 Presented by Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh, DC Soft Touch Chiropractic – Porter Ranch & Northridge, CA Patients frequently ask me: “Dr. Masoud, if too much pressure during deep tissue massage can irritate or injure tissues, why do I sometimes feel so good afterward?” It is an excellent question—and the answer may involve the body's own natural pain-control system. Your Body Has Its Own Natural PainkillersThe human body produces chemicals called endorphins and enkephalins. These are known as endogenous opioids because they interact with opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord and help reduce our perception of pain. Research on the body's natural pain-suppression system explains that endorphins and enkephalins participate in regulating pain, particularly during painful or stressful situations. This helps explain an amazing phenomenon: after a significant injury, a person may temporarily experience much less pain than we would expect because the nervous system can activate powerful pain-modulating mechanisms. Could This Help Explain the “Deep Massage High”? This raises an interesting question. Could some of the temporary relief after an extremely forceful massage come from the body's pain-control response rather than from the pressure necessarily being therapeutic? There is some research supporting this possibility. An older human study found that connective-tissue massage increased beta-endorphin levels and suggested that this response could contribute to pain relief and feelings of well-being. Other research describes several possible ways that massage can temporarily decrease pain, including sensory “gate control,” changes in nervous-system pain processing, relaxation, and endogenous pain-inhibiting mechanisms. However, the research is not strong enough to say that feeling good after a deep tissue massage means the massage caused an injury. In fact, studies of massage and beta-endorphins have produced mixed results. One UCLA study found beta-endorphin levels actually decreased after moderate-pressure massage. Therefore, the exact biological explanation remains uncertain. Feeling Less Pain Does Not Always Mean the Tissue Needed More PressureThis is the important point. Pain relief and tissue healing are not necessarily the same thing. If massage pressure produces significant pain during treatment, bruising, swelling, prolonged soreness, weakness, or worsening symptoms afterward, more pressure is not automatically better. At Soft Touch Chiropractic, I generally favor a gentler approach to muscles and joints. The goal should be to reduce unnecessary irritation while improving movement, relaxation, and function. You can also read my earlier article about deep tissue massage and why I often prefer Swedish massage.  The Bottom LineDeep tissue massage can feel good afterward, and there are legitimate neurological reasons why massage can temporarily reduce pain. Endorphins and enkephalins may be part of that story—but they are not proof that tissue damage occurred.
My clinical philosophy is simple: A treatment does not have to hurt more in order to help more. When it comes to massage, sometimes gentler pressure can accomplish the goal without unnecessarily stressing sensitive muscles and soft tissues. Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh, DC Soft Touch Chiropractic Porter Ranch / Northridge, California 📞 818-831-0100 This article is for educational purposes and should not be interpreted as evidence that all deep tissue massage causes injury or that temporary pain relief proves tissue damage.
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