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How Do Massaging Shower Heads Work?

Jared Paventi

Massaging shower heads usually have multiple settings, which regulate the force and flow of water. Typically, a massaging shower head has between five and nine settings, ranging from alternating percussion streams to swirling spiral streams to high pressure streams.

What makes a shower head a massager?

How does the water get out of the shower head?

Water enters the back of the shower head and builds into a reservoir. The water pressure builds up in the head and down the water line. The pressure pushes the massaging mechanisms--triggering the percussion, spinning the spiral jets and narrowing the flattened, high-pressure stream.

Benefits of a massaging shower head

The primary benefit is relief of muscle tension. The combination of the rhythmic stream and hot water can mitigate muscle pain. Newer massaging heads also provide a noticeable environmental impact. Most massagers are rated at 1.5 gallons per minute, less than the normal 2.5 GPM models. The difference is reduction in usage by more than 40 percent, on average--representing a savings of $7,300 per year.