Massage therapy has long been recognised as a powerful tool for relieving pain, reducing muscle tension, and improving overall well-being. If one suffers from back pain, sports injury, stress tension, or joint pain, regular visits to a massage clinic can be an important part of your recovery and wellness plan. But despite all that, there is a question still on most individuals’ minds: how often should massage be taken so that one would experience effective pain relief?
The answer will depend on various factors such as the nature and intensity of pain, your way of life, and whether or not you are already receiving some complementary therapy in the form of osteopathic treatment. Let’s have a discussion regarding how massage produces pain relief and how regularly you should be having appointments so that you could maximise the advantage.
Massage for Pain Relief: How It Works
Massage is the result of soft tissue contraction, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments, for inducing relaxation, enhancing blood flow, and reducing inflammation. Massage on a daily basis:
- Decreases spasm and muscle tension
- Enhances circulation to contracted or traumatised tissue
- Breaks adhesions or scar tissue
- Increases range of motion
- Reduces stress hormones causing pain
If you are seeing an osteopath in Kingston for a structural issue spinal alignment, joint dysfunctions, or postural deviation massage is ancillary. Osteopathic treatment is directed at correcting and compensating for structural defects of the body, yet massage helps keep the muscles supple and facilitates healing in advance.
Factors That Determine Massage Frequency
Type of Pain
The kind of pain you either have acute or chronic pain—will decide the frequency of massage therapy to which you will have to subject yourself.
New strain or injury (acute pain): Massage could be justified 1–2 times a week in the initial stages of recovery for a few weeks. This manages swelling and prevents the development of chronic tension.
Chronic pain (such as fibromyalgia, lower backache, or arthritis): Weekly appointments are typically ideal to keep symptoms under control and prevent flare-ups.
Lifestyle and Activity Level
If you physically work or train intensively, your muscles may need more regular attention. Alternatively, a life of sitting for long periods of time can lead to contracted muscles and poor circulation, which can be helped by regular massage.
Sportsmen, gym-goers, and workers can be helped by a fortnightly or weekly massage, and white-collar workers experiencing neck and back pain can be helped by a monthly massage.
Integration with Osteopathic Care
If you are an osteopathic patient, the frequency of receiving a massage could be determined by your osteopath. Some osteopaths advise scheduling their sessions in synchronisation with therapeutic massage so that you would receive the benefit earlier. Massage sessions could be scheduled before or after osteopathic adjustments to relax muscles and facilitate movement.
For example, a patient experiencing neck or back pain who visits an osteopath every month may require massage to still relax the muscles and prevent chronic straining.
Massage Frequency Guidelines
Since every individual is different, the following general guidelines are to be applied for pain categories:
- Severe or acute pain: 1–2 times weekly until cleared
- Moderate chronic pain: Every 1–2 weeks
- Mild or occasional pain: as needed, or once a month
- Prevention or upkeep: every 4–6 weeks
Frequency is the secret. Aiding massage regularity habituates the body to grow “accustomed” to sensation, thereby minimising pain and tension in time.
Signs You May Need a Massage More Often
Heeding the body will also instruct you to plan the next session. Several of the signals that you might possibly be able to receive a massage more regularly include:
- Shortly after your last massage, pain or stiffness is reversed.
- You are always tense or fatigued.
- You experience disrupted sleep because of pain.
- You experience limited motion or flexibility.
- Physical pain caused by stress.
In any of these circumstances, talk with an osteopath or massage therapist about modifying your care plan to maximise benefit from it.
Making Massage a Long-Term Wellness Tool
Massage shouldn’t be viewed only as a one-time fix for pain. Instead, it works best when integrated with a general long-term pain management or wellness program. Paired with good posture, exercise, stretching, and osteopathic care, regular massage can easily reduce your medication requirements and improve your quality of life.
Also, massage activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts stress and keeps emotions in check something which is entirely vital to anyone who has to coexist with chronic pain.
Final thoughts
There is not a prescription on how frequently you should get a massage to manage pain. You will determine for yourself how frequently you need them based on what’s causing you pain, activity level, and if you are getting other therapies like osteopathy. But with most individuals, more frequent therapy weekly, biweekly, or monthly is seen to yield incredible pain improvement, improved mobility, and an overall sense of well-being.
If you are not certain how frequently you should have a massage in Kingston, consult with an osteopath or massage therapist. Together, they can help create a personalised plan that keeps your body functioning at its best.
