Surviving With Degenerative Disc Back Pain: A Massage Chair Flat Out Helps
July 14, 2010 by Alfred Kohl
Filed under Fitness
Degenerative disc disease affects close to 30% of the US population between the ages of 30 to 50 years old. The bones or cervical discs that make up the spinal column can begin to degenerate for a variety of reasons. This condition is known as degenerative disc disease. When the discs degenerate, they begin to come into closer proximity of each other. This can cause pain and discomfort and is mainly concentrated in the lower back. Chiropractors are utilizing massage chairs to loosen up the muscles of the lower back and to provide relief from the discomfort.
To better understand degenerative disc disease, it is important to know the structure of the spinal column. The spinal column is a long row of small round bones. These small round bones are interconnected by muscles, ligaments and soft tissue which allows the spine to be flexible. As the bones degenerate, slight changes to the alignment of the spine can occur which causes stress on the soft tissues.
The spinal column provides support for the body and to maintain its mobility. The spinal column also protects the spinal cord which is the bundle of nerves between the base of the brain and the rest of the body. The spinal column has small round bones which are maintained separate by soft discs. The soft discs provide a cushion between the hard surfaces of the cervical discs.
The activities that you undertake directly affect the health of the spine. Smoking can cause biochemical and structural changes to the soft tissue areas causing degeneration. Other activities such as aging, wear and overuse can cause degenerative changes as well. The spine is designed to evenly distribute the weight of the body across the spine. Certain activities can cause the force to be concentrated in a small area like the lower back. If these activities are repeated through time, then degeneration can occur.
As you can see, there are many possible causes that can cause the soft tissues between the discs to deteriorate or lose their vitality. Massage chair therapy is becoming a popular natural treatment to both elongate the soft tissues to help restore flexibility but also for relief of the discomfort with the disease. Often times spinal adjustments are also needed to rebalance the spine and correct its alignment. This along with massage chair treatments help restore the spine.
Sufferers of degenerative disc disease experience stiffness, tightness and sometimes sharp pain in the low back. What is occurring is equivalent to a chain. The chain is only as strong as the weakest link. In the case of the spine, the weak link also takes the majority of your weight due to misalignment of the spinal column. This puts even more stress on the soft tissues areas causing them to tire.
Massage chair therapy has been used in two different forms to help relieve the pain associated with degenerative disc disease. A finger press or rolling type of massage is used to alleviate pressure between the discs. Kneading and tapping massages are used to loosen the muscles in and around the spinal column.
The kneading massage treatment is used for the major back and shoulder muscles. Misalignments of the spine cause the distribution of weight to shift which means other muscles have to compensate to maintain the new balance. Relaxation and stretching of the major muscles helps to restore balance and relieve built up tension. As these muscles relax, the pressure from the spine is released.
Massage chairs perform an invigorating tapping massage. The tapping massage is a rapid succession of quick little blows. The rollers gently invigorate the muscles and loosen up the soft tissue areas. This can help improve blood flow and to relax a muscle group. When the spine is misaligned, then the other muscles must pick up the slack. In addition to their normal load, they must also carry extra weight from a misaligned spine. The tapping massage helps to reduce this tension.
Massage chair therapy can provide some significant benefits to certain conditions of degenerative discs disease. As with any medical condition, you need to consult with your medical professional and find what treatments are right for your situation. Massage chairs are a convenient and practical natural remedy for many of the symptoms and recovery procedures of the back and shoulders. If you suffer from this condition, you understand the need for periodic relief which massage chairs can certainly provide effectively.
If you suffer from low back pain, then a massage chair may be just what the doctor ordered. The tremendous convenience of massage chairs is unprecedented. Imagine just sitting back and hitting a button and relief begins. Let the massage chair work over those tired, fatigued and stressed muscles. A massage chair will loosen up those tight areas, flex them to restore flexibility and soothe them with invigorating massage chair therapy.
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