Do Massages Bring Lasting Upper Back Pain Relief?

It’s always a tempting solution. Massages can be one of the most relaxing activities on earth: soothing music, stomach soothing hands, and soothing muscles. Physicians and psychologists alike prescribe them for their real healing power, but do massages bring lasting upper back pain relief? In some minor cases dealing with a pulled muscle, maybe, but for a lot of sufferers, back pain has roots that a massage can’t correct.

Because back pain comes from a variety of sources, it’s never wise to point to a single treatment as the true harbinger of upper back pain relief. And even people who acknowledge there are numerous sources of relief rarely consider a massage is among them. When massages are prescribed, it’s because they’re so relaxing. They can treat anxiety, sore muscles, and when done correctly, sometimes pinched nerves, but those aren’t often the sources of real back pain. Oftener sufferers have injured their backs or live with a degenerative disease. Massages have power, but they’re weak against such foes.

The sudden popularity of the massage isn’t hard to explain. If done well, massages are one of the greatest luxuries money can buy. Their ancient tradition has withstood time precisely because of that: few things in this world have proven as soothing. But they’re not cheap. A good massage may cost hundreds of dollars, and if it’s being used for any sort of treatment, one probably isn’t enough. People with chronic pain might not care about the cost, but massages haven’t become a verified source of upper back pain relief. For sufferers who want a relaxing treatment, that might be disappointing; fortunately, there are many other, cheaper, treatments available.