Massage for back pain in Montreal: what it helps, what it does not, and how long the relief lasts
Massage works on muscle and the fascia around it. Most everyday back pain has a large muscular component, which is why a good session helps — and why the relief fades if nothing about the load changes.
We are massage therapists, not physicians. We do not diagnose, we do not treat discs or joints, and there are kinds of back pain that should go to a doctor before they go on a table. This page says which is which.
See a doctor first if any of this is true
Book the massage after, not instead. Go to a physician or a walk-in clinic if your back pain comes with:
- Numbness, pins and needles, or weakness in a leg or foot — particularly if it runs below the knee.
- Any change in bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin. That is an emergency, not an appointment.
- Pain that started with a fall, a crash or a real impact.
- Fever, night sweats, or weight you did not mean to lose.
- Pain that wakes you every night and does not settle in any position.
None of that means massage is forbidden forever. It means something else needs looking at first, and we would rather say so than book you in.
What a massage actually does for a sore back
It gives tight muscle a reason to let go, it moves blood through tissue that has been braced for weeks, and it usually leaves you moving more freely for a while. For the ordinary version of back pain — long shifts, long commutes, lifting badly once, sleeping wrong — that is often enough to break the cycle where soreness makes you guard, and guarding makes you sorer.
What it does not do: put anything back, realign anything, or treat a disc. If a page promises you that, be careful with it.
Lower back, upper back, and the thing in between
The lower back rarely acts alone. Hips, glutes and lower back travel together, and working only the sore spot often misses what is pulling on it. That is the honest argument for booking 90 minutes rather than 60 when it is the lower back: it lets a therapist work the lower back, glutes and hip flexors as one system instead of rushing.
Upper back and between the shoulder blades is a different pattern and usually a shorter session. If the pain is really in your neck and shoulders rather than your back, say so when you book — the therapist chooses a different approach for it.
Nerve pain that runs down the leg is not the same problem as a tight lower back, and it changes what your therapist should and should not do. Mention it. It matters more than the pressure you ask for.
Deep tissue is not the same as painful
Deep tissue means slower strokes and sustained, firmer pressure into the deeper layers, usually concentrated on the back and hips rather than spread over the whole body. Firm should never mean unbearable. If you are holding your breath, the muscle is bracing against the pressure and the session is working against itself — say something, and the pressure changes.
Plenty of back pain responds better to moderate pressure and more time than to maximum pressure. The therapist will tell you what she is finding; you tell her what it feels like.
How many sessions
We do not sell a course of treatment for back pain, because we cannot honestly say in advance how many you will need. Have one, notice how long the relief lasts, and decide from there. If it holds for a week, a monthly session is a reasonable maintenance rhythm. If it is gone by the next morning every time, massage is managing a symptom and something else is causing it — that is worth investigating rather than rebooking.
What it costs, and the receipt
| Booking | Time | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic or deep tissue massage | 60 min | 115 | One region — upper back or lower back |
| Therapeutic or deep tissue massage | 90 min | 155 | Lower back with glutes and hips |
| First massage with us | 60 min | 89 | First visit, once per person |
| 30-minute add-on | +30 min | +65 | Added to a 60 |
Prices are in dollars and before tax; massage therapy is a taxable supply in Québec. Insurance receipts are issued in the name of the person treated, so if you have extended health coverage, bring the card details and ask at the desk.
Booking a back-pain massage
Massage is arranged by phone rather than through the online calendar, which is a good thing here: it means you can say "lower back, it has been three weeks, it is worse sitting" before anyone picks a treatment, and be matched to a therapist and a length that fit.
What we will not do
- Diagnose your back. We are not physicians and we will not guess at a disc.
- Promise that one session fixes pain you have had for years.
- Sell you a ten-session package before we have seen how one goes.
- Work through pain because you asked for firm pressure.
Where to find us
Downtown Montreal — 2365 rue Saint-Patrick, Unit A5
Laval — 1655 boulevard de l'Avenir
Saint-Léonard — 5045 rue Jean-Talon Est
West Island — 45 boulevard Brunswick, Dollard-des-Ormeaux
This page is general information and not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Massage therapists at New Age Spa are not physicians and do not diagnose, treat or manage medical conditions of the spine, discs, joints or nerves. If your back pain involves numbness, weakness, pain radiating below the knee, changes in bladder or bowel control, recent trauma, fever or unexplained weight loss, consult a physician before booking. Tell your therapist about pregnancy, blood-thinning medication, recent surgery, osteoporosis, or any diagnosed condition, as these change what is appropriate. Prices are current as of 3 September 2026, are in Canadian dollars per massage and before tax, and can change; massage therapy is a taxable supply in Québec. Massage is arranged by telephone and is not available through online booking. Insurance receipts are issued in the name of the person treated; reimbursement is a matter between you and your insurer. Individual results vary and no outcome is guaranteed.
