If you are a long term sufferer of chronic back pain, tension headaches, or a variety of other musculoskeletal problems, you have probably at least heard of the therapeutic benefits of everything from massage to acupuncture, to professional chiropractic adjustments. The key question, however, is how do you finally decide whether or not to see a chiropractor in Peterborough over someone like a professional masseuse in the first place?
Understanding the Benefits of Both Massage & Chiropractic Treatments
When trying to decide between a chiropractor in Peterborough and a professional massage therapist, it is important for all patients to understand that neither chiropractic care or massage therapy directly compete against each other. In fact, practitioners of both alternative therapies will often celebrate the different benefits of each form of therapy. What is important to understand, however, is the different ways which both massage and chiropractic adjustments can be of benefit.
When you Should Probably see a Chiropractor in Peterborough
As a rule, chiropractic treatments focus on the professional diagnosis and physical correction of misaligned joints, nerves, and spinal disks, in order to alleviate pain and suffering. This is why chiropractors will often use clinical diagnostic tests such as x-rays and laboratory blood work to identify physical musculoskeletal alignment problems which after diagnosis, a chiropractor can attempt to physically correct.
Given the above, if pain is specifically musculoskeletal and sufferers have been experiencing symptoms for a relatively long period of time, it will always be best to visit a chiropractor in Peterborough. This way, a chiropractor can investigate what physical spine, joint, and nerve relationships might be giving rise to discomfort in the first place.
When Visiting a Massage Therapist might be of more Immediate Benefit
Because a chiropractor in Peterborough will usually focus on the health and optimal alignment of physical hard bone structures, it might be a good idea to seek assistance from a professional massage therapist when symptoms which people are presenting are predominantly soft tissue based.
Do you suffer from muscle cramping, spasms, soft tissue related old sports injuries, or even simply high stress and anxiety? If so, visiting a massage therapist will usually be of more immediate benefit than a trip to a local chiropractor in Peterborough. This is because massage therapy can directly address all such soft tissue issues by encouraging the more sympathetic movement of blood and nutrients around problem areas, whilst releasing stress and promoting the bodies own natural healing responses.
The Many Overlaps Between Massage & Chiropractic Care
While it should always be considered best practice to distinguish between chiropractors and massage therapists by looking at the specific tissue groups which each discipline focuses on, it is also important to remember that there are overlaps when it comes to chiropractic care and massage therapy.
In both massage therapy and chiropractic care, patients can find relief from everything from insomnia to high blood pressure and tension headaches. This being the case, when choosing between therapeutic approaches, it can always be a good idea to book consultations with practitioners of both forms of alternative therapy, in order to ask questions directly pertaining to how each might be able to treat your specific medical condition.
