Benefits of Massage Therapy
A massage therapist’s trained and caring touch can have profound effects on your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Massage Therapy provides relief for people from all walks of life. The weekend athlete, the home gardener, the over-stressed executive, secretaries, waitresses, laborers – virtually anyone can feel the need for massage therapy sooner or later.
Massage reduces the effects of stress
Up to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related complaints such as headaches, backaches, neck pain, eyestrain, poor concentration, anxiety, depression, irritability, anger, high blood pressure, ulcers as well as physical and emotional exhaustion.
Massage therapy has an amazing effect on you nervous system. When massage therapy activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, it counteracts your body’s negative response to stress, relaxing muscle tension and allowing your heart rate, blood pressure and circulation to return to normal. Massage therapy also helps you become more aware of your body and your unconsciously held tensions. As you become more aware of your body, you will begin to recognize tension as it builds during the day so that you can consciously release it before it can have a negative effect on your body.
Muscles can become tight and ineffective for many reasons. Stress, injury, poor circulation, overuse and misuse, can all cause you pain and discomfort as well as restrict your normal range of motion. When left unattended, these conditions can become habitual and hamper the quality of your everyday life.
Massage therapy stretches and loosens tight muscles and connective tissue, breaking down and preventing formation of adhesions, freeing your range of motion and reducing the danger of fibrosis.
Massage increases blood circulation
Like a sponge that is squeezed, a tight muscle cannot hold much fluid nor can it allow much fluid to pass through it. This decreases your circulation of blood and increases the strain placed on your heart. Among the obvious problems this can cause, this can leave you feeling fatigued and sore, reducing your precious energy reserves.
Massage therapy releases contracted muscles and pushes venous blood towards the heart thus easing the strain on this vital organ. This increase in circulation brings energy producing nutrients and oxygen to your cells as well as carries away metabolic waste products that can make you feel listless and drained.
In addition, massage therapy increase your body’s oxygen carrying red blood cell count helping to bring even more oxygen to your body’s cells.
Massage decreases chronic pain
Far too many of us face our daily lives with chronic pain due to injuries or illness. Not only does massage therapy help to correct the conditions that cause chronic pain, but it also acts in two ways to decrease the actual pain itself.
The first is by the trained touch of a massage therapist activating nerve receptor signals along nerve fibers to temporarily block chronic pain signals from reaching the brain. The second is by stimulated release of endorphins (the body’s natural pain killer) into the brain and nervous system to reduce your feelings of pain and discomfort without the use of unnatural drugs.
Massage strengthens the immune system
The lymphatic system is a major factor in your body’s battle to ward off infection and heal injuries. The lymphatic flow is usually very sluggish in most people and especially so in those that have less active life styles.
Massage therapy not only improves the circulation of the blood and its vital nutrients, but also increase the circulation of lymph thus helping your body fight off infection and Health is our greatest wealth.
Massage can improve nerve function
Contracted muscles can press on or pinch your nerves causing tingling, numbness or pain. Massage therapy relaxes tense muscles and clams the nervous system, causing your body’s rhythm to slow down. When this happens, your blood pressure lovers, your heart rate settles and your breath become deeper and more rhythmic, priming you for a perfect night’s sleep.
The sun, smog, poor diet and the natural aging process all contribute to the drying, wrinkling and general loss of the youthful characteristics of your skin.
Massage therapy dilates the blood capillaries of the skin increasing the uptake of vital skin repairing nutrients and speeding the removal of harmful toxins. This improved circulation helps to moisturize your skin, improving skin texture while relieving dryness and itching.
Eleanor Coryell
Licensed Certified Massage Therapist
Email
Eleanor!!Introduction • Benefits • Types • Touch Heals • Carpal Tunnel • Getting Started • Referrals • FAQ • Gift Certificates
©DonDesigns 2006-08