Massage therapy is a service that many chiropractic patients could use. Here are some things to keep in mind when considering massage therapy.

What Does It Do for an Injury?

Your chiropractor may suggest that you get some massage therapy along with your regular chiropractic treatments. The purpose of this is to relieve muscle pain. Chiropractors will work on getting your spine aligned correctly, but often it's the muscles around an injury that create the most pain through muscle spasms. So, massage is a nice complement to chiropractic treatments after an injury. At the same time, your muscles should be in great shape in order to hold a chiropractic treatment properly. So, one benefit to consider is that chiropractors will appreciate your massage treatments; it makes spinal adjustment easier and more effective in the long run. 

What If I'm Not Injured?

Massage is still great for everyday therapeutic and chiropractic use. Muscles can become tightened or misaligned during everyday use, so the massage therapist will work on trouble spots and restore circulation to your muscle groups. 

What Kind of Massage Is It?

The common modality for chiropractic massage is called Swedish massage. It is a whole body massage technique that focuses on elongating the muscles and working out tension points. If you are injured in a specific area, your massage therapist can focus just on that one area. It can take a full hour to really relax the back and neck muscles in order to deliver a great deep tissue massage. Some practitioners recommend that you alternate massage styles, focusing on the whole body during one session and then delving into some deep tissue massage techniques on the next. 

Is It Covered by Insurance?

The great news is that massage therapy for chiropractic use can be approved by your chiropractor. The chiropractor will act as your case manager and make recommendations to the insurance company for a reasonable treatment plan. Just make sure that you keep up with your regular chiropractic appointments so that your doctor can keep recommending whether or not you need to continue massage.

What Can I Do, Aside from Massage, to Get Better?

A once a week massage is a good time to restore your muscles, but there are often things you can do at home as well. Ask your massage therapist to give you some stretches to do at home. This will help your treatments work faster and help you feel better sooner. 

For more information, talk to a company like Haring Marc DC.