Do shiatzu back massagers, like the ones Howmedics sells, really work to reduce minor back pain?
In my experience, those types of massagers ownly worked for back pain that was muscular in nature. In other words, pain and soreness in your lower back muscles. Some other treatments that worked for this type of pain include a moist-heat heating pad, a TENS unit that a doctor prescribes, stretching, Aleve, new (better supporting) shoes, and possibly a change in your mattress. Those massage units usually did not help on other, spinal-types of back pain. I had two herniated disks pressing on my sciatic nerve, and those mechanical massage devices only seemed to bruise the area and actually made the pain worse! The treatment I received for this type of pain included physical therapy (with moist heat), back-strengthening exercises, vicodin, cortisone epidural injections (only temporary relief for me), and finally, back surgery. You should evaluate your symptoms with you doctor, and decide if something more serious is causing your back pain. A good place to go on the Internet is the Mayo cli
