Therapeutic Massage: What It Is and 4 Benefits

You might think of massages as the perfect way to help you relax — and they are. A gentle, soothing massage may help you reduce stress, relieve achy muscles, improve your mood and even sleep better.

But the benefits of massage can go far beyond relaxation. Therapeutic massage, often known as medical massage, can help with serious medical issues, too.

Licensed massage therapist Victoria Bodner, LMT, explains what therapeutic massage is and how it can benefit your health — plus, how it may differ from the laid-back, relaxation-focused massages that you might be used to.

What is therapeutic massage?

Therapeutic massage typically takes place in a clinical or hospital setting and involves focused work on your body’s soft tissue (your muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments). It’s done by licensed professionals specifically trained to identify and focus on problem areas.

“Professionally trained massage therapists use touch to manipulate your tissue,” Bodner explains. “It’s always done in a way that is skilled, sensitive and compassionate, with a focus on the health issues you’re experiencing.”

Therapeutic massage can definitely be relaxing. But it may also feel different from the types of massages you’ve gotten in spa settings.

“The massage work in a therapeutic massage may feel deeper than a relaxation massage,” she continues. “You may also experience more tenderness as your massage therapist works through the tissue.”

Soft tissue manipulation like deep-tissue massage and Swedish massage are commonly used techniques. But depending on your massage therapist’s training and your specific needs, they may incorporate other techniques into your treatment, such as:

• Craniosacral release
• Lymphatic drainage massage
• Myofascial release
• Trigger point work
• Passive-resistive stretching

If you’re dealing with sinus pressure, for example, your massage therapist may use trigger point release to help get you feeling better. And lymphatic drainage massage can help bring some relief to the painful swelling that comes with lymphedema.

Benefits of therapeutic massage

“Focused massage techniques can help decrease pain and increase your range of motion, make it easier to move and function more normally, and help you heal faster from a variety of medical concerns,” Bodner says. “If it’s an option in your treatment, the outcomes can be very positive.”

It can ease discomfort and pain

Massage therapists use different techniques to address a variety of diseases, injuries and types of pain. They can work on issues that are either chronic (meaning they last a long time) or acute (an issue that happened recently and can be cared for in the near future).

Some examples are:

• Back pain
• Frozen shoulder
• Headaches, including migraines, cluster headaches, tension headaches or sinus headaches
• Whiplash
• Muscle strains and sprains (after inflammation has gone down)
• Repetitive strain injuries from sitting or standing postures that are held for several hours a day (including working a sedentary desk job)
• Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
• Tendonitis

“Medical massage may also help relieve some of the pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment and post-operative recovery,” Bodner shares.

May increase your range of motion

Shoulder pain can be debilitating. But studies show that massage therapy may be an effective way to help increase your range of motion, or your ability to flex and extend your arm. Massage therapy may help soften stiff, hard muscles, making it easier for you to move.

Promotes healing

“Massage therapy increases both blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which can help reduce swelling and inflammation,” Bodner says.

Studies show that massage therapy may also help break up scar tissue, like after a surgery. That doesn’t mean you won’t have a scar; there’s no way around that. But regular massage therapy may be able to help your scar heal so it’s not as thick or stiff as it might otherwise be.

Complements other therapies

“Your physician, chiropractor or physical therapist might recommend therapeutic massage to go along with other therapies you’re already receiving to treat a particular area of your body,” Bodner explains.

You can also make massage therapy a regular part of your wellness maintenance routine, like to relieve stress on an ongoing basis or to help keep chronic pain at bay.

What is spot work?

“Spot work” is when your massage therapist works on your specific area of concern for a shorter period of time — about 15 minutes — as part of your therapeutic treatment at a chiropractor’s office or physical therapy clinic.

“Spot work complements the treatment you’re already given by the other practitioners,” Bodner notes.

Your massage therapist may also incorporate stretches into your treatment plan. If that’s the case, be sure to wear loose-fitting clothing or activewear to your appointment.

Who should try it?

If your healthcare provider recommends therapeutic massage as a complement to your other treatments, that means they’ve given you the go-ahead to try it. But you should always check with them first to be sure massage is safe for you. Plus, some medical diagnoses may specifically require a doctor’s referral.

“Some people with preexisting medical conditions may not benefit from massage therapy,” Bodner says. Speak to your healthcare provider beforehand if you have:

• A condition that requires you to take blood-thinning medication, as this could contribute to bruising
• A disease that causes weak skin
• Any kind of medical devices implanted in or attached to your body
• Blood clots in your legs (deep vein thrombosis)
• Osteoporosis, which could make you vulnerable to fractures
• Tumors

Also, medical massage usually isn’t recommended if you have surgery coming up or have recently undergone surgery, or if you’ve recently visited the hospital.

“Any existing health issues you have should be discussed with your doctor prior to treatment,” Bodner stresses. “Then, if you do pursue medical massage, your therapist will need to know about them.”

What to expect at a massage therapy visit

With so many therapeutic massage options and goals, it’s hard to say what your experience may entail or how it will feel.

“There’s no standard or typical therapeutic massage routine,” Bodner shares. “Your massage therapist will tailor your massage to your unique and specific health needs.”

When you first call to make your appointment, talk about your specific needs and explain exactly what you’d like to be worked on. For example, why did your doctor recommend you try therapeutic massage? What are your areas of concern, and why or how did it happen?

“The more information you can provide, the better,” she emphasizes.

During your visit, expect low lighting and soft music, as with a relaxation massage. A therapeutic massage session may consist of a whole-body treatment or may just focus on your targeted area of concern for an extended period of time. Your overall session may be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 90 minutes. 

As you settle in for your therapeutic massage, remember: It may feel deeper than relaxation massages that you’ve had in the past. Some people say it feels painful in a good way — but if anything starts to feel painful in a bad way, speak up.

“It’s always important to let your massage therapist know if the pressure feels too deep or uncomfortable,” Bodner advises. “Don’t be afraid to communicate.”