Massage for Torso Pain

5 Best Types Of Massage That Can Help With Your Pain

There is strong evidence massage is effective for nonspecific chronic low back pain. Massage is beneficial for patients in terms of improving symptoms and function. High-quality regular massage can:

• Relieve pain through physical and mental relaxation
• Increase local blood flow and oxygenation in muscles
• Increase your pain threshold through the release of endorphins and serotonin
• Improve muscle flexibility
• Loosen adherent connective tissue

Although massage therapy may appear costly, it may save money by reducing health-care provider visits, use of pain medications, and costs of treatments. The effects of massage improve when combined with exercise and a good diet, especially if your massage is done by a licensed therapist.

1. Swedish

Swedish massage may be the first thing that springs to mind when you think about massage. This type of massage focuses on deep and complete relaxation but can also be used to release cramped muscles. Swedish massage uses a number of different techniques, including the following:

• Effleurage: These are long sweeping strokes from the top of a muscle to the bottom, usually at the beginning of the end of a massage (or both).
• Petrissage: Rolling and kneading the muscles, like kneading bread dough. Pressure can vary according to the client’s sensitivity. The massage therapist may focus attention on a “crunchy” or tense area. They’ll start first with light petrissage and increase the pressure to help the muscle release.
• Tapotement: Light and rhythmic tapping or drumming. This technique can vary in pressure and speed and can be either relaxing or energizing.
• Friction: Deep pressure is applied to a particular muscle to encourage it to release.

Swedish massage is an excellent choice for stress relief and for people who experience the whole body pain of muscle cramping. Therapists gently help sore, tense muscles release so that the patient can feel some relief and rest.

2. Deep tissue

Deep tissue massage is not for everyone. Just as it sounds, this type of massage features a massage therapist who goes deeply into each sore muscle, reaching as far down through the muscle to the bone as possible. This can help to release scar tissue and assist in relaxing tightly knotted muscles that can cause chronic neck and upper back pain. Deep tissue massage uses many of the same techniques as Swedish massage.

In this type of massage, it is crucial that you speak up while you are at the table. While this is not the same type of deeply relaxing massage as a Swedish massage, you should not be in so much pain that you cannot let your knotted muscles release. Qualified deep tissue therapists are happy to vary their levels at your request, including starting lightly and going deeply over the course of the massage.

Deep tissue massage is excellent for people with chronic pain due to a build-up of scar tissue or those with stiff, painful areas in the neck, shoulders, and back. You should expect to feel sore for a few days after the massage, but a warm bath with Epsom salts can help with that.

3. Trigger point

Trigger point massage is similar to deep tissue in that is goes much more deeply into the muscle than Swedish massage. The goal of trigger point massage is to identify and release a tight point within a tight muscle: the trigger point. Trigger points are tight areas within a muscle that cause pain in another area of the body. For example, a trigger point in the neck may cause migraine pain or one in the back may cause radiating pain down the leg leading to sciatica.

Trigger point massage does not necessarily work the entire body or the entire length of a muscle. The emphasis is on releasing the specific trigger point to alleviate pain. This is done by adding deep pressure to the trigger point and then releasing it, over and over again until the trigger point releases.

This type of massage is best for chronic muscle pain and tension, as well as migraines brought on by muscle tension.

4. Myofascial release

Myofascial release is similar to trigger point massage. It targets trigger points in the fascia to relieve pain throughout the body. Because the fascia, the thin layer of connective tissue that covers all of the muscles in the body, connects to every muscle in the body, myofascial release focuses on a broad expanse of muscle all over the body.

The massage therapist will first gently massage all over the body. They’ll feel for any spots of tension or tightness in the fascia. Under normal conditions, fascia should be pliable. If there are areas of tightness, the therapist will work those areas gently, increasing pressure across the area as the fascia begins to release.

You can practice this technique on your own at home using rigid foam rollers on your legs, arms, and backs. For plantar fasciitis, a tennis ball rolled along all three arches of the feet can help release fascial tension.

This massage technique can be pain-relieving for those who suffer from fibromyalgia, but it will not necessarily be relaxing on the table. Myofascial release is also indicated as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome.

5. Craniosacral therapy

Craniosacral massage therapists use a very light touch to encourage the proper movement of cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and spinal cord. The goal is to help release physical imbalances and restrictions in the body’s muscles and connective tissues to relieve pain gently.

Because of its light nature, craniosacral massage is excellent for fibromyalgia and other whole-body pain syndromes. It can also relieve neck and back pain and migraines and help counteract the effects of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Best types of massage for pain 

More and more people are turning to massage therapy to treat their chronic pain. Muscles that are overused or used incorrectly can become shortened and bound to other tissues in the body. These adhesions can cause weak muscles, tendinitis, and compressed or trapped nerves.

All of these consequences can be addressed through massage, but not all styles of massage are good for all types of pain. And, the effects of a massage vary due to differences in the techniques and skill of the therapist. Common types of massage therapy are acupressure (shiatsu), rolfing, Swedish massage, reflexology, myofascial release, and craniosacral therapy. Massage can use a combination of techniques including effleurage, petrissage, friction, kneading, or hacking. Depending on the practitioner or setting, massages for pain may be your first treatment approach or you may use it in conjunction with other treatments.

Here are five types of massage that can help with different types of pain, including back pain and neck pain (two of the most common types of pain in the U.S.).

What is Deep Tissue Massage and what to expect?

Deep tissue massage is a massage that is designed to get into the connective tissue of the body, rather than just the surface muscles. As a massage therapist when I perform deep tissue I use a variety of techniques to deeply penetrate the muscles and fascia, loosening them and releasing tension. Most clients have a more intense experience with a deep tissue massage, but also feel that it is more beneficial because it addresses deep-seated muscle pains. Deep tissue is beneficial when undertaken on a regular basis so that I can work together with the client to correct long term problems, relax the body, and prevent injury.

To get a truly good deep tissue massage you need to find someone who specializes in deep tissue, like Nicola.  Most spas have several massage therapists who can offer a basic deep tissue massage integrating a number of techniques and styles customized for your body for maximum impact. Experiment by trying several deep tissue massage therapists to find the one that is the right fit for you and your body.

One of the defining differences between deep tissue and regular massage is the use of tools. A standard massage usually only involves the hands and lower arms of the therapist. During a deep tissue, however,  I use elbows and fingers for deep, penetrating work in the muscle. A deep tissue massage also tends to be very slow, and I will use long, flowing strokes to ease in and out of the muscle. Going in too quickly can cause the muscle to tense up, which is not the desired reaction. I also maintain firm pressure at trouble spots for several minutes to achieve muscle release before moving on to the next area of the body.

Deep tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury. It is also not uncommon for receivers of Deep Tissue Massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a day or two. Deep tissue work varies greatly. What one calls deep tissue another will call light. When receiving deep tissue work it is important to communicate what you are feeling.

When you go to get a deep tissue massage, you should talk with the therapist about any issues you might have and like to see addressed during your massage. I am happy to concentrate on a single body part for an entire massage to achieve lasting results and in fact, half of my clients want just that! It is also important to communicate with me about pain; The massage may be intense, but if a client starts to feel pain, he or she should communicate that immediately. I work on a scale of 1 – 10, where 7 is on your comfortability edge for that day and 10 is very uncomfortable pain. A lot of my clients take the deep tissue pain or even like the pain in order to get the quickest results for their body type.  At the end of the session, lots of water should be consumed to help the body express the toxins released during the massage. You will probably be sore for a few days after the intense deep tissue treatment but that’s normal. Remember that ice is your friend.

*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.