Are shiatsu neck massagers actually effective for chronic tension?

The consensus across verified-purchase reviewers and community discussions is that shiatsu pillows are good for short-term muscle relaxation and breaking up surface tension, but they don't substitute for hands-on bodywork or fix deep, chronic knots. Threads in r/ProductQuery and r/BuyItForLife specifically flag that the relief tends to last 10-15 minutes after use. Pair them with stretching or physical therapy rather than expecting a permanent fix.