Why can’t I use massage instead?

This was a great question one of our readers asked recently. Please see my response at the end!

I am sorry, but this is an illogical treatment and I cannot let this article pass without providing other, possibly uninformed, readers with some type of option.

Why not try massage therapy before invading and possibly damaging muscle tissue in this rash manner? Massage therapy can provide permanent improvement to TMJ dysfunction without using any harmful or invasive methods- no needles, no synthetic chemicals. It can reduce the pain a client is experiencing while realigning the tissues causing the pressure and dysfunction, aka, solve the problem completely. Not to mention the tension release massage therapy provides, which may have been the initiating source of the TMJ dysfunction in the first place. For a couple of examples, tooth grinding while asleep and jaw clenching when stressed… Both products of a uncontrolled stressful lifestyle.

With sciatica, the sciatic nerve is impinged by the piriformis muscle to cause pain. Once the pressure is released with posture corrective massage, the nerve stops sending pain signals. Much simpler than having a hip injection.

IT IS NOT my intention to disbar this medical treatment in favor of holistic methods, on the contrary, I have great respect for the medical field and the education involved therein. However, there is very little apparent common sense in going straight to such invasive and expensive treatments such as the one in question without even consulting a practitioner who can treat for less expense, less pain, and less damage during treatment.

Let me close by asking this:

What is the use of injecting collagen into a muscle that has reduced venous feed, outflow, and nervous function? It is common knowledge (within my professional field, albeit) that the medication may do very little if it cannot be distributed properly to the tissues affected.

Please, answer me this so that I might better understand why this treatment is considered effective

– R.W. , MTS

Hi R.W.,

Thanks for asking. I appreciate your feedback. We have an integrated center here and offer massage therapy, chiropractic, physical therapy and strength training. Many of our patients have used these methods prior to prp or prolo. Many are at a last resort and these have failed. Both prolo and PRP are natural substances. The PRP is a persons own blood and the Prolo is dextrose which is a sugar. They are not injected into muscles but into the ligaments or tendons where they attach to the bone which is called the enthesis. These are are’s that are frequently the cause of chronic instability or muscle splinting. We also see great response to using these substances in injections into the joints like the knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle to stimulate repair in the cartalige. There is a synergy between these treatments along with massage as I recognize the limit these injections will make on joint mechanics (function) and muscular adhesions. I appreciate your post RW and I hope I have been helpful.

Your’s in Health,

Wellington Chen, M.D.

PRPGRaft.com