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The Perfect Pair: Why Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy are Better Together

By: Dr. Ryan Lee

You may be thinking chiropractors are for serious back problems and massage therapy is a nice treat on spa day. However, chiropractic care and massage therapy are practices that are complementary in helping patients along the road to wellness. So What do you get when you combine massage therapy and chiropractic care? A more effective way to experience pain relief, posture improvement, and more! According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 27 million people seek out chiropractic care each year in the United States alone; massage therapy is no different, with about 40 million people seeking it out annually. With the number of people in search of chiropractic or massage therapy, it’s no surprise that combining the two services can be an excellent way to achieve your wellness goals and get better results faster.

Chiropractic Care 

Chiropractors treat conditions affecting the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. They use moderate pressure to correct restrictions and misalignments along the spine and other joints in the body. Their goal is to reduce inflammation and pain through adjustments. They can help reduce pain in the back, neck and shoulders, while increasing range of motion and mobility. 

Massage Therapy 

Massage therapists treat stress related physical conditions such as anxiety, headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, as well as back, shoulder and neck pain. They apply moderate pressure to manipulate and relax the soft tissues, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Their goal is to reduce inflammation and pain while simultaneously reducing stress. They do this by increasing blood flow to certain parts of the body, lowering heart rate and blood pressure.

Better together

If you’re looking for holistic ways to manage pain, improve your range of motion, and speed up your recovery from injury, you may be wondering if chiropractic care or massage therapy is right for you. The answer is: both! These two modalities are the perfect complement to each other.

When you visit a chiropractor, they use manual adjustments on your spine and joints in order to relieve pressure on nerves that can lead to decreased mobility, numbness, or tingling. When these symptoms arise it can also mean there’s an issue with the muscle groups attached to those areas as well. That’s where massage therapy comes in. A good therapeutic massage therapist will use their hands, elbows, forearms and feet along with various techniques like deep tissue work or myofascial release to help increase circulation while breaking down adhesions that can cause pain in certain areas of the body. In addition, massages can alleviate stress by increasing serotonin levels and reducing cortisol levels (the hormone responsible for the fight-or-flight response).

Benefits of combining therapies

When it comes to finding relief from pain, many people turn to chiropractic care and massage therapy. And while both of these methods can be effective on their own, there are added benefits to combining the two practices. For example, research shows that individuals who undergo combined therapies have a faster recovery time than those who only receive one type of treatment. Likewise, by using joint mobilization techniques in conjunction with spinal manipulation, patients may notice increased range of motion and decreased swelling. 

There is no question that chiropractic care and massage therapy are valuable additions to any wellness plan. It’s important for people to find what works best for them because everyone is different. In fact, combining these two practices can prevent chronic pain and prevent pain from coming back all together. Pairing a massage therapist with a chiropractor can relax and elongate muscles, keeping them from pulling joints back out of alignment. It can also increase circulation and blood flow throughout the body. This will lead to increased elasticity and range of motion in the muscles, tendons, tissues, and joints. Furthermore, facilitating circulation of the lymphatic system and nervous system. 


Both of these practices used together can also improve mental wellbeing. Just as a massage calms the body it calms the mind as well. As the body relieves physical stress it also relieves mental tension. Massages can lower stress and anxiety while increasing serotonin in the brain. When your body suffers, so does your mind, which makes receiving care for each so important. Patients who utilize chiropractic care with massage therapy notice instant relief from some symptoms, less tension in the body and mind and an overall greater sense of health and wellbeing.

We’re Here to Help
If you think you might benefit from these treatments combined, contact us today! At Reach Health and Wellness, we offer both services at our office and would love to help you live an active life free of pain.

Book Appointment Now

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Dr. Ryan Lee is the practicing chiropractic physician at Reach Health and Wellness Chiropractic. For his full bio, click here. *This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Ryan Lee and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Dr. Lee does not take responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.

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