Treat the area with heat and cold by alternating 15 minutes of ice with 15 minutes of moist or dry heat.

Similar devices are often favored by chiropractors and physical therapists, including Dr.Moore, whoexplains the manual design allows you to better control the pressure while you’re finding relief. It’s also important to know your limits. “It might feel uncomfortable in the beginning, but as your body starts acclimating to the massaging, it should start to give some relief. However, if you start feeling more pain, you should discontinue use immediately,” says Kesselman. If you have never used a massager before, this thing might hurt you a bit initially. That said, you will start enjoying the massage once the tense muscles get relaxed in a few minutes.As hinted earlier, this thing is extremely mobile. So, you can get a good massage even on a road trip. You can also use it while working on your computer. Type of massager: Percussive massage gun | Speeds and functions: 5 speed settings, 7 massage heads | Heat: No heat option

What the editors say:“While the Theragun Mini looks much smaller than its full-size massage gun counterparts, it’s actually just as powerful and capable when the time comes for a deep massage. Add in the included carrying pouch, and you’ll find every excuse to take this massager on the go.” It comes with three different speed settings to help you dictate the pressure. And, it’s quite compact. Therefore, you can easily store it anywhere until the need arises for reuse. The main gripe with this massager is that it isn’t cordless, so you’re tied to a single location for your massage. However, power from a cord often means a stronger battery and more power. And we love that there’s both a wall-plug and car plug for passengers on long road trips. Choose between three attachment heads—ball, dampener and thumb—to target specific areas and three massage gun colors to match. your gym fits. The Mini comes with a USB charger to keep the batterytopped up, though it’ll run for up to two hours on a single charge. Given its ease of use, you can watch a TV show while getting a head massage done. Moreover, you can use this tool anywhere on your body. So, you can ditch the professional massager for good.This electric massager is surprisingly good for its affordable price point. Scores of past users have commented that they never expected this product to be so good.

Heated: Many massagers also include heated elements. Some allow you to adjust the temperature to your liking, while others operate at a fixed temperature once they heat up. Often, heated massagers are designed with automatic shutoffs for safety.It’s worth noting that massage guns typically don’t provide heat therapy if that’s a feature you’re looking for. Frequency: Dr. Rispoli says it’s important not to over-utilize massage therapy at home, especially if the area you’re targeting is already sore. It’s better to aim for one to two shorter sessions per day, at the most, unless you’ve been using the product for a while and know you can handle more frequent sessions. Electric massagers give you a more stable and effortless massage, whereas manual massagers require more effort but allow for greater control of pressure and speed. Choosing the right one depends on personal preference, says Olufade. It can be used for both gentle and firm massage. And, you can use it to work on almost all muscle groups. Plus, the heat level on this thing is perfect. It provides gentle warming like nobody’s business. If you are in a financial situation that doesn’t allow regular massage in person, this could prove to be a great alternative for you. This thing comes close to a real massage, but at a budget.We consider the Viktor Jurgen a basic massager since it only has two adjustable speeds and one heat setting. For safety, we like that it will automatically shut off after 15 minutes of use and overheat protection so it won't get too hot. For the price, you can't do much better. However, more advanced massagers are on our list should you want an even more personalized experience. The heat from this pillow is pretty much spot on. You can tell that the product has been tested on a lot of subjects before being launched in the market. We’ve explained how long you can use a massager in the short-term (anywhere from five to 60 minutes, max), but what about in the long-term?

Type of massager: Percussive massage gun | Speeds and functions: 3 speed settings, 5 massage heads | Heat option: No This massage tool is easy to use. You don’t have to master any skills or technique to put this thing to use. It’s really a dream gadget for aching muscles and body pain. The massager can provide instant relief. And, daily use can reduce the symptoms to a great extent, which also means less trips to the chiropractor’s office.No matter what, you’ll get a soothing, percussive massage experience with the RENPHO, plus a rechargeable battery that gives you 140 minutes of massage time without any kind of power cord. A few buttons make this massager easy to operate, allowing you to adjust the intensity up or down as needed. Shiatsu. This is a Japanese style of massage where varying degrees of pressure are applied to the body through kneading, pressing, tapping, and more. Shiatsu massage is typically done with the hands and fingers, so massaging machines will try to mimic this feeling with rollers or nodes. Crawford C, et al. (2016). The impact of massage therapy on function in pain populations — a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials: part 1, patients experiencing pain in the general population. Unlike other similar products, this massager can offer you a surprisingly firm massage. It’s perfect for loosening up the tight muscles and to truly get deep into the source of the issue. If your bedding sags, consider swapping your pillow or mattress for supportive types, like a cervical support pillow and medium-firm mattress.