Massage therapy not only provides relaxation and relief to muscle strain and fatigue, a therapeutic massage may improve your health. The benefits to massage therapy are numerous and include physical, emotional, and physiological improvements in the body.
Why Get a Massage?
Many of the jobs we do lead to pain, tension and fatigue – this is the body’s way of saying slow down and pay attention to me. If you respond to the messages your body is giving you quickly the more likely you are to recover quickly. Massage has been shown to alleviate symptoms such as these but clients also find that massage:
- Reduces lower back pain and other bodily aches.
- Increases range of motion in joints.
- Decreases illness-related fatigue.
- Decreases depression and helps to promote a healthy mind.
- Helps your immunity by increasing white blood cell counts.
- Improves recovery after post-operative surgery.
- Alleviates age-related disorders, sleep disorders, and many more emotional and physical problems.
Physical Benefits
During massage, the massage therapist works the tension out of stiff and sore muscles, encouraging their patient to relax. This may help the person receiving the massage on many levels: his muscles feel relaxed and are no longer sore, he is relaxed and no longer tense, and the muscles loosen, allowing a larger range of motion.
Emotional
As certain muscles are massaged, emotions may be released. The kneading motions combined with heat and or aromatherapy cause a person to relax, releasing tension. Stress and tension is often rubbed away with any aches or pains in the body.
Physiological
Therapeutic massage is used as a treatment for many illnesses and during the recovery period after surgery. Scientists believe that this deep, healing massage triggers the release of certain chemicals in the body that helps you combat illnesses and speeds recovery.
When You Should Ask your Doctor Before Getting a Massage
With certain health conditions, it could be dangerous to be on the receiving end of a massage. People with the following symptoms or illnesses should contact their doctors first.
- Blood vessel diseases: If you have a blood clot or have recently had a stroke.
- Cardiovascular diseases: People suffering from these diseases may have swollen blood vessels, blood clots, or heart disease.
- Certain forms of cancer.
- If you have skin conditions such as burns, cuts, cold sores, bruises, sores, herpes, open cuts, and swollen areas, you should not have a massage in one of these areas.
- Severe back pain could mean you have a problem that could be exacerbated with massage, so ask your doctor first.
- People with high fevers or chills should not get a massage, since it may be the sign of a serious illness.
- Massaging the feet, lower legs, and abdomen during the first three months of pregnancy could cause miscarriage. There are massage therapists who specialise in pregnancy massage, but always ask your doctor first.
- People with a mild stage of osteoporosis could benefit from massage if permitted by their doctors, but not anyone with severe osteoporosis.
The power of touch has miraculous effects: for the very young to the very old, for the terminally ill to the marathon athlete, and for the stay-at-home mum to the over-stressed executive. Massage has the power to relax, heal, and help release emotions and tension without the aid of drugs.
When deciding whether you want to get a massage, consider your health and your needs. As long as you do not have any serious health conditions, this alternative, drug-free therapy may be the right treatment for you.