The Most Common Causes for Back Pain 

Around 8% of all adults experience chronic back pain. Back pain can occur for a range of reasons, and can varies in terms of the area it affects, how severe it is, and how it can be treated. Unfortunately, back pain only tends to get worse with age, so if you suffer from back pain, you should deal with it sooner rather than later. 

You may be wondering if massage therapy can help with your back pain. Well, the answer is yes. Keep reading to find out how.

Pulled Muscle or Tendon

This is one of the most common causes of back and neck pain and can be sudden, or develop over time. It’s common for people who work manual jobs to suffer from pulled muscles or tendons, as these injuries are often caused by lifting heavy objects. Workplaces that have their employees doing this should offer a guide to them that indicates the best way to lift heavy objects safely, reducing the risk of injury. 

You can also get a pulled muscle or tendon from exercise. You should take care to make sure you’re working out within your limits, and in a safe manner, to avoid such injuries. It’s also possible to pull a muscle simply by sleeping in a certain position, so this can be hard to avoid at times. 

A pulled muscle or tendon can cause tightness and spasms and may make it hard to perform everyday tasks. Deep tissue massages are great for helping to relieve this sort of pain. They can loosen muscle tissues and help increase blood/oxygen flow around the body. 

Inflammation

Inflammation is an immune response that often occurs after an injury or as a result of disease. It can cause discomfort and soreness and may linger for weeks, or even months. There are a few things you can do to help reduce inflammation. 

Anti-inflammatory pain relievers are often quite effective. It may also be beneficial to stay active, but you want to ensure you don’t overexert yourself or you may make the pain worse. 

Massage therapy can also help reduce pain and discomfort, and may speed up your recovery. It’s also a very safe form of care, as the risk of making things worse is minimal. 

A Swedish massage is a common choice to help people with inflammation. It helps soothe the skin, muscles, and nervous system. On top of that, it can help reduce the emotional stress that you’ll likely be dealing with due to the inflammation. 

Arthritis

Around 58.5 million people in the US suffer from arthritis. It can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in a person’s back, as well as other areas of the body. 

Arthritis is something that tends to get worse with age, and there is no cure or chance of full recovery. Even so, there are various things you can do to help manage it. 

Regular exercise can strengthen the muscles around your joints, helping to reduce the symptoms of arthritis. It can also improve your posture, reducing the strain on your joints. Being overweight also causes more strain on joints, so maintaining a healthy weight will help. 

There are various medical treatments you can use. Acetaminophen can help with mild pain, or a doctor may prescribe opioids if other medications don’t help. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. 

If you have back pain as a result of arthritis, massages might be one of the best places to start with treatment. You may be able to avoid taking medication, and it’s more enjoyable than some other treatments. 

While there’s still some discussion over exactly how it works, massages have been shown to reduce the pain associated with arthritis, as well as lessen anxiety that people may be suffering from. 

Stress

Many people only think of back pain in terms of physical issues, but it can also be caused by things like stress. Your mindset can affect your posture, and bad posture over long periods is one of the leading causes of back pain. 

If you’re not sitting upright, the stress on your spine will increase. As a result, your muscles have to work harder to support your body, and this can lead to pain and discomfort. 

Massages can help alleviate the pain in your back muscles caused by this. If your posture doesn’t improve, it will remain a recurring issue. 

Fortunately, massages can also help with stress, and may therefore lead to improvements in your posture and less back pain in the future   

Injured Disc

Between each of the vertebrae of your spine are discs – small pieces of tissue that absorb impact between the vertebrae. As you age, these may be more prone to damage, and may become ruptured or herniated, causing a lot of pain. 

If you have a herniated disc, there are several things you can do to help with the pain. First, you don’t want to overdo it. If you have to lift anything, do so carefully. 

Second, heat and ice packs can help soothe the pain, and a doctor may be able to prescribe some medication. Maintaining a good posture is also beneficial here.  

While massages won’t fully heal a herniated disc, they can alleviate it to some degree. A deep tissue massage of the surrounding tissue can increase circulation, range of motion, and muscle flexibility. If you’re going to have surgery for a herniated disc, you should check with your doctor first before seeing a massage therapist. 

Massage Therapy for Back Pain 

If you suffer from back pain and are interested in massage therapy to help deal with it, Faces Spa is the perfect place. Based in Omaha, Nebraska we offer Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, and other forms of massage. We also specialize in face, nail, and medi-spa treatments. 

If you have any questions about our services call us at (402) 384-8400 or book an online appointment.