better range of motion for the muscle and joint group. The deep tissue massage is often used by chiropractors to manage chronic back pain.
Finally, neuromuscular therapy combines both massages to improve postural and structural imbalances within the body. The patient's back and posture are initially assessed to determine what areas are necessary to massage.
In the past, only chiropractors and alternative healers used massage therapy to manage illness, chronic pain and stress. Recently, many conventional health care providers are turning to massage therapy as a treatment for patients due to the obvious physical and psychological benefits.
Sources:
Alternative Healing. 2005. Thomson Gale. 11 September 2006 <http://www.faqs.org/health/Healthy-Living-V2/A lternative-Medicine.html >
Spine Health. 2006. Spine-health.com. 11 September 2006 <http://www.spine-health.com/Topics/conserv/mas sage/massage1.html>
Associate Bodywork and Massage Professionals. 2004. ABMP. 11 September 2006 <http://www.abmp.com/home/index.html>
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