M Ouanis
Consider yourself coming back home from the office or feeling extremely tired after physical activity, and all you want is a soothing and peaceful environment to release all your fatigues. There may be various ways to release stress, but getting massage therapy from a massage chair is something special. The invention of the massage chair has radically changed the perception of relaxation and calmness. Although there are plenty of advantages that a man could get from massage chairs, there are also some negative effects of massage chairs that must be kept in mind. But before getting into the details of the cons of massage chairs, it is better to understand what a massage chair is.
Table of Contents
What Is a Massage Chair?
Massage chairs are famous for their extensive characteristics, user-friendly interface, convenience, environmentally friendly features, outstanding services, and especially for the high comfort level they provide. In a massage chair, robotic movements similar to the mechanical hand’s movements are induced to produce an effective massage. A massage chair offers many massage therapies such as Shiatsu massage, full-body massage, Swedish massage, or deep tissue massage.
The motor-induced movements create vibrations by pressing the body. A massage chair is equipped with heating pads, pressure nods, rollers, and zero-gravity features. Usually, there are generally two categories of massage chairs, S-Track and L-Track massage chairs. However, in the latest manufacturing of the massage chairs, both S and L tracks are being installed in the chairs to ease users.
The Negative Effects of Massage Chairs
No doubt that a massage chair offers many benefits, but it is rarely known for its disadvantages. Any harmless item, if used excessively or incorrectly, could result in harm. The same is the case with massage chairs. Their overuse or misuse could lead to a disease or even to an injury. That is why it is essential to always keep carefulness in mind before using a massage chair.
It is known that a massage chair is helpful for patients having the disease of blood pressure. It reduces the overall stress of the body and allows muscles to relax. A massage chair, with its zero-gravity reclining technology, increases the blood flow throughout the body. This improvement in blood circulation results fruitful for the lungs and the overall health.
Along with all the benefits, massage chairs are not a complete package or total solution to your health or medical ailments. As every person has a different type of body, that is why any incorrect or inappropriate massage could initiate severe side effects. Before using massage therapy, one should accustom him or herself to the settings of the massage chair. Any wrong massage technique could cause abnormal sweating, enlargement of blood vessels, and skin irritation.
As few benefits have been touched to get an idea about the beneficiary factor of massage chairs, it is time to dig and find out what dangers a massage chair could have.
Dangers of a Massage Chair
The negative effects of a massage chair are being discussed below in detail to develop a better understanding of the massage chairs and their therapies.
1. Bruises
Using a massage chair regularly could cause bruising. It is the most common side effect that a massage chair user experiences. Thus, it is important for you to know your skin type before buying a massage chair and then choose an appropriate massage chair. It can be done either by consulting with an expert in massage chairs or by a physician if you have sensitive skin.
People that take blood-thinning medicines should also need to follow the same procedure. Consulting before buying is a wise decision. Moreover, it would help if you look after the already existing injuries, fractures, or wounds. A fractured bone or injury area should not be massaged as it can cause serious medical and health difficulties.
2. Blood Circulation or Blood Flow
It is a common benefit of a massage chair that increases blood circulation, which is highly beneficial. However, in some circumstances, this enhanced blood flow is not favorable. Such circumstances are hematologic, and several blood disorders, including deep vein thrombosis, blood clotting, and sickle cell disease, could turn out to be worse by using massage chairs and massage therapies.
If someone has any blood disease, they should consult the physician before using a massage chair as it may magnify the illness.
3. Fractures in Bone
Bone fracture is one of the severe negative effects of massage chairs that a person can face. Although it is infrequent, it does occur.
A bone fracture occurs when a person is already suffering from diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, or rheumatoid. The bones become unusually brittle in such disorders. Thus, there is a high chance of getting a fracture in the bone even if the intensity settings of the massage chair are at low or minimum. As a safeguard, it is essential to refer to the physician because it is always wise.
4. Low Sugar Level
One disadvantage among the many side effects of a massage chair is the low level of sugar in the blood. According to many physicians and experts, it is recommended that people having diabetes should avoid using massage chair therapies. A diabetic patient must maintain and monitor a record of his or her blood sugar level.
5. Body Aches
There is no doubt that massage chairs, with their therapies such as deep tissue massage or full-body massage, alleviate back pain, lower back pain, joint pain, and more. But, it is also a fact that if the massage chair settings are incorrect, it results in body aches.
Body aches could occur if you have any muscle injury or bruise. This means it is a rare issue to have body aches after massage therapy. When pressure points and rollers get into the body, sometimes, they disturb the blood vessels and nerves. As a result, body aches of mild intensity happen.
However, it must be a priority for a person to get a piece of advice from a reputable physician so that any adverse consequences can be avoided.
6. Headache
Maybe It seems very strange that a massage chair can trigger a headache but, yes, it does.
As per the research that was carried out in Chicago at the National University of Health Sciences when, for a few weeks, a group of people went through the regular therapy sessions of massage chairs, in the results, one percent complained that they have a headache after receiving the massage chair therapy session. However, the headache never existed for more than twelve hours. According to them, the intensity of pain was mild and went away after a few hours.
7. Body Irritation
Our body is of complex structure and composition. It releases several enzymes and toxins when a person gets a massage chair session. That is why it is often suggested to drink more water than usual after taking massage therapy as it helps to flush out the toxins. These toxins and enzymes are able to cause irritation in the body. If a person has an inactive immune system, then it could fall prey to body infections. Therefore, it is harmless to consult a massage expert.
8. Accommodation Issues
Accommodation is and must be the important issue to be discussed when choosing massage chairs. The majority of people do not pay attention to the fact that the accommodation of a massage chair should be according to the weight range. Avoiding the accommodation of a massage chair, a person has a higher risk of getting back or muscle injury. Zero-gravity can be enjoyed if a massage chair is of suitable accommodation.
9. Laziness
Man seeks comfort. He tries to achieve ease and relaxation, which is possible because of massage chairs. A massage chair releases tension from the body muscles and provides a magical soothing effect. Prolong use of a massage chair tends to become lazy or inactive as muscles continually get used to relaxation.
Summary
Some necessary precautions and provisions are given below to get an idea about the negative effects of a massage chair.
- The massage chair is not for patients suffering from cancer, rheumatoid, or osteoporosis as the pressure of nodes and rollers could be life-threatening.
- People with blood diseases should refrain from using the pressure settings of a massage chair without any consultation with an expert.
- Excessive use of a massage chair could cause fatigue in the body, leading to soreness, stress, anxiety, and body aches.
- People having skin disorders such as burns, bruises, blisters, or ringworm should refrain from using a massage chair.
- Misuse or inappropriate settings could cause serious medical or physical complications. That is why it is safe to consult a physician or a massage chair expert.
- Always buy a massage chair that suits your weight range so that it can support your body weight.
Conclusion
As we have discussed the negative effects of a massage chair in detail, it does not mean that a massage chair is not a valuable product. It is the best method for elders and adults to release stress by just sitting and enjoying the massage. However, there are some side effects of massage chairs whose benefits cannot be ignored. By consulting a physician or a massage chair expert, you can achieve the best method of relaxation.
