"Chiropractic or Massage--which do I need?!"
My patients often ask me, "How did my vertebrae get out of place?" That's a great question, and the answer is--it could be lots of things: from poor posture and sleeping habits, to traumas, or even emotional stress. Muscles attach to bones, and nerves exit the spine through gaps in the bones and communicate with the muscles. A bone out of place can irritate a nerve and cause a muscle spasm, but a muscle spasm can also pull a bone out of place and therefore irritate a nerve. Which came first? It's a bit of a chicken and egg kind of debate.
So why not address both?
Chiropractic is the art and science of adjusting the spine and joints to restore motion, allowing the nervous system to function at it's maximal capacity so that your brain can effectively communicate with all your organs, muscles and cells. The nervous system is the master system of the body. It controls everything from breathing and swallowing, to digestion, hand-eye coordination, your ability to walk, hear, smell, touch, and even your mood. And the scary thing is that you can have up to a 60% loss of function before you ever experience any symptoms of pain. So pain is not an accurate indicator to know if you nervous system is struggling or not. And the longer your nervous system is running on a deficit, the higher the chances are that you will injure yourself and the longer it will take to heal.
Chiropractic adjustments are the best way to align the spine, taking pressure off of nerves so muscles can relax. But quite often, there is also lactic acid build up from the muscle spasm, and this chemical waste-product continues to irritate the nerves, causing the muscle spasm to persist (which can pull the bone right back out of alignment!). Massage therapy is the best modality to flush out lactic acid, eliminate painful trigger points, and allow the muscles to relax--especially after a chiropractic adjustment. In fact, patients who receive regular massages hold their chiropractic adjustments much longer and heal quicker. And massage therapy also significantly reduces stress and increases a sense of well-being.
So again, do you need chiropractic or massage? From what I have seen in my practice, everyone needs chiropractic care, everyone benefits from massage, and patients who receive both receive the most benefit.
In an effort to make regular massages more affordable for our patients, a three-massage package is available. To sign up for a massage package, or to schedule an appointment call 512.762.2156 or email Dr.Rita@RestorativeTouchChiropractic.com