Why is massage therapy beneficial in conjunction with chiropractic care?

Massage is one of the most naturally healing things you can do! The nurturing touch is not only simple, but more powerful than we can imagine. Studies have shown conclusively that it reduces stress, alleviates depression, reduces pain, boosts the immune system and helps pre-mature babies catch up in their development. So, massage is not just a luxury for a chosen few, but a part of our health regimen that can help so many areas of our lives.

Congratulations if you have chosen to incorporate massage therapy into your life. What many people don't know is that in order to reap the benefits of massage or any therapy, it is critical to have a strong, healthy, well-aligned spine. A common misconception is that if you don't feel any pain then your spine is aligned perfectly and the brain and nervous system are working at their maximum potential. This is not the case. Pain is actually one of the last symptoms to occur when there is a misalignment in the spine.

In fact, only a small percentage of nerves in the body have the capacity to inform your brain of pain! It is therefore highly recommended to have a spinal adjustment prior to a massage to allow the maximum healing to occur. A critical part of living a healthy life is to include spinal care as the foundation for your health. By being under the care of a chiropractor, you will assure yourself that your spine will be aligned thus allowing your body to function optimally and heal itself.

When a misalignment is present in the spine, the nerves that are attached to the spinal cord are not able to transmit the message from the brain to the body. Therefore, this may be causing health problems in many parts of your body which may be lying undetected until symptoms occur. It is my job as a chiropractor to locate these misalignments before symptoms have surfaced and facilitate the healing of the body. I have found that massage therapy supports the body's natural function and expedites the healing process.

The two most obvious benefits of massage are increased circulation and flexibility. The massage therapist increases the lubrication between muscle fibers and allows the muscle to move optimally. Because muscle fibers are designed to work independently of each other, when the muscles dry out, or dehydrate, the fibers stick together. This causes the muscles to become stiff or rigid. As fluid is reintroduced by the therapist, the muscle then softens and regains its flexibility. When the circulation increases between the muscle fibers, nutrients then are more capable of reaching the cells and toxins are carried off more efficiently. This allows the body to heal as it was designed to do.

Another added bonus to incorporating massage therapy into your health care regimen is the slowing of the aging process. Because aging is largely a process of dehydration, the process of aging quickens with less water in the body. As we dehydrate, we begin to shrink and as our muscles become smaller, our skin begins to wrinkle. Drinking lots of water and having regular massage is a great way to rid the body of wrinkles and slow down some of the aging process.

If you are ready to get your family off the road of sickness and disease and on to living a life filled with health and vitality, you must first be sure the foundation of your body is working at 100 percent! Chiropractic will align your spine allowing the body to heal and massage therapy will support those healing processes. Don't wait to start a better, healthier future. Get your spine checked today! When shopping for a massage therapist, ask if he or she has graduated from an accredited school and is licensed. The massage therapist at Spoelstra Family Chiropractic is nationally certified and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association.

To find out more about chiropractic or massage therapy, give us a call at 208-762-1414. You can also visit us on the web at www.CDAHealth.com, or find us on Twitter and Facebook by searching "Spoelstra Family Chiropractic."