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Depression, Chronic Pain & The Nervous System: Can Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Help?


Written by Dr Julian Simpson — Chiropractor with 15+ years of experience, Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation, and author/reviewer of 800+ health articles.

Depression, Chronic Pain & The Nervous System: Can Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Help?

Depression, Chronic Pain & The Nervous System: Can Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Help?

Depression is often thought of as an emotional or mental health condition, but research shows it can also have a major impact on the body. Muscle tension, headaches, fatigue, neck pain, low back pain, poor posture, and chronic pain are all commonly linked with depression and stress-related disorders.

At Health Wise Chiropractic in Sunbury, we regularly see how physical pain and mental well-being are connected. New research reviewing 97 studies suggests that manual therapies such as chiropractic care, massage therapy, spinal manipulation, and other hands-on treatments may help reduce depressive symptoms while improving pain and physical function.

The Link Between Depression and Physical Pain

According to the research, an estimated 21 million adults in the United States experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2021. Depression doesn’t just affect mood — it often presents physically through symptoms including:

Researchers also found that two-thirds of patients with depression initially presented with physical or “somatic” symptoms rather than emotional complaints.

This is important because many people searching for help with chronic pain, headaches, sciatica, or muscle tension may also be experiencing stress, anxiety, burnout, or depression-related symptoms without realising the connection.


How Depression Can Affect Posture and the Spine

The review highlighted significant postural changes commonly seen in people experiencing depressive episodes, including:

  • Forward head posture

  • Increased thoracic kyphosis (“rounded upper back”)

  • Pelvic imbalance

  • Increased muscle tension and tenderness


These postural changes place additional stress on the spine, muscles, and nervous system, often contributing to chronic pain conditions.

At Health Wise Chiropractic, our chiropractors and massage therapists frequently assess posture, spinal mobility, muscle tension, and movement patterns because physical stress and emotional stress are often closely linked.

What Did the Research Find?

The systematic review analysed 97 studies from more than 6,600 research articles investigating manual therapies and depression-related symptoms.

Key Findings

  • 88.2% of studies involving patients with diagnosed depression or mood disorders showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms following manual therapy

  • Massage therapy improved depressive symptoms in 32 out of 45 studies (71.1%)

  • Chiropractic manipulation showed positive improvements in 83.3% of studies

  • Craniosacral therapy demonstrated improvement in 100% of reviewed studies

  • Acupressure studies showed improvement in 100% of reviewed studies

  • Several studies showed improvements in both pain levels and mental wellbeing simultaneously

While researchers noted that more high-quality studies are still needed, the overall findings suggest manual therapy may be a valuable complementary approach alongside traditional medical and psychological care.


Chiropractic Care and Depression-Related Symptoms

The review examined multiple studies involving chiropractic spinal manipulation therapy (SMT).

One high-quality study involving adults with chronic low back pain found that participants receiving spinal manipulative therapy experienced reductions in depression scores over a 4-week treatment period.

Researchers also noted that chronic pain itself is strongly associated with depressive symptoms. This means improving spinal function, reducing pain, and restoring movement may also positively influence mood, stress levels, and quality of life.

At Health Wise Chiropractic, chiropractic care focuses on:

  • Improving spinal mobility

  • Reducing joint dysfunction

  • Supporting nervous system function

  • Relieving muscular tension

  • Improving posture and movement

Common conditions we see include:

  • Neck pain

  • Lower back pain

  • Sciatica

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Postural strain

  • Chronic muscle tension

Massage therapy was the most researched modality in the review, with 45 separate studies analysed.

The findings showed:

  • 71.1% of massage studies demonstrated significant reductions in depressive symptoms

  • Patients with chronic pain often experience improvements in both pain and mood

  • Some studies found benefits after only a few sessions

One study involving adolescents with depression found that massage therapy produced a significant reduction in depressive symptoms after just one day of treatment.

Another study involving patients with chronic pain and depression found that massage therapy significantly outperformed light touch therapy and control groups over an 8-week period.

One of the reasons many patients choose Health Wise Chiropractic in Sunbury is because we combine chiropractic care with remedial massage therapy under one roof.

Research suggests this combined approach may help by:

  • Reducing muscular tension

  • Improving circulation

  • Supporting relaxation

  • Improving mobility and posture

  • Reducing pain sensitivity

  • Helping regulate the nervous system

For many patients, reducing physical tension and chronic pain can also improve sleep, energy levels, stress resilience, and overall wellbeing.


Chronic Pain and Mental Health Often Go Together

The review repeatedly found that people with:

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Chronic low back pain

  • Neck pain

  • Migraines

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Arthritis-related pain

    were more likely to experience depressive symptoms.

This highlights the importance of taking a whole-body approach to healthcare.

At Health Wise Chiropractic, we believe treatment should focus not only on symptoms, but also on improving function, movement, recovery, and quality of life.

Important Reminder

Manual therapies such as chiropractic care and massage therapy are not a replacement for medical or psychological treatment for depression. However, research suggests they may provide valuable complementary support, especially when depression is associated with chronic pain, muscle tension, poor posture, or stress-related physical symptoms.

If you are experiencing severe depression, suicidal thoughts, or ongoing mental health concerns, it is important to seek support from a GP, psychologist, or mental health professional.

How Chiropractic Care May Help

At Health Wise Chiropractic, we take a comprehensive approach to posture-related care.

Treatment may include:

We focus on addressing both the symptoms and the underlying biomechanical stress contributing to neck dysfunction.


About the Author

Dr Julian Simpson is an Australian chiropractor with over 15 years of experience in musculoskeletal healthcare and rehabilitation.

He is a Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation and has reviewed and written more than 800 evidence-based health articles focused on spinal health, rehabilitation, sports injuries and conservative care approaches.

His treatment focus includes:

  • Chiropractic adjustments

  • Sports chiropractic

  • Massage therapy

  • Shockwave therapy

  • Laser therapy

  • Non-surgical spinal decompression

Dr Simpson provides patient care through Healthwise Chiropractic, serving communities including Sunbury, Melton, Diggers Rest and surrounding regions.


Reference


Schulz P, Huzij T. Manual therapy modalities and depression: a systematic review. J Osteopath Med. 2026 Apr 27. doi: 10.1515/jom-2025-0214. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42046169.

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