Massage Therapy and Chiropractic Care: A Winning Combination

It's no coincidence that chiropractors and massage therapists often work out of the same clinic; massage therapy and chiropractic care go hand-in-hand to offer patients a holistic approach to healing aches, pains, sprains, and medical conditions. Not only does this combination make patients feel reinvigorated, but it's choc full of health benefits, too.

What is Chiropractic Care?

Even as a standalone treatment option, a visit to the chiropractor offers extensive benefits for overall health. At its core, chiropractic care focuses on spinal manipulation and working the body's hard tissues. Chiropractors see patients' bodies as a whole, interconnected system, and believe that by gently manipulating the body into its optimal alignment, it can begin to function properly. By alleviating any areas of tension, chiropractors are often able to heal a long list of ailments and pains.

What is Massage Therapy?

While chiropractors focus on hard tissue, registered massage therapists work through tension in a patient's soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. By applying various techniques such as shiatsu or deep tissue massage, they are able to assess the underlying issue, manually "massaging it out" until pain and tension melts away.

How Massage Therapy and Chiropractic Care Work Together

Now that we've set the scene, you can see how massage therapy and chiropractic care make the perfect pair.

• By starting with massage therapy, your body will be fully relaxed
   
• Any tension or tightness in the muscles will be eliminated, making the body more receptive to proper chiropractic alignment
   
• The muscles will be warm and stimulated
   
• Risk of seizing or spasming during chiropractic alignment will be reduced
   
• The circulatory system and lymphatic system will function better
   
• Injury recovery time will be reduced and rendered more efficient
   
• Pain management will be optimized

Aside from convenience, the added benefit of your chiropractor and massage therapist working under the same roof is that the two can work together to come up with a treatment plan that is completely unique to your body.

Although chiropractic care and massage therapy are not covered by OHIP, both types of treatment are covered by most standard insurance policies in Canada, giving you all the more reason to try both today!

Looking to benefit from massage therapy and chiropractic care? Contact Dr. Lanoue and his Registered Massage Therapy (RMT) partner, Terry Belamy, to get started on your journey to health and wellness.