Back Pain Relief in Syracuse, NY

Massage, chiropractic care and acupuncture for back pain and sciatica, under one roof.

Reviewed by Kyle Hierholzer, LMT, CPT, owner of Hand in Health. Updated October 2026.

Massage therapist treating lower back pain at Hand in Health

Hand in Health treats back pain with three approaches under one roof: massage therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture. We start with the treatment that fits your pain, refer you to a doctor when something needs medical attention, and combine treatments when that works better than one alone.

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Quick answer: For ongoing back pain with no clear cause, we usually start with massage, often a focused medical massage, which treats the muscles and lets your therapist assess what’s going on. For sudden new pain, or a diagnosis like a herniated or bulging disc, we usually start with chiropractic care. For chronic pain, massage and acupuncture often work well together.

Where to Start

Your situationOngoing back pain with no clear causeWhere we usually startMassage therapy
Your situationSudden, new back pain with no clear causeWhere we usually startChiropractic care
Your situationA doctor’s diagnosis like a herniated or bulging discWhere we usually startChiropractic care
Your situationChronic back painWhere we usually startMassage therapy Acupuncture

Not sure which fits? Call either clinic and we’ll help you choose. If your pain doesn’t improve, or something points to a problem that needs medical care, we’ll refer you to a doctor.

Massage Therapy for Back Pain

Massage treats the muscles, tendons and connective tissue that cause or add to most back pain. Your therapist works on tight, overworked areas in your back, hips and glutes, and also assesses your pain so we can refer you if needed.

Common options:

Deep tissue massage: slow, firm pressure for stubborn knots and chronic tension
Therapeutic massage: a blend of lighter and firmer techniques for general tension
Medical massage: a focused treatment for a specific problem like back pain (see below)
Myoskeletal Alignment: a whole-body approach to finding the source of your pain (see below)

Chiropractic Care for Back Pain

Our chiropractor uses spinal adjustments and other hands-on techniques to improve how your spine and joints move. Chiropractic care is usually our first step for sudden back pain and for patients with a diagnosed disc problem, like a herniated or bulging disc. New chiropractic patients can call to request a free consultation before their first exam.

Acupuncture for Back Pain

Acupuncture uses very fine needles at specific points to ease pain and muscle tension. It’s a good fit for chronic back pain, often alongside massage. Our licensed acupuncturist can also include traditional Chinese medicine in your treatment plan. New acupuncture patients can call to request a free consultation.

Medical Massage

Medical massage is built around one goal, like relieving your back pain. Instead of a full body massage, your therapist focuses on the problem area and the surrounding muscle groups that may be contributing to it. You don’t need a doctor’s referral or diagnosis, but if you have one, bring it. Medical massage usually comes with a treatment plan: a series of appointments, self-care to do at home, and referrals to other providers if needed.

Learn how medical and therapeutic massage differ

Myoskeletal Alignment

Myoskeletal Alignment is a massage approach that combines soft tissue manipulation, joint mobilization and myofascial release. The goal is to find the source of your pain, not just treat the symptoms, so your therapist looks at your whole body, not only the spot that hurts. The technique is taught by Erik Dalton through the Freedom From Pain Institute.

At Hand in Health, Myoskeletal Alignment is offered by Kyle, Terry, Brian, Hollie, Jason, Phillip and Katy.

Sciatica Relief

Sciatica is pain that travels from your lower back or buttock down the back of your leg, usually from pressure on the sciatic nerve. A herniated disc is a common cause. Tight muscles in the hips and glutes can add to it. Each of our three treatments helps in a different way:

Massage

Massage eases tight muscles in your lower back, hips and glutes that can press on or irritate the nerve, and helps your therapist check whether the pain may be coming from a disc or another cause that needs a doctor.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care focuses on how your spine moves. In a 2006 randomized trial of patients with acute back pain and sciatica from a disc protrusion, those who received spinal manipulation were more likely to become pain free than those who received simulated manipulation.

Source: The Spine Journal, 2006

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has some of the newest evidence. A 2024 randomized trial in JAMA Internal Medicine found that acupuncture reduced leg pain and improved function in people with chronic sciatica from a herniated disc, compared with sham acupuncture, and the benefits lasted a year.

Source: JAMA Internal Medicine, 2024

The American College of Physicians also recommends non-drug treatments like massage, acupuncture and spinal manipulation as early options for low back pain.

