Low back pain; a common complaint
Low back pain is a common complaint. For most low back pain cases, there is no identifiable cause in conventional medicine. However, in some cases it is indeed the case, such as inflammation, a spinal abnormality, or a herniation. In any case, low back pain is a very common complaint that brings with it a lot of discomfort. And in the case of chronic pain, it can affect the quality of life.
Massage in general can provide relief because it relaxes the muscles around the problem area. There are many forms of massages that are used. On this page we want to highlight one specific form of massage because in addition to relieving the symptoms, it can also to some extent contribute to solving your problems. The form of massage is called Shiatsu massage. Or rather, shiatsu treatment.
What makes a shiatsu massage effective for back pain?
Shiatsu is a manual therapy from Japan that is based on the same principles as acupuncture, where pressure is applied to the body with hands and thumbs. Shiatsu is about the free flow of energy and also about the influence of that energy on muscles and fascia. A good shiatsu masseur, or better therapist, looks at various factors that can be responsible for low back pain. Those factors can be many things, such as the circulation in the lower abdomen, the functioning of the intestines, the position of the pelvis, blockages of certain meridians that in turn affect muscles and fascia, energy deficiency, etc. Behind these factors is often a deeper cause. For example, the cause of why the circulation in the lower abdomen is not good, or certain meridians are disturbed. A shiatsu therapist will ultimately treat this deeper cause. This makes shiatsu massage not only relieving, but also treating the deeper cause of the complaints.
What can I expect from a shiatsu massage or treatment?
The very first thing a shiatsu massage does is that you get back in touch with your own body. Through pain, the contact is disturbed in our body. The pain then takes on a dimension that is actually not necessary. With a shiatsu massage, you are brought back into contact with your own body. That is super relaxing and at the same time the pain takes on a different dimension. It has become less important because your attention is back in your body and not just on the pain.
Depending on the cause of the back pain, a shiatsu treatment can help alleviate the pain or can have a soothing effect. In chronic back pain resulting from wear and tear or other irreversible causes, shiatsu will provide relief from the pain, but cannot eliminate the cause. In other cases, shiatsu can also contribute to resolving complaints. Sometimes in combination with physiotherapy or manual therapy.
Find a good shiatsu masseur/therapist
Shiatsu therapists (masseurs) who Iokai Shiatsu Professional Training have been trained by Shiatsu schools have completed a four-year course and are trained to also explore the deeper cause of back pain. The shiatsu therapists on this page are reimbursed by most health insurance companies in the supplementary modules.