Massager for Upper Back Pain Buying Guide
Before we dive into the review, there are a few key features you should consider as you cruise through the decision-making process. Knowing the features that play the most significant part in making a model the best choice might prevent you from ending up with something that won’t work for you and your massage needs.
What Causes Muscle Knots In Upper Back?
Also medically known as myofascial trigger points, muscle knots are those small, hard lumps that can be sore to the touch. They develop anywhere in the body but they commonly occur in the shoulders, neck, and back where muscle or fascia is dominant. Specifically, the muscle knots occur in the trapezius muscle, the triangle-like shape of the muscle from the neck to the shoulder and middle of the back.
Common causes of this condition include stress, tension, and injuries associated with lifting. Poor posture and extended time resting on the bed can also cause muscle knots. If you sit for too long without stretching, you also increase the risk of having muscle knots which manifests into chronic upper back pain.
How To Release Upper Back Pain
Trigger point therapy is one way to relieve upper back pain. This involves rubbing and pressing the trigger points. Dry needling is another method of relaxing the trigger points with acupuncture needles.
Massage therapy can also help with an upper back problem. The particular massage treatments you can try are the Swedish massage, neuromuscular therapy, and Shiatsu massage. Swedish massage is characterized by long gliding strokes and kneading actions. Neuromuscular therapy and Shiatsu massage both use different levels of pressure on the sore area.
What To Look For On A Good Massager For Upper Back Pain
If you find it inconvenient to get a masseuse to massage your back regularly, you can get a great massager to do it yourself. Here are some important things to look for.
Adjustable Speed Or Strength Levels
You want a massager with adjustable speed or strength levels to find the right pressure to work on your sore back. This is very helpful if you plan to use it with the whole family because each of us has a different pain threshold.
Massage Nodes
The massage nodes will work like human hands to massage your upper back. The best massager models have at least four massage nodes that move in reverse directions to mimic the hands of a professional massage therapist.
Ease Of Use
Whether it’s a manual or an electric massager, you want it to be convenient to use. Most electric models are shaped like a pillow or have arm flaps to better position the device behind your neck. They allow you to get a massage while sitting in your car or chair.
Other General Features of Massagers
Styles of Massage
When you are looking at the different models below, you will notice that each one will use one or multiple special massage techniques. Here are a few you may encounter:
- Shiatsu: This is by far the most common. This method simulates the feel of a masseuse gently rolling their palms and fingers over pressure points. This method is excellent for stress relief and relaxation.
- Kneading: This is yet another favorite in the construction of massagers. This massage technique takes soft tissue and presses against the bone to help loosen muscles.
- Vibration: This is not the typical style of a neck or back massager. This method will be found more in chairs or pads. This method is excellent for blood circulation and relaxation.
Heat
You will want to look for one that has heat therapy, a feature most massagers have. Heat therapy is useful for increasing the flexibility and circulation of blood through your muscles. One thing to look at when dealing with the heat quotient though is an auto shut-off function. If you leave it running for too long, you may experience burns.
Some things of note:
- Heat shouldn’t be scorching hot.
- You shouldn’t use heat therapy every time.
- It may take some time for the massager to fully warm up.
Power
You may also want to consider power source. There are a couple of options, and this could very well be one of the most important factors to consider, depending on what you are looking for.
Here are the different power sources you may run into:
Battery Operated
These types of massager use batteries as the main power source. Typically, they use lithium batteries that have longer lives and can often be recharged. The more features you use when on battery, the shorter their life.
Electrically Powered
These massagers will have to be plugged into a wall socket as they are powered by electricity. When looking at a model that uses electricity, you may want to pay attention to how long the cord is.
There are more factors that you can use to determine which massager is right for you, but these are the biggest ones to pay attention to.