Are Percussion Massagers Safe for Sciatica, Arthritis and Neck Pain?
If you have heard about the possible benefits of massage for different issues you may be wondering are Percussion Massagers safe?
Short answer to ‘Are Percussion Massagers Safe for Sciatica, Arthritis and Neck Pain?’: Yes (but with some important things to consider)
Long answer: Read on as there are definitely some dangers using percussive massage for some health issues…
Some other articles I have written on Percussion Massagers:
If you want to know the essential safety issues with percussion massagers here is a recent article I wrote on What is a Handheld Percussion Massager and Are They Safe to Use?
If you want a budget percussion massager to see if they are useful for you and your needs before you spend out on a more powerful machine, here is a recent article I have written – Cheap Percussion Massagers for Athletes 2020 – Do They Work?
What is a percussion massager?
These are handheld massagers that apply concentrated pulses which go deep into the muscles to break up knots, increase blood flow and therefore increasing levels of motion and reducing tension. There are a wide range of percussion massagers available from under $50 to over $500.
Unless you are an athlete or have particular issues a massively expensive percussion massager isn’t necessary.
But what is the best percussion massager for you in your circumstances? As always this depends! Some of these handheld massagers will be way too severe for you especially if you have arthritis. However, there are some smaller less powerful massagers which will relieve pain and stiffness for everyday aches and pains.
Are percussion Massagers Safe to Use?
Yes they are safe to use as long as you follow the manufacturers recommendations.
What are the causes of sciatica?
The sciatic nerve runs from your lower back all the way down your leg. If the nerves are pinched, inflamed or irritated you may experience pain which makes it difficult to walk, sit or lie down. It can be quite debilitating so what can you do to alleviate the pain and reduce the inflammation?
Symptoms of sciatica:
- Pain down the leg
- Numbness
- Tingling
typically down one leg past the knee and into the toes causing weekness and drop foot. If the pain is down both legs it is less likely to be sciatica and could be something else so if you experience these symptoms on both legs consult your doctor or a physical therapist.
Three million cases per year are from a herniated disc. This is when the disc bulges out and hitting one of the nerve roots. Don’t confuse sciatica pain with piriformis muscle pain, often called fake sciatica.
These two are related but very different treatment so make sure you know what it is and how to treat each.
Luckily 80% to 90%of cases of sciatica will resolve themselves without any intervention though it can take a few weeks for this to happen. If you are in the midst of a flare up there are some things you can do to help.
What’s the best type of massage for sciatica?
Research has stated that regular massage is effective in relieving pain and discomfort of lower back pain and related sciatic pain. Deep tissue massage is very effective as you need to penetrate through to the affected area.
Is deep tissue massage safe for sciatica?
Yes it is. If you are unsure how to do this watch the video above.
Are percussion massagers safe for sciatica rather than a massage therapist?
*Some of the following links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Yes and one of the recommended percussion massagers for sciatica is the Purewave cm7. The percussive mechanism gets deep into the affected area relieving the pressure on the nerve.
If you don’t want to go to the expense of buying a percussion massager you can use a tennis ball or a Thera Cane Massager
What are the causes of arthritis?
Arthritis can be the result of a number of factors including hereditary, injury, disease and general wear and tear.
What’s the best type of massage for arthritis?
Depending on where you find the most pain and restriction in movement there are various typwe of effective massage you could try. Any form of massage will be beneicial both physically and psychologically.
Is deep tissue massage safe for arthritis?
Yes it can be very effective but you do need to be careful as you don’t want to make the pain worse. Only use this type of massage for short periods and don’t linger in one spot for too long.
Are percussion massagers safe for arthritis rather than a massage therapist?
the cost of regular massages from a professional massage therapist may be beyond your budget. If so a mid range percussion massager may be a good choice. You need to be aware of the manufacturers recommendations as to how to use the massage gun and not to spen doo much time concentrated in one area.
Many of these handheld percussio massagers have lower settings making it eaier for those with chronic pain to build up to a therepeutic level of massage with ease.
Best percussion massager for arthritis
One of the most popular entry level percussion massager is the RENPHO Rechargeable Hand Held Deep Tissue Massager.
What are the causes of neck pain?
Neck pain is a common byproduct of modern life. Many people spend much of their day sitting hunched over their desk or computer resulting in bad posture and resulting in pain.
It is rare for neck pain to be a symptom of something more serious. However, if you also have numbness, loss of strength or shooting pains down your arms, you should see your doctor for further review.
What’s the best type of massage for neck pain?
You could try swedish massage or deep tissue massage to relieve neck pain. If you use a percussion massager for neck pain don’t use it anywhere near your throa or chest as this can be very dangerous.
Is deep tissue massage safe for neck pain?
Yes and it is often the most effective way to relieve tension and knots in the shoulders and neck.
Are percussion massagers safe for neck pain rather than a massage therapist?
Yes you can use a handheld percussion massger such as the Purewave on your shoulders and neck muscles. It is a very versatile massager and due to the long handle design you can reach the back and top of your shoulders.
It is reasonably priced and will be cheaper than a regular professional massage.
Best percussion massager for neck pain
Any of the low to mid range percussion massagers will be effective. Take a look at this article on the best percussion massagers.
Different types of Percussion Massagers
There are different types and power of percussio massager on the market. The twin headed HoMedics Percussion Action Massager is under $30 and excellent for reaching difficult areas. The MIGHTY BLISS™ Deep Tissue Back and Body Massager is a mid rage percussion massager and highly recommended.
If your budget will stretch there are higher end massagers for more regular use called massage guns. They basically do the same job as the cheaper budget models but are more powerful and robust.
An example is the very popular Theragun G3 Percussive Therapy Device, (Amazon link)
*If you want a cheaper price for the Theragun go to Recovery for Athletes
Then you have the professional level massager such as the Med Massager MMB04B Variable Speed Body Massager
One of our other articles on Percussion Massagers
Conclusion: So are percussion massagers safe for sciatica, arthritis and neck pain?
Yes they are extremely effective at treating all these issues and with practice they can pay for themseles as you will not need to see a professional mmassage therapist. As long as you understand what your issues are and follow the manufacturers recomendations you should be good to go and get rid of the pain from sciatica, reduce the pain from arthritis and hopefully cure your neck pain.
References:
- Taken from Hindawi – Open Access publishing for the scientific community. Deep Tissue Massage and Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs for Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Trial. Conclusion: “Deep tissue massage had positive effect on reducing pain in patients with chronic low back pain.”