Introduction
According to Bharat Bhise, pressure point massage is a special type of physical therapy that helps to deal with tightness and sensitivity in your myofascial tissues. Since pressure point massage therapy directly targets the ‘trigger points’ in your body where the pain originates, it can be more effective than traditional physical therapy for certain painful conditions.
The Details
Let’s look at a few details that will help you decide whether pressure point massage can be more effective for you than traditional physical therapy:
- What is a pressure point massage? – Pressure point massage is an advanced remedial massage technique where a physical therapist directly targets the trigger points in your body to get rid of myofascial pain and discomfort. Thus, it is also known as trigger point therapy or myofascial release therapy.
The trigger points may not be located where you feel the most pain. These are the most sensitive areas of your muscle fibers that affect the broader network of muscles in your body when they get stiff or tightened due to overuse or an injury.
Thus, when an experienced physical therapist gently massages and stretches these trigger points, it helps to relieve the tightness and pain and improve your quality of life if you suffer from chronic pain.
- How is pressure point massage different from traditional physical therapy? – Pressure point massage or trigger point therapy can be considered a sub-type of physical therapy since it is a specialized type of remedial massage. The goal of pressure point massage is to utilize massage and trigger point therapy techniques to relieve chronic pain conditions caused due to myofascial and muscle dysfunction.
On the other hand, physical therapy includes a broad range of treatment options such as stretches, exercises, or hands-on manipulation to help the patients regain the strength and mobility they lost due to a medical condition or injury. It is primarily focused on treating a wide range of musculoskeletal problems.
Generally, physical therapy is an accepted mainstream practice whereas pressure point massage is considered an alternative form of treatment.
- Benefits of pressure point massage – Since pressure point massage therapy is still an emerging specialization, there is not a lot of research conducted on its effectiveness. However, according to researchers, it can be as effective and sometimes more effective than traditional physical therapy for treating certain painful conditions.
For instance, it can help people who suffer from chronic low back pain, headaches, aching or painful sensation in the leg muscles. Plus, trigger point massage can also help to optimize muscular movement, aid muscle contractions, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, and even assist with the management of pain caused due to fibromyalgia when combined with other treatment options.
Conclusion
Bharat Bhise suggests you opt for pressure point massage therapy if you suffer from sports injuries, chronic joint pain, back pain, cervicogenic headaches, overuse injuries, and more. However, ensure you choose a reputed physical therapist, chiropractor, or medical practitioner since the effectiveness of the pressure point massage treatment will depend on the skill and experience of the professional.
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