Back pain is one of the most common issues we experience. The human body as a whole is complex, especially the structures around the spine. Our backs have a veritable maze of muscles, ligaments, tendons, disks, and bones. How those structures move (or don’t move…) is a huge piece of the back pain puzzle. A healthy balanced back supports the body and enables us to move. A stiff and immobile back makes everything else have to work much harder to move us. Thankfully, most types of back pain respond very well to back pain massage.
Back pain can range from dull aches or throbbing to sharp and shooting. Or even involve neurological symptoms such as numbness and tingling. If you have severe symptoms that do not go away with a few days rest plus light movement, consult your doctor.
There are various potential causes for back pain and here are several of the most common…
Muscle Strain/Sprain
A strain refers to the tearing of a muscle or tendon. And a sprain refers to the tearing of a ligament. Activities such as lifting something improperly, or lifting something too heavy can lead to strains or sprains. Also impact injuries (think getting tackled or slipping on the ice) may lead to a strain or sprain. Inflammation follows as your body tries to heal the tear. Often there will be muscle spasms as well.
A well trained massage therapist can help a lot with muscle strains and sprains.
Chronic Poor Movement and Posture
Back pain can also result from everyday asymmetrical activities that contribute to poor posture. Examples of this include:
- sitting or standing for extended periods of time
- repetitive movements that overuse one side or the other
- straining the neck and head forward to read
- long commutes involving tense sitting or driving
- an old mattress that no longer supports
Your body has to tighten some muscles in order to hold unbalanced postures for any length of time. Eventually it learns to just keep those muscles tight and firing all the time. A great massage therapist can help by first unwinding those tight muscles. Then they can point out which postural habits might be causing pain. And give practices and exercises to help the client improve their posture between massage sessions.
Structurally Induced Back Pain
More severe causes of back pain may stem from changes to the spine such as ruptured or bulging discs. Each vertebra bone in the spine is cushioned by a disc. Discs are sort of like jelly donuts. The outside is tough made of layers of ligamentous material. The inside is a fluid for cushioning.
If a disc begins to bulge outwards due to asymmetrical muscle pressure it can push outwards into surrounding nerves inducing pain. Left untreated, the disc material may deteriorate and rupture, causing the cushioning fluid to seep out. A bulging disc can be treated by back pain massage therapy that loosens the muscles putting pressure on it. A ruptured disc may require surgery.
Another example of a structural cause is osteoarthritis. This occurs when the cartilage located between the spine's joints deteriorates due to “wear and tear.” As the cartilage wears away a dull, aching, or throbbing pain that worsens with movement may develop. See Massage for Arthritis: Everything You Need To Know About the Benefits article for how massage therapy can alleviate arthritic symptoms. Another degenerative condition called osteoporosis can create compression fractures on your spine’s vertebrae. As bones weaken they often become porous and brittle which can make them prone to breaking.
Treatment With Back Pain Massage in New York at Bodyworks DW
Back pain can be frustrating and at times debilitating. Luckily, most back pain is treatable and back pain massage in New York at our studio is a wonderful way to tackle it. At Bodyworks DW each session is custom tailored to a client’s individual needs. Each massage therapist performs a thorough intake where the client and therapist discuss the symptoms that are present, the pain patterns, an individual’s medical history and everyday activities.
We treat most conditions with a series of 3-8 sessions. The number of sessions depends on the condition’s severity and how long the pain has been present. Each session builds on the last and works on different areas of your body. For instance, you may not realize how much an old ankle sprain can contribute to your lower back pain or upper back pain. Or how much tension in your jaw from teeth clinching will increase your upper back pain and neck pain.
By working on relieving tension in these seemingly unrelated areas, the work done directly on your back pain will be far more effective. And the relief will last much longer for truly long term results.
It’s never too late to be pain-free and take control your body and in turn your life. We offer back pain massage in Midtown and the Financial District in New York City.
If you would like to schedule an amazing back pain massage experience, please contact Bodyworks DW today or click the button to book online at our massage therapy midtown or massage therapy fidi studios.
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