Therapeutic massage therapy is a complementary and alternative medicine CAM that involves the manipulation of the body's soft tissues through specialized hands-on movements. The purpose of therapeutic massage is to influence cellular changes in the soft tissues that promote healing, reduce pain, and enhance overall wellness. In the lower back, massage therapy affects the muscular and skeletal systems at the superficial and deep layers to foster healing and reduce pain. Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice.
Fifth edition. Elsevier; Real-world massage therapy produces meaningful effectiveness signal for primary care patients with chronic low back pain: results of a repeated measures cohort study. Pain Medicine. This article provides a guide to the objectives and potential benefits of massage therapy in treating lower back pain. Impact of hot stone massage therapy on sleep quality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial.
J Res Med Sci. Published Aug The effects of massage therapy can be physical and psychological. In the lower back, massage stimulates the blood vessels, collagen fibers, muscle and tendon tissue, and nerve cells and may produce one or more of the following changes 1 Salvo SG.
Massage also increases the levels of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine: hormones that help decrease pain, regulate sleep and mood, and promote relaxation. While patients typically opt for massage therapy as a personal choice, some primary care providers may refer their patients to a massage therapist for back pain management.
Trigger points are taut bands of muscle tissue that are highly sensitive and induce pain when stimulated. Depending on the treatment goals, different types of massage therapies may be considered. Each massage type works on a different principle to manipulate the tissue and produce the desired effects.
