Arthritis is a common medical problem globally, referring to inflammation of bones. While there are several types of arthritis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common. The former conditions occur when your immune system starts attacking your joints to weaken them. On the other hand, Osteoarthritis is when the bones wear down and become thinner.
Both types of arthritis lead to stiffness and joint pain. Hence, arthritis patients usually take over-the-counter painkillers. But as you would know, consuming painkillers is not always suitable for your health. So if you are looking for a healthier alternative, a massage chair can come in handy.
Massage chairs with appropriate vibration settings, motor placement, and comfort can relax the joints and act as natural pain relievers to strengthen your fight against arthritis. But you need to get a chair that can get very close to your human massager. You can look at the collection available at Wonder Massage Chairs that come in various shapes and features to provide optimal pain relief. Here’s how a massage chair can benefit arthritis patients.
Table of Contents
Circulates Blood Efficiently
Massage chairs can enhance blood circulation. When the chair’s motors vibrate your body, it flexes the muscles, allowing better circulation. But what does it have to do with arthritis? Well, put simply, improved blood circulation can make the condition manageable.
Enhanced blood circulation helps take oxygen and requires nutrition to all the parts of your body. It also enhances lymphatic flow. Lymphatic is a part of the circulatory and immune systems associated with vertebrates. The lymphatic flow is vital to clear out the inflamed tissues and cells. Hence, it becomes beneficial with arthritis, especially Rheumatoid arthritis, as it is an autoimmune disease.
Suppress the Growth of Stress Hormone
When you stress out, your body releases response triggers. It sets your heart pumping faster, and you start breathing quickly. Such stress triggers are normal and harmless if they occur once and for a temporary period. But when in quick succession, they can increase the tension in your bones, worsening the arthritis pain.
Stress can also affect arthritis by fueling joint inflammation. Hence, it is vital to control your stress levels, and massage chairs can help. As you know, the best way to relieve stress is to be calm and happy. Massage chair therapies can improve endorphins production. Endorphins are the happiness hormone as they can boost your mood. The increased levels of endorphins in our body cause cortisol (stress hormone) to go down and suppress stress.
Mitigates Joint Pain
One of the biggest challenges for arthritis patients is managing joint pain. Massage chair therapies are associated with the release of a pain-sensation-producing neurotransmitter. Controlling the release of this neurotransmitter helps with pain management.
According to an NCBI report, having as low as two massage chair therapy sessions a week can help reduce knee osteoarthritis symptoms. The same goes for all forms of arthritis. For instance, spinal arthritis patients can also leverage massage chairs to release the spinal cord’s tension. However, since spinal arthritis massages can lead to complications, it is vital to select the right chair.
Best Massage Chair Therapies for Arthritis
Since every therapy has a different set of benefits, there’s no single best option for everyone’s needs. Hence, we are listing a few standard treatments recommended by experts.
Shiatsu
Shiatsu comes from the old Japanese massage technique called Anma. It is a massage-based bodywork that uses pseudoscientific concepts. The Shiatsu massage chair technique is used for relieving pain from specific spots of the body. You can adjust the pressure and strokes of the chair based on your requirements.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is about relaxation and releasing tension from inflamed joints with long strokes. The technique is well-known for enhancing blood flow and removing toxins from the body for efficient pain management.
Petrissage
Usually, the petrissage massage involves lifting the skin and kneading it. But with massage chair therapies, petrissage refers to long and stretched vibrations to lengthen the skin and muscles to release tension. It also helps reduce stiffness by stretching the muscles to make them more flexible.
Final Thoughts
The price of a massage chair can be overwhelming. But if you are an arthritis patient and need regular massage therapies, consider a massage chair as a long-term investment that will yield great results. Also, buying a chair does not mean that you will get on it straight away without professional support.
Although it might seem straightforward, arthritis therapy massages are complicated. Hence, it is best to consult with an expert initially and then continue on your own. It will ensure that you don’t end up with any complications. Now that you know how a massage chair can help you manage arthritis, it’s time to get one and start your fight against the pain.
