Massage therapy and chiropractic care both have the same goal in mind: your overall wellness. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that, although one focuses on your spine and the other on tissue massage, they both have some of the same beneficial results. Here are a few benefits that you can gain from both your massage appointment and your chiropractic adjustment.

1. Stress reduction

Chiropractic adjustments get your musculoskeletal system back into alignment so that you can stand and walk efficiently without so much stress and strain. Massage can actually decrease your levels of cortisol (known as the stress hormone), allowing you to feel lower degrees of stress. Of course, stress is bad for you in a lot of ways, so no matter which way you do it, managing your stress levels can improve your overall health, effectively giving you a better chance of living longer.  

2. Relaxation

While a deep massage almost forces your muscles to relax, it's still an important part of the process to relax consciously; the most effective massage can happen when you take a relaxed pose and let all your muscles go while they're being worked on. Chiropractic care doesn't focus on getting your muscles to relax as much; however, your chiropractor will need you to be as relaxed as possible in order to work on your spine effectively, and the relief that comes from a spinal adjustment can also help you feel much more relaxed as you continue about your day.  

3. Balancing hormone levels

In addition to reducing your cortisol levels, massage therapy can improve the amounts of feel-good hormones in your system. As you can imagine, this can give your mood a wonderful boost. Likewise, chiropractic adjustments can help to balance hormone levels, helping you to keep better control over the "bad" ones and inviting the "good" ones out to play.   

While they're very different types of alternative medicine, massage therapy and chiropractic care can both have a wide array of benefits to offer, whether you're simply over-stressed or your mood needs a lift. If you have severe mood swings, be sure to get professional help from a licensed therapist as well. While these two types of treatment can help with moods, they aren't considered mental health treatments, so for a balanced approach you'll need to talk to a licensed medical professional who specializes in mood disorders or other emotional issues.