Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy: A Perfect Couple

Hello everyone,

Thank you to Krista Dicks for inviting me to do a guest blog. Krista and I have been colleagues and have been co-treating patients for a while now. She also happens to be my Massage Therapist too!

Friends, family and patients who have aches and pains will often ask me, "Is this a chiropractic problem or something massage can deal with?" The answer in most cases is BOTH will help. Chiropractic care and massage therapy are very complementary to each other. I have the pleasure of being both a Chiropractor and a Registered Massage Therapist, so I see first hand how well the two work together.

The scope of practice for Chiropractors and Registered Massage Therapy is often misunderstood. Most people think a chiropractor just “cracks joints” and RMTs can only massage tight muscles. This is very far from the truth. There is so much more to both professions. Chiropractors use adjustments or manipulations as one part of their treatment plan along with other techniques such as soft tissue therapy, light muscle massage, modalities, acupuncture, orthotics, and exercise prescription. Likewise, RMTs will use traditional swedish massage techniques along with lymphatic techniques, joint mobilizations, trigger work, breathing and stretching techniques. Both practitioners are well equipped to treat a wide range of injuries and should not be limited to the general belief that joint problems are for Chiropractors and muscle problems are for Massage Therapists.

So if both Chiros and RMTs can help you, the question becomes: Who should you see for an injury? Most people would think one or the other. I would suggest seeing both practitioners. Most health care plans will provide coverage for both therapies allowing for greater care and fast recovery from your injury. And even if you are not injured, but simply experience mild strain because of long days at the office or lots of stress, you can still benefit from both chiropractic care and massage therapy. Regular maintenance visits will help maintain proper function of the body and nervous system and help manage your stress! As a general rule of thumb, for wellness, I would recommend a chiropractic visit once a month and a massage every 1-3 months.

It is truly a gift and blessing to be able to do what I do. I hope my amateur blogger entry was informative. I hope this inspires all of you to call your favorite therapist and book your next massage and chiropractic appointment.

Have a healthy and happy day,

Melanie Stewart

Melanie is also my Chirpractor :) 

Visit Dr. Melanie Stewart at Kent Chiro Med