Over 16 million Americans suffer from chronic back pain. So, if you are tired of back pains, then you are not alone. A good massage therapy can work wonders to relieve your back pain. However, you can’t go to a massage therapist every other day. Hence, using a massage chair might work as a good self-help substitute.
A lot of people believe that massage chairs are bought as a luxury item. But, trust us on this, massage chairs help you relax your back pain when you can’t go to massage therapists. Also, it provides ample health benefits for the low price tag it comes at.
In this article, we’ll dive into the details and figure out how massage chairs help you in relieving your back pain.
Do massages really help back pain?
Yes, they do. Getting massages regularly can be very helpful in treating chronic back pain. However, it might be troublesome to pay for massage therapy sessions regularly, so, as an alternative, you could rather, buy a massage chair.
How Do Massage Chairs Help Back Pain?
Massage chairs are extremely beneficial for people who suffer from regular back pains. These provide all the benefits of massage therapies and even more in a more accessible and enhanced way. Massage therapy involves rhythmic stretching and kneading techniques that soothe and loosen the tightened-up soft tissues in your back, hence, relieving backaches.
A lot of people believe that a massage chair might be too much of an investment and perhaps not prove to be quite effective in relieving your back pain. But, in the current world, even doctors recommend people to use massage chairs to get rid of their chronic back pains. While you don’t get the human touch with an electric massage chair, but trust us, high-quality massage chairs can offer you a lot more in terms of back pain relief.
If you are having a hard time figuring out how exactly a massage chair can help relieve backache and even lower back pain, then here are 6 ways how massage chair can help with your back pains:
1. Enhances Blood Flow
If your bones and muscles get overworked or become too tight, then, you might start suffering from back pains. Massage chairs can help you overcome this by stimulating blood circulation to all the regions that haven’t been receiving sufficient oxygen and nutrients and hence, are aching.
In general, the enhanced blood flow will relieve tension from your back, neck, chest, and limbs too. Besides helping you with your back pain, massage chairs also help to reduce your headaches.
2. Increases Lymphatic flow
A good session of massage also improvises your lymphatic circulation. When the lymph nodes in specific areas of your body are flushed out of all toxins, you will feel a lot more revitalized. This provides better relief from backaches and uneasiness.
3. Heating Technology
Some massage chairs can also provide heat massage which is proved to ease your muscle spasms. If you suffer from acute lower back pain, then, you know what we are talking about. Moreover, lower back pains can also lead to a heightened level of irritation and discomfort in general.
The soft tissues around your spinal cord cause those lower back pains. Now, the heat coming from the massage chair warms up the painful targeted area and reduces the frequency of your spasms. Furthermore, you can combine this will regular exercises that target those lower back muscles. This in conjunction with regular lower back massage can fasten the healing procedure and keep your back pain at bay.
4. Kneading And Stretching Features
Different models of massage chairs come with varying features and massage types. However, a very common massage technique used by these chairs is the kneading and stretching one. This method is very effective in relaxing the muscles in the area that is causing your back pain. Moreover, it also helps in aligning your spinal cord properly. Misalignment of the spinal cord due to poor posture is one of the leading causes of back pains.
5. Reduces Inflammation
Researches suggest that massages can directly reduce muscle inflammations. As per a study conducted by McMaster University, Canada, massages offer the same effect you get when you consume aspirin or ibuprofen, that is, pain relief.
The study further states that massages can dampen the activity of cytokines responsible for causing inflammation and discomfort. Also, massages promote the production of proteins that stimulate muscles to generate more mitochondria. You might already know that mitochondria are responsible for producing energy thus, allowing your muscles to recover from wounds and heal faster.
6. Consistent Performance
A lot of the massage chairs currently in the market have programmable memory features. This means that you can preconfigure the settings as per your needs. Besides, this indicates that you can set your chair in a way to provide you with the same massage type every time you use it. So, there won’t be any time wasted on reconfiguring it again and again.
As the massage is consistent, so, over time, the massage sessions are supposed to gradually heal your back pain and speed up the healing procedure. Moreover, this is one of the reasons how a massage chair wins over a human massage therapist as a machine is programmed to be consistent and error-free.
Note: Massage chairs can be effective only when you buy the right massage chair to address your back pain. There are a couple of factors you should consider before buying a massage chair:
- Review the strength of the rollers used in the massage chair to make sure that the chair is effective in removing tension from muscles. Make sure that the chair features different intensity levels so that you can shift from light to intense massage and vice versa.
- The size of the massage chair is also pretty important to consider. The specs of the chair will tell you if your height and weight are compatible with the chair or not. Do not even think of compromising here because if the chair turns to be too large or small for your body, then, it won’t serve its purpose, and buying it would be a waste of money.
- Moreover, you should also factor in the technologies available in the chair and your massage needs. Anything less than your requirements will be less effective and anything more might be a bit unnecessary.
Common Issues With Massage Chair Usage
1. Overuse
If you overuse your massage chair, that too can result in several issues like muscle tenderness, irritation, and inflammation. Moreover, repeated usage and over-manipulation can cause small tears in your muscles and connective tissues.
2. Pain
You might experience some amount of pain when you first start using a massage chair. Usually, this goes away in a few days. But, if the pain persists or you get some kind of injury, then you must seek medical attention.
Massage chairs come with a lot of features and several massage types. So, you should first get acquainted with all the different types of massages available.
3. Bruising
Though rare, some people might also get mild bruising from a massage session. This could be due to several underlying reasons. But it is seen mostly in elderly people or in individuals who are on medications that can make them more prone to bruising.
FAQs
How long should you sit in a massage chair?
The recommended and ideal duration of time for using a massage chair ranges from two to fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes is enough to receive pain relief, relaxation, and optimum comfort from your massage chair. If you sit any longer than that period, then you run a chance of getting muscle injuries.
Are massage chairs healthy?
Yes, massage chairs are quite healthy, provided you use them properly and as per guidelines. These can stimulate blood flow in the aching areas and provide oxygen supply therein. This helps to relieve muscle pain and loosens the tight areas of your body.
Is getting a massage good for lower back pain?
A massage can be really helpful to reduce discomfort and heal your lower back pain quickly. There are many suitable types of massages that work wonders in treating your lower back pain. These include deep tissue massage, relaxation massage, structural massage, etc.
Final Thoughts
Buying a massage chair is one of the best purchases for people who suffer from regular back pain. Other than helping you with your back pain, these can also help eliminate other health conditions. In today’s busy world, you can’t really hope to grab a treatment session from a professional therapist every other day.
On the other hand, electronic massagers can give you customized massage sessions anytime right at the comfort of your home. Besides providing you with physical health benefits, massage chairs also provide certain psychological benefits to relieve your backaches. They also stabilize your mood and keep you happy by increasing your endorphin levels. Hence, for all these reasons, a good massage chair is one of those products that you must spend some money on.
