If you’ve ever had a massage, you’ll understand how therapeutic it can be for both your body and mind, but what about a medical massage? People often think spa massages and medical massages are basically the same. But there are three important differences between them.

Differences Between a Medical Massage vs. Spa Massage

1. A medical massage is outcome based. While you still reap benefits like stress relief and relaxation, a medical massage focuses on a specific medical need. Often, a family doctor will recommend a medical massage to manage pain, improve circulation, help with digestion, reduce inflammation, or increase flexibility. It can also be used to treat other health issues. 
2. Different techniques target your specific medical needs. A spa massage and a medical massage may feel similar, but the techniques used are not the same. A spa massage will use techniques focused on relaxation and will often focus on the areas a client has chosen. For instance, a client may only want a head massage or a back massage with the purpose of enjoyment, relaxation, and stress relief. A medical massage therapist will use a broader set of techniques that focus on your body’s soft tissue for improved muscle health, targeted relief, and recovery. A medical massage therapist will typically focus on a centralized part of the body identified as an area of concern for treatment.
3. A medical massage requires follow-up recommendations. Since the treatment is outcome based, a medical massage therapist will provide the patient with a targeted plan for treatment. Often, the process involves a series of timed visits instead of being determined only by when you feel like you need relief. 

Another complaint—in fact, one of the most common complaints in the US—that medical massage therapy can help is lower back pain. Several years ago, the American College of Physicians updated its guidelines for treating lower back pain. One of their recommendations included the use of non-pharmaceutical options, like medical massage, for treating pain. It has proven to be a highly effective treatment for pain relief with the added benefit that it helps patients avoid opioid treatment.

Our Medical Massage Process