Did you know massage is probably the oldest and simplest form of Healthcare? It is depicted in the Egyptian tomb paintings. It is mentioned in ancient Japanese, Chinese and Indian texts. The Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates describes the practice of anatripis or 'rubbing up'.
Massage is scientifically shown to be an effective treatment for:
Cancer - Related fatigue
Chronic low back pain
Frequent headaches
Post-operative pain
Therapeutic massage is increasingly being promoted by healthcare providers to their patients. More than half of massage therapists (63%) receive referrals from healthcare professionals. Massage can be beneficial for infants, children adolescents, adults and the elderly.
Babies fall asleep faster when massaged than when rocked, and they stay asleep rather than waking the moment mum tiptoes away.
When massaged regularly, children suffering from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and autism experienced decreased pain, decreased anxiety and decreased inattentiveness.
Massage therapy can help to partially restore mobility to the elderly afflicted with Parkinson's disease and arthritis, and can also reduce levels of anxiety, depression and the effects of loneliness.
Reap the benefits of massage as it helps all of your body's natural systems function efficiently. Massage is effective in relieving a broad spectrum of symptoms. People with a wide variety of conditions ranging from tendonitis to insomnia, to high blood pressure to asthma receive relief from therapeutic massage.
Massage can help us feel less stressed, boost our immune system and increase our mental alertness. Studies have shown massage to reduce the heart rate, lower blood pressure, increase blood circulation and the flow of lymph, relax muscles, improve range of movement and increase the body's natural pain killers.
The most immediate and most noticeable response to massage is relaxation. Not only does relaxation feels wonderful but it also serves an important physiological purpose. when your body relaxes, the functions heal and restores your body is allowed to take place. Your muscle tension releases, blood flow and haemoglobin levels increase, cellular nourishment and detoxification accelerate. Your stress and anxiety levels decrease, your immune system is stimulated, body awareness improves, mental alertness increases and depression diminishes. A sense of well-being emerges.
Make Massage a Habit:
As with exercise, massage has the greatest benefit when you receive treatment regularly. the more 'practice' you give your body's system at functioning in a stress-free and efficient manner, the more 'skilled' your body becomes at functioning optimally under challenging circumstances. Whether weekly, monthly or bi-monthly a program of regular massage will help your body maintain it's overall health.
Massage can help with:
Stress
Massage is one of the best-known antidotes for stress. reducing stress gives you more energy, improves your outlook on life, and in the process reduces your likelihood of injury and illness. Massage can also relieve symptoms of conditions that are aggravated by anxiety, such as asthma or insomnia.
Painful or tight Muscles
Massage can relieve many types of muscle tightness, from a short term muscle cramp to a habitually clenched jaw or tight shoulders. Some massage techniques release tension by stretching kneading and compressing your muscles. Other techniques work indirectly by affecting your nervous system to allow your muscles to relax.
Delayed Muscle soreness
After vigorous exercise, a build-up of waste products in your muscles can leave you feeling tired and sore. Massage increased circulation which removes waste products and brings in healing nutrients.
Pain or tingling in the arms or legs
Muscles can become so contracted that they press on nerves to the arms, hands and legs, causing pain or tingling. If this happens, a Massage to release the contracted muscles may bring relief.
Injuries
Massage can help heal injuries that develop over time, such as tendonitis, as well as ligament sprains or muscle strains caused by an accident. Massage reduces inflammation by increasing circulation to the affected area, which removes waste products and brings nutrients to injured cells. Certain massage techniques can limit scar formation in new injuries and can reduce or make more pliable the scar tissue remaining around older injuries.
Prevent new injuries
By relieving chronic tension, massage can help prevent injuries that might result from putting stress on unbalanced muscle groups or from favouring or forcing a painful, restricted area.
Joint Pain or Restriction
Besides releasing tight muscles that can restrict joint movement, massage worked directly on your joints by improving circulation around them and stimulation the production of natural lubrication within them, relieving pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis.
Posture
As Massage releases restrictions in the muscles, joints and surrounding fascia, your body is feed to return to a more natural and healthy posture. Massage can also relieve the contracted muscles and pain caused by abnormal spinal curvatures such as scoliosis.
Improved sleep
Not only can massage encourage restful sleep, but it also helps those who can't otherwise comfortably rest.
Relieve Headaches
Next time a headache hits, try booking a last-minute massage. Massage decreases the frequency and severity of tension headaches.
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