5 Popular Types of Massage for Back Pain and Healing

There’s no doubt about it. Massages feel great! But can a massage relax away back pain? Of course massage should not be the sole treatment method that you employ to handle your back pain. Sure a massage can often reach the muscular tissue that may be tense or spasming, but more often than not the problems behind sciatica are much more complex than a simple massage.

However, that doesn’t mean that massage can have its place in a comprehensive treatment plan. Here are a few types of massage that you might want to think about getting to highlight other forms of treatment.

Deep Tissue Massage - This form of massage focuses on deep layers of muscles and it is often used to break up muscle knots (which are actually just muscle tissue that is stuck together forming rigid or stiff areas). These knots usually have poor blood and lymph circulation, which can result in waste build up within the tissue. This is the reason why many people complain that deep tissue massage can be painful.

Shiatsu Massage - Shiatsu massage comes from Japan and it involves the use of pressure applied by fingers and palms to correct imbalances and promote the healing of the body. Although there isn’t much scientific evidence to suggest that shiatsu is effective for any major health condition, it has been shown to promote relaxation and ease the stress and tension in muscles and joints.

Swedish Massage - This type of massage is what most people think of when they picture massage therapy. This type of massage starts of light to warm up the muscle tissues, then it begins to focus on deeper muscle tissues. The strokes of the massage aim to work in the same direction that blood would flow toward the heart. Swedish massage is often applied in some form or another in most western spas.

Thai Massage - This type of massage dates back thousands of years and many describe it as a form of passive yoga. Thai massage is based on many of the same principles as acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as unblocking energy meridians to promote better health and well-being. Practitioners of Thai massage believe that by compressing the body in specific ways that these energy pathways can be released, which is why this form of massage often looks uncomfortable and intense from an outsider’s perspective.

Reiki - Reiki massage also originated in Japan. Practitioners of reiki believe that health problems and illness originate from having a low life force energy. They also believe that by channeling the powers of the universe, they can send energy to a client and help to balance out that person’s energy levels, which will heal them. Unlike other forms of massage, reiki does not necessarily require physical forms of contact. In fact, it can sometimes be done from a distance if both practitioner and client can agree on a time. The client will relax in comfortable environment and the practitioner will send the energy to them.

There are, of course, many more types of massage that are currently use. However, this has just been a short sampling of the most popular forms today. It is important to remember that though, massage may have wonderful relaxing effects on you, you should not use it as the only form of treatment you receive for your back pain or sciatica.