Can the elderly use massagers? Improper use can cause harm to your health

Young people like to buy massagers for their elders, mainly because they want to use this method to help their parents maintain their health. So is it good for the elderly to use massage frequently? How should the elderly use massagers?

Are massagers really safe?

Experts don't think that's entirely the case. If the massager is used improperly, it will aggravate or induce the disease. Middle-aged and elderly people must not rely too much on it, and must not use it as a means of treatment.

Usually, electronic massagers use high-frequency mechanical vibrations to provide stimulating massage to the human body. Depending on the principle of generating vibration, electronic massagers can be divided into two types: electromagnetic and electric. Electric massagers are more suitable for health massage and use by middle-aged and elderly people because of their high vibration frequency and weak vibration intensity; while electromagnetic massagers are more suitable for sports massage and use by middle-aged and young people because of their slow vibration frequency and high vibration intensity.

Experts say that it is common in clinical practice to see patients injured or with aggravated conditions due to improper use of various massage equipment. He once treated an elderly patient who had acute inflammation in the lumbar spine due to using a massager, which compressed the sciatic nerve and caused paralysis of the lower limbs. He also met some patients whose spinal diseases were originally in a latent stage, but due to the "bumping" and "knocking" stimulation of the hard objects on the massager, soft tissue inflammation and dislocation of small spinal joints occurred, which induced the disease.

Experts remind the elderly that if a joint or tendon in the body is in the acute inflammatory stage of "redness, swelling, heat and pain", do not massage it blindly, otherwise the inflammation will aggravate and even cause periostitis in severe cases. If you have a boil or tumor, you should not use an electronic massager. Because of the stimulation on the body surface, the capillaries will dilate and the local blood flow will increase, which can easily lead to the spread of the lesions and may aggravate the condition.

Precautions for the elderly to use massagers

1. Choose a suitable massager

The elderly should choose an electric massager with a faster oscillation frequency and weaker oscillation intensity, while the electromagnetic massager is more suitable for young and middle-aged people because of its slow oscillation frequency and greater oscillation intensity.

2. The use time should not be too long

The first time an elderly person uses a massager, it should not be too long. It is best to try 10-15 minutes first, and then gradually increase the time, but the longest time should not exceed half an hour. Adjust the intensity and frequency of massage from light to heavy, and from little to more. The time should be controlled at about 20 minutes each time, once in the morning and once in the evening.

All parts of the body of the elderly begin to age, and most of them suffer from symptoms of deterioration of body functions such as osteoporosis and vascular aging. Massage equipment generally focuses on vibration massage. Long-term use will irritate the soft tissues of the elderly and even cause dislocation of small joints of the spine.

3. Prevent accidents during use

During the massage process, if any abnormal phenomenon occurs, such as the vibrator not moving, loosening due to excessive vibration, or making excessive noise, you should immediately turn off the switch, unplug the power plug, check carefully, and use it again only after the fault is eliminated.

4. Pay attention to the application method

The arm holding the massager should be flexible and not hold it too tightly. The oscillation head should not press against the skin. Everything should be natural and feel comfortable. If any abnormal phenomena such as vibration stopping, excessive temperature rise, abnormal sound, etc. occur during use, stop using it immediately.

5. Do not use on an empty stomach, when full, after drinking, or after strenuous exercise

The elderly should avoid using cervical massagers on an empty stomach, after a full meal, after drinking or after strenuous exercise, especially strong impact massage, because this will further accelerate the blood flow rate and enhance the activity of gastric smooth muscles, causing nausea, vomiting, chest tightness, shortness of breath and other discomforts.

6. Do not use for fractures and joint dislocations

If the elderly have fractures and dislocations, they should not use electronic massagers in the early stages. This is because when a fracture or joint is damaged, muscle tension will cause bone displacement. If massage is performed too early, the bone displacement will be aggravated, which is not conducive to recovery. Patients with skin diseases, infectious diseases, lymphadenitis, and blood diseases should use electronic massagers with caution. Patients with hypertension and anemia should pay special attention not to massage the carotid artery to avoid accelerated blood flow and accidents.

7. Do not use during acute inflammation

If a joint or tendon of the elderly is in the acute inflammatory stage of "redness, swelling, heat and pain", do not massage it blindly, otherwise the inflammation will aggravate and even cause periostitis in severe cases. If you have a boil or tumor, you should not use an electronic massager. Because of the stimulation on the body surface, the capillaries will dilate and the local blood flow will increase, which can easily lead to the spread of the lesions and may aggravate the condition.