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Back Pain Relief by Massage Therapy

Back pain has emerged as the most common form of disability and the highest cause of missing work. What is more disturbing is the fact that unlike in the past when back pain was associated with old age, it is now to be commonly found in people under the age of 45. Blame it on the increasingly sedentary lifestyles of people and not only at leisure but also at work as more and more of our work becomes automated and people spend the entire day at their desks glued to the computer.

The spine is the bedrock of our bodily system and when it is abused, the result is either acute or chronic back pain. Acute pain which is more common is a sudden onset of pain usually due to some injury. This lasts usually for not more than 6 weeks. Chronic pain may be slow to start with but stays on for longer periods of three months or more. Some people may suffer from a lifetime of chronic back pain.

Contrary to popular misconception, back pain is not a diagnosis in itself but a symptom of some underlying problem. To get to the root cause of back pain we must first understand the mechanics of the spine which is actually a collection of 33 vertebrae or bones which is divided into five groups: cervical( upper back or neck), thoracic(middle back), lumbar(low back), sacrum and the coccyx or the tail bone.

Ligaments and muscles hold the vertebrae together with discs in-between them. These discs have jelly-like centers which enable them to act as shock absorbers and protectors of the spinal cord and the spinal nerves. When these discs get injured the result is back pain in any part of the spine.

The causes of back pain are mechanical causes, injuries, acquired disorders, infections or tumors. Mechanical causes include fractures, herniated discs, spinal degeneration, sciatica or slipped discs. Injuries to the spine due to improper lifting, exercising etc. or from accidents can lead to back pain.

Acquired disorders are either the ones which someone is born with like an abnormal curved spine or problems like arthritis, spinal stenosis or even pregnancy. Infection and inflammation of the vertebrae or the discs are some other uncommon causes for back pain as are tumors.

A visit to the physician is a must with the onset of back symptom however slight the pain maybe because if left undiagnosed or improperly treated it can turn into a lifetime problem. The physician may prescribe various diagnostic tests depending on the severity of the situation or over-the-counter medicines may be advised.

The most common form of treatment is total rest for a specific amount of time although long bed rests are now finding disfavor with many physicians claiming that it makes the recovery even more slow and may lead to other problems. 24-72 hours of rest is usually recommended before recommencing normal activities. A physical therapy program like ultrasound, heat, massage or customized exercise regimen may be advised by the physician.

In the past, massage therapy for back symptom was looked upon with suspicion but it is now considered to be a valuable treatment albeit only in a complementary form. Massage helps in a non-invasive way in the alleviation of back pain. The primary aim of any massage is to increase the blood circulation which in turn rejuvenates and stimulates the muscles and tissues of the area.

Massage elongates, stretches and soothes the ligaments and muscles in a natural way. Both acute and chronic back trouble can benefit from a massage therapy but an approval from the physician is a must. This is because muscles and ligaments if pulled and massaged in the wrong way can do more harm than good and the person may end up with even more of a back pain.