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, 2017 clinical practice guideline

How One Patient Got Back to Walking

Massage
Chiropractic care
Acupuncture

One of our patients came to us with back and leg pain and started with massage, which brought about a 50% improvement. Because her pain wasn’t fully resolving, she saw her doctor, who found a herniated disc. She added chiropractic care, and over a series of visits her pain dropped by about 85%. She then saw our acupuncturist, who also treated her with traditional Chinese medicine. Today she has almost no pain and walks 3 to 5 miles a day again. She keeps it that way with a monthly massage, one or two chiropractic adjustments a month and monthly acupuncture.

Every patient is different, and results vary. This is one example of how combining treatments can help.

Care for Veterans

Hand in Health is a Community Care Provider for the Syracuse VA Medical Center. We treat many veterans in the community, as outpatients, for chronic and acute back pain. Talk with your VA care team about a Community Care referral for massage therapy.

Payment and Insurance

Massage therapy and chiropractic care are self pay. We provide superbills on request, so you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Acupuncture is in network with select UnitedHealthcare plans.

When We Refer You to a Doctor

Your safety comes first. We refer patients to a doctor instead of treating them for:

Acute fractures
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or suspected blood clots
Bone tumors
Severe lymphedema
Spinal surgery within the last 6 weeks

If you have back pain with loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in your groin or inner thighs, or new weakness in your legs, get emergency care right away.

Back Pain FAQs

Should I see a massage therapist or a chiropractor for back pain?

For ongoing back pain with no clear cause, we usually start with massage, which treats the muscles and lets your therapist assess the pain. For sudden new pain, or a diagnosed disc problem like a herniated or bulging disc, we usually start with chiropractic care. Many patients do best with both.

Can massage help sciatica?

It can. Massage eases tight muscles in the lower back, hips and glutes that can press on or irritate the sciatic nerve. If your pain may be coming from a disc, your therapist will recommend chiropractic care or a visit to your doctor.

Does acupuncture help back pain and sciatica?

Research supports it. A 2024 randomized trial found that acupuncture reduced leg pain and improved function in people with chronic sciatica from a herniated disc, compared with sham acupuncture. We often recommend acupuncture for chronic back pain, alongside massage.

What is medical massage for back pain?

Medical massage is a focused treatment built around a specific goal, like relieving back pain. Your therapist works on the problem area and the surrounding muscle groups that may be contributing, instead of giving a full body massage. It usually comes with a treatment plan, including a series of appointments, self-care and other referrals if needed. You don’t need a doctor’s referral.

What is Myoskeletal Alignment?

Myoskeletal Alignment is a massage approach that combines soft tissue manipulation, joint mobilization and myofascial release to find the source of your pain, not just treat the symptoms. It’s taught by Erik Dalton through the Freedom From Pain Institute.

Can I see a chiropractor if I have a herniated disc?

Yes. For patients with a doctor’s diagnosis of a herniated or bulging disc, chiropractic care is usually where we start.

Do you take insurance for back pain treatment?

Massage and chiropractic care are self pay, and we provide superbills on request so you can submit to your insurance. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Acupuncture is in network with select UnitedHealthcare plans, and Hand in Health is a Community Care Provider for the Syracuse VA Medical Center.

Do you treat veterans for back pain?

Yes. Hand in Health is a Community Care Provider for the Syracuse VA Medical Center, and we treat many veterans in the community for chronic and acute back pain.

When should I see a doctor instead?

We refer patients to a doctor for acute fractures, blood clots (DVT), bone tumors, severe lymphedema and spinal surgery within the last 6 weeks. Get emergency care right away for back pain with loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or new leg weakness.

What Our Back Pain Patients Say

4.9 stars on Google

“I use Hand in Health to help me with a few long-standing issues with lower back pain. Terrence does an excellent job combining therapeutic massage and stretching to help improve my mobility and comfort. I’ve benefited greatly from his work during 90 minute sessions.”

Allen G.

“I had a wonderful experience from the beginning to the end. From my initial greeting to the end of my massage. Phillip was so warm and friendly. He did an amazing job addressing all of my issues. He really listened to what I was looking for in a massage and used the right amount of pressure, and made sure I was comfortable throughout the massage. He relieved the tension in my low back, neck and shoulders. Phillip is very skillful and knowledgeable. I left the office feeling relaxed, stress free, pain free, and ready to take on the day.”

Karen Hall, North Syracuse

“Always a calming place experience. Their therapists are amazing. Russel really helped with my shoulder and lower back tension today! I’ve also had other therapists before and have never been disappointed! Definitely recommend their monthly massage membership!”

Veronica S.

“These folks are amazing. The massage and chiropractic care here are top notch and the membership pricing is excellent. What Dr. Koh and Jason have done for alleviating my pain and stress is incredible. I’m so grateful to these practitioners for all they have done to improve my quality of life and mobility and my mother’s.”

Dee B.

Read our Google reviews: Downtown Syracuse · North Syracuse