Muscle therapy is an alternative to spine and pain management techniques such as pain killers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants. Although back muscle strains typically heal within several days, some back pain and spine pain causes long-term discomfort.
Spine and pain management specialists use muscle therapy to correct imbalances in muscular tension between the body’s left and right sides, or front and back. To eliminate back discomfort, doctors and physical therapists attempt to align the spinal column and reduce pressure on muscles and nerves.
Muscle therapy uses techniques such as friction, trigger point therapy, muscle stripping, deep tissue massage, and myofacial release. Spine and pain management specialists receive specialized training, and sometimes recommend deep tissue massage from a licensed therapist.