Research Informed Massage Therapy
The science behind pain is complex and we are just starting to understand how it all works. While there are many ways to describe pain, all types fit into two groupings based on the pain’s fundamental source: physical pain, or psychological pain. Despite the source, all pain presents in a physical manner. Therefore, in this article I will focus on how pain physically manifests within the neck and upper back, and how massage therapy can be useful in relieving it.
Many people experience neck and upper back pain. A current example is “tech neck,” or the pain resulting from overly tilting our heads forward for an extended period of time to interact with our technological devices (phones, computers, etc.).
Although neck and upper back pain can have many causes, I find that it’s frequently muscular related. A common phrase clients say to me is that they “have tightness in their neck and shoulders,” or they claim to “hold tension” in those areas. They also may describe physical pain that starts at the base of their head, and radiates down their upper back to their shoulder blades, or radiates down their arm. In my experience, I have also found that head and upper back pain is connected to certain types of headaches, as well as some types of vertigo and other balance issues.
Reasons clients give for head and upper back pain may vary: from stress and tension, to sitting at a computer desk, to sleeping wrong, or to past injuries or surgeries. Whether annoying or debilitating, neck and upper back pain, and its symptoms, affect our general well-being. Pain is emotionally taxing and so often leads to irritability/short-temperedness, anger, and/or fatigue (frequently due to lack of sleep because of the pain). All of these, in turn, inhibit one’s ability to focus/concentrate and can negatively affect your immune system.
As a neuromuscular massage therapist, my training has provided me with many advanced techniques for assessing my client’s pain. Using my critical thinking skills, I work with my clients to develop a treatment plan that best addresses their pain. I ask specific questions to help form a picture of their current situation, specifically focusing on trying to understand what exacerbates, and what alleviates, their pain. Some of these questions may be:
Does your pain get worse when you sleep?
Do you sleep on your sides / back / stomach ?
Does your pain disrupt your sleep?
Do you have any movement / stretching / yoga daily routines ?
Do you have 1 or 2 computer monitors ?
Do you have a sit/stand desk?
Does your pain interfere with activities you enjoy?
Do you have limited movement? If so, how?
Do you get headaches; If so, how often?
Do you experience numbness or tingling in your arms?
Does your stress level affect the intensity of your pain?
Does your jaw hurt ?
Do you clench or grind your teeth, during the day or at night?
Do you have problems with sleep?
Do you have tension in your neck radiating down to your shoulders ?
Asking these types of questions provides me with information on how to work with your pain and the best way to relieve it. It also provides me with material that I can use to provide you with information that may help prevent the pain from reoccurring.
Keep in mind, the pain, or tension, typically did not happen overnight. Most likely your muscles have been tight for a while. Therefore, when considering massage therapy, it is important to understand that it may take a few sessions to completely alleviate the pain. A single session of massage therapy can not address everything. In addition, getting a regular massage can be therapeutic and relaxing, thus supporting your immune system. Therefore, I recommend a monthly massage, not only for pain management, but also for your well being.
A growing amount of evidence supports the effectiveness of massage therapy for many conditions. The following three research studies are examples that support the efficacy of massage therapy for neck, shoulders, and upper back include the following. See my research section for more.
Available online on the International Journal of Massage Therapy and Bodywork (IJMTB)
A 66-year-old female client was experiencing symptoms of chronic neck pain accompanied by limited cervical range of motion, as well as radicular left shoulder and arm pain. After several treatment sessions of therapeutic massage, client’s symptoms had decreased and cervical range of motion had improved moderately.
Avery RM. Massage therapy for cervical degenerative disc disease: alleviating a pain in the neck?. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2012;5(3):41-46. doi:10.3822/ijtmb.v5i3.146
Available online on the International Journal of Massage Therapy and Bodywork (IJMTB)
Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of a novel massage therapy intervention called Integrative Muscular Movement Technique (IMMT). After eight treatments, two patients with chronic neck pain experienced a reduction in pain and an increase in cervical ROM in flexion, extension, rotation, and sidebending.
Thompson WR, Carter R, Rohe B, Duncan RL, Cooper CR. A novel massage therapy technique for management of chronic cervical pain: a case series. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2011;4(3):1-7. doi:10.3822/ijtmb.v4i3.137
Available online at Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
A review of available research studies in 2013 showed that massage therapy may provide immediate effects for neck and shoulder pain.
Kong LJ, Zhan HS, Cheng YW, Yuan WA, Chen B, Fang M. Massage therapy for neck and shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:613279. doi:10.1155/2013/613279
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