Massage has been used for thousands of years as a healing technique for the body and the mind. Ancient medical textbooks found in Egypt show and describe massage therapy procedures for physicians to use on ailing patients. Massage therapy was brought to America in the 1840s by two doctors who studied Swedish massage therapy techniques in Sweden. Massage therapy was used regularly in the United States until modern medical advances were made in the 1940s. A revival of massage therapy occurred in the 1970s when athletes discovered the healing powers of massage on athletic injuries.
Types of Massages
Massage therapy is considered part of alternative and complementary medicine. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, 18 million U.S. citizens had a massage. The most popular massage is Swedish massage, with deep tissue massage becoming more popular and possibly surpassing Swedish massage in popularity in the future. Other forms of massage are orthopedic massage and lymph massage. Each type of massage has its own specific healing process. Some effects of the massage help to heal tendons and muscle tears such as the deep tissue massage and orthopedic massage. Some such as the Swedish massage help to relax the mind as well with softer strokes and the playing of relaxing music during the massage.
The Benefits of Swedish Massage
A Swedish massage usually lasts from 30 minutes to one hour with the most benefit being gained from an hour massage. The person receiving the massage is usually undressed and draped with a sheet. Relaxing soft music is usually played. During the Swedish massage, the massage therapist uses long strokes to massage the muscles and tendons. The amount of pressure of each stroke depends upon the comfort zone of the patient. A full body Swedish massage begins with the scalp and face and proceeds to the extremities, finally ending with the back area. The benefit of the Swedish massage is increased circulation of the massaged area, release of endorphins because of the strokes, loosening of muscles and relaxation of the mind.
The Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage is used to relieve the muscles of "knots" or adhesions and to stretch