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MASSAGE
THERAPY
What Is It?
Massage is the manipulation of
the soft-tissues of the body.
It helps to ease stress and
muscular tension, relieve pain
from injuries, and speed healing
from certain acute and chronic
conditions.
Today millions of people
worldwide visit massage
therapists as a form of
regular health-care maintenance.
The practice of massage has been
used for thousands of years.
As early as 2700 B.C.
Today there are some 80
different types of massage and
related forms of bodywork.
How Does
It Work?
Most types of massage affect the
body in a similar way.
When muscles are
overworked, body waste products
such as lactic acid can
accumulate, causing soreness,
stiffness, and even muscle
spasms. Massage in
general--improves blood and
lymph circulation and brings
fresh oxygen and other nutrients
to the affected tissues. This
helps to flush out the toxins
and enhance recovery.
Tense muscles may also compress
blood vessels and stretch
nerves, restricting blood flow
and causing pain. As the
affected area is massaged, the
muscles gradually release their
strangle hold on the irritated
nerves, and the pain eases.
The same mechanisms also make
massage helpful in the recovery
process for an injured muscle.
In addition, massage has been
shown to increase the body's
production of pain-killing
endorphins and the mood-altering
hormone serotonin. It can also
slow the release of the stress
hormone cortisol. For this
reason, massage is often
prescribed as an adjunctive
therapy for people whose immune
systems are compromised by
stress.
Massage therapy is the
systematized manipulation of
soft tissues for the purpose of
normalizing them. Practitioners
use a variety of physical
methods including applying fixed
or movable pressure, holding, or
causing movement to the body.
Therapists primarily use
their hands, but may also use
their forearms, elbows, or feet.
The basic goal of massage
therapy is to help the body heal
itself and to increase health
and well-being.
Touch is the core ingredient of
massage therapy and also
combines science and art.
Practitioners learn specific
techniques for massage and use
their sense of touch to
determine the right amount of
pressure to apply to each person
and locate areas of tension and
other soft-tissue problems.
Touch also conveys a sense of
caring, an important component
in the healing relationship.
Massage improves circulation,
which increases blood flow,
bringing fresh oxygen to body
tissues. This can assist the
elimination of waste products,
speed healing after injury, and
enhance recovery from disease.
Therapeutic massage can be used
to promote general well-being
and enhance self-esteem, while
boosting the circulatory and
immune systems to benefit blood
pressure, circulation, muscle
tone, digestion, and skin tone.
It has been incorporated into
many health systems, and
different massage techniques
have been developed and
integrated into various
complementary therapies.
Physical
Benefits of Therapeutic Massage
(Source: AMTA)
Helps relieve stress and aids
relaxation
Helps relieve muscle tension and
stiffness
Alleviates discomfort during
pregnancy
Fosters faster healing of
strained muscles and sprained
ligaments;
reduces pain and swelling;
reduces formation of excessive
scar tissue
Reduces muscle spasms
Provides greater joint
flexibility and range of motion
Enhances athletic performance;
Treats injuries caused during
sport or work
Promotes deeper and easier
breathing
Improves circulation of blood
and movement of lymph fluids
Reduces blood pressure
Helps relieve tension-related
headaches and effects of
eye-strain
Enhances the health and
nourishment of skin
Improves posture
Strengthens the immune system
Treats musculoskeletal problems
Rehabilitation post operative
Rehabilitation after injury
Mental
Benefits of Massage Therapy
Fosters peace of mind
Promotes a relaxed state of
mental alertness
Helps relieve mental stress
Improves ability to monitor
stress signals and respond
appropriately
Enhances capacity for calm
thinking and creativity
Emotional Benefits
Satisfies needs for caring
nurturing touch
Fosters a feeling of well-being
Reduces levels of anxiety
Creates body awareness
Increases awareness of mind-body
connection
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