What Is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy is a hands-on manipulation of the soft tissue and joints of the body. The soft tissues include muscle, skin, tendons and associated fascia, ligaments and joint capsules.
Massage has many diverse physiological effects, which are primarily due to the therapist’s hands moving over the body. The different movements can physically stretch muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia, encourage the circulation through the tissue, inhibit muscular spasms and be either sedating or stimulating to the nervous system.
The therapeutic use of massage by a registered massage therapist affects all the systems of the body - in particular, the muscular, circulatory, lymphatic (immune) and nervous systems.
No wonder so many people find massage therapy so helpful in so many ways!
Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage offers a drug-free, non-invasive and humanistic approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Massage has many physiological effects, such as:
- Increasing circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
- Stimulating the lymph system, the body’s natural defense, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
- Relaxing and softening injured and overused muscles.
- Reducing spasms and cramping.
- Increasing joint flexibility.
- Reducing recovery time for strenuous workouts and eliminating subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
- Releasing endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. For this reason, massage is being incorporated into treatment for chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
- Reducing post-surgery adhesions and edema and reducing and realigning scar tissue after healing has occurred.
- Improving range of motion and decreasing discomfort for patients with low back pain.
- Relieving pain for migraine sufferers and decreasing the need for medication.
- Providing exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reducing shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
- Contributing to shorter labor and reduced tearing for expectant mothers, as well as lessening the need for medication, minimizing depression and anxiety, and shortening hospital stays.
When Massage is not recommended?
It’s important to note that there are some conditions where massage is not recommended. For example, massage is contraindicated in people with:
- Certain forms of cancer
- Phlebitis
- Some cardiac problems
- Some skin conditions
- Infectious diseases