Chiropractic, Massage, or Both? Here’s How to Know What Your Body Needs

At Perfect Alignment Chiropractic, we often hear the question:“Would a massage help?”

If you're dealing with pain, tightness, or tension — especially in your back, neck, or shoulders — it’s not always easy to know where to start. That’s because both chiropractic care and massage therapy offer incredible benefits, and sometimes, the best solution is a combination of the two. Let’s break it down so you can make the right call for your body.

✅ When Chiropractic Care is the Best First Step

You may want to start with chiropractic care if you’re experiencing a sense of being “out of alignment,” discomfort that returns after sitting, standing, or sleeping, or symptoms like numbness, tingling, or headaches. Chiropractic care focuses on restoring proper alignment to the spine and joints, improving nervous system function, and helping the body heal at a structural level. Even when muscles are involved, the root cause is often a misalignment that needs to be corrected first.

✅ When Massage Therapy is the Better Option

Massage therapy — particularly techniques like myofascial release — can be extremely helpful when muscles are tight, sore, or overworked. It helps loosen tension, improve circulation, and break up scar tissue from repetitive movement or old injuries. These tight, overworked muscles can actually pull joints out of alignment, which makes it hard for chiropractic adjustments to hold.

That’s why we often recommend combining massage with chiropractic care — because tight muscles can keep pulling the spine or joints right back out of place. It may take time for the body to retrain those areas to hold their new, healthier alignment. Massage supports that process by relaxing the muscles and improving mobility.

✅ What We Often Recommend

In many cases, the most effective care plan includes both chiropractic and massage therapy — especially when pain has both muscular and skeletal components.

For example, Dr. Eddie recently saw a patient with a stubborn shoulder issue. While chiropractic adjustments helped restore alignment, the shoulder tension returned until the patient began seeing a massage therapist trained in myofascial release. That combination made all the difference.

At Perfect Alignment Chiropractic, we take a personalized approach. Dr. Eddie will listen to your symptoms, evaluate your movement and alignment, and help you determine the best path forward — whether that means chiropractic care, a referral for massage, or a plan that blends both.

📍 Located in midtown Little Rock, AR — right off the I-630 freeway, just minutes from downtown, UAMS, and the VA Hospital.