Are you considering buying a massage chair, but are unsure what your doctor might advise? The good news is, on the whole, doctors are likely to recommend massage chairs – depending on your fitness and any conditions you may have.
In some cases, certain kinds of massage chairs can be highly beneficial for different types of ailments. Multiple health benefits can come from using massage chairs and can be beneficial even to completely healthy people.
On the other hand, certain conditions would be dangerous to combine with a massage chair, in which getting your doctor’s approval before using it would be essential!
For the most part, however, massage chairs have a long list of health benefits, and having access to your massage chair at home, for whenever you want and/or need, is ideal.
Are massage chairs good for arthritis?
There are two common kinds of arthritis; known as Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Both have singular effects and side effects; however, in both cases, sufferers can feel stiffness in the joints, general body aches, redness of the skin, edema, and a general decrease in their range of motions.
Although there are painkillers and various creams available for those who have to deal with arthritis, massage chairs have proven to be exceptionally effective at helping with pain relief.
Zero gravity massage chairs, in particular, have proven to be very efficient, as they recline the user to what is called the neutral body position. At that point, a person’s body weight is distributed evenly, and pressure is relieved all over. The position is achieved by reclining the user until their feet are placed above their heart level.
Since the pressure is relieved from their muscles, joints, and nerves, and their weight is distributed evenly, people living with arthritis can instantly feel significant pain relief. Along with this, by using the massage setting on the massage chair, the patient’s muscles and nerves will be further relaxed and worked to reduce inflammation and, therefore, pain.
Even using a massage chair for between ten to fifteen minutes a few days a week can significantly support a person’s arthritis; however, following their session in the massage chair, the user should then continue to relax and avoid moving too quickly or intensively, as this could bring back their pain quickly, and for an extended period.
If you do suffer from arthritis, then you should consult your doctor before using your massage chair to ensure that you are using the correct pressures and settings to suit your arthritis better.
Do massage chairs help circulation?
Zero gravity massage chairs have proven to be the most beneficial when it comes to helping blood circulation.
This is because the low pressure from the neutral body position helps the blood to circulate evenly and easily. Along with the neutral body position, the gentle massaging of the muscles and nerves allow for the blood to circulate smoothly through the body, which can, in turn, bring multiple health benefits.
As you know, good blood circulation is always a positive accolade, but did you know that good blood circulation can help specific injuries to heal quicker? Better blood circulation can also help with heart health and add to the general relaxation that comes from the massage.
That being said, there have been cases in which massage chairs have proven to be relatively dangerous for blood circulation. People with circulation issues have found that using a massage chair can lead to blood clots and vein thrombosis in certain rare cases.
They can also be dangerous for those with low blood pressure. One of the general benefits of using the massage chair is that it lowers your blood pressure as it relaxes you. However, for those who suffer from low blood pressure, this can prove to be very dangerous.
Before using a massage chair, it is always recommended to consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding your current physical state or the effect that the massage can have on an ongoing condition from which you suffer, negatively or positively.
Can you sit in a massage chair for too long?
Although massage chairs are generally very beneficial, yes, you can sit in a massage chair for too long.
By overusing a massage chair, you can potentially injure yourself, cause skin irritation, soreness, and tiredness.
Although none of these is particularly dangerous, if they become recurring issues, they can significantly impact your overall health and could lead to your doctor recommending that you cease using the massage chair for a while.
However, these kinds of things usually happen if you use the chair too much and for too long. They are easily avoidable simply by following your doctor’s recommendations.
Will a massage chair help sciatica?
Anyone who has to deal with sciatica knows that the pain is recurring and intense. Sciatica causes pain along the sciatic nerve, and there can affect the mid and lower back, the legs, and the buttocks.
If you do suffer from sciatica, then you will likely have been told that the best way to handle the pain is to rest, even on a hard surface, and to consult a physical therapist.
However, massage chairs have also proven to be highly beneficial for those who suffer from sciatica too.
A massage chair can help to relax the muscles in the body and help with blood circulation. By doing so, the relaxed muscles will alleviate the pressure put on the sciatic nerve and therefore reduce the pain significantly.
For those who suffer from sciatica, having a massage chair in their homes would be ideal, as it can be there to use when they need it, and good quality massage chairs will be able to focus on the areas that need to be stimulated.
Can massage help with spinal stenosis?
Spinal stenosis can cause chronic back pain, leg pain, numbness, weakness, and even burning sensations.
Thankfully, massage chairs can relax the back muscles and reduce inflammation. This can therefore help with flexibility and pain.
By helping the blood flow, massage chairs can also help heal some of the damaged areas caused by spinal stenosis.
Although the massage chair will not reverse the spinal stenosis entirely, it can help with the pain and side effects significantly when properly used.
Again, you should always consult your doctor before using a massage chair, especially if you have spinal stenosis.
Can a massage chair cause a stroke?
For the most part, massage chairs are not dangerous for causing strokes, and you should have nothing to worry about. In fact, by reducing stress and relaxing the body, massage chairs should be able in some cases to help avoid strokes!
However, strokes coming from massages are not unheard of and should therefore be considered.
Since massages around the neck cause physical stimulation, people with carotid artery stenosis, a neck injury, or even the potential for blood clots do risk having a stroke.
Generally speaking, professional massage therapists know exactly how to handle this sort of thing and know how to treat each area. That being said, your massage chair definitely won’t!
If you are concerned about potentially having a stroke or suffering from any of the ailments mentioned above, then you should contact your doctor before using a massage chair.
It would be especially dangerous to use one on a high pressure around the neck area, as this would be the setting that could most likely cause a stroke.
Again though, strokes are very rare when it comes to massages. Even in a massage chair, a gentle massage should only relax the user and not because any concern.
However, it is always wise to consult a doctor before using it, just to be safe.
