Chiropractic care and massage therapy work well together for the treatment of musculoskeletal problems for patients. Because these two therapies work well together, many times a chiropractic physician will employ massage therapists in their office to provide a greater scope of care for their patients. Chiropractor massage is more widely accepted and utilized by the patient population. According to a 2005 poll in Consumer Reports, chiropractic care and massage therapy were reported by consumers as their most favorable options for the treatment of back pain. A large percentage of consumers reported that receiving chiropractic care was the most effective treatment option compared to conventional medical treatments and deep tissue massage therapy was rated as a very effective treatment tool for patients who complained of osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. The report also stated that people found the exercises they received from chiropractic physicians to be very effective in helping with conditions such as depression, insomnia, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, allergies and respiratory problems. Alternative and conservative forms of health care such as chiropractic care and massage therapy are becoming more popular among patients because in general these treatments are low risk options that have the potential to relieve pain and discomfort without the use of drugs and surgery.
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A chiropractic physician will employ massage therapists because a massage session can be lengthy. Massage therapists are also trained in a wide range of massage techniques so a patient can be sure that they are receiving knowledgeable care from the therapist. A chiropractor may choose to have their patients receive a massage prior to spinal manipulation. This is done to relax the muscles to make an adjustment more easily accomplished. A very popular form of massage therapy is deep tissue massage. This technique works well for chronic muscle spasms, overuse muscular injuries and more. This form of massage is not considered a relaxation massage because it can produce some discomfort. Massage clients may feel sore following this type of massage and it is recommended that a person drink large amounts of water following the session to help remove the lactic acid that is released during the massage. Often times a chiropractic physician will offer chair massage services to the public for free during health fairs, business stress relief days and trade shows. These 10 minute chair massages are performed by massage therapists and are considered mini relaxation massages. Chair massage is just a small taste of what a massage session can do for sore muscles.
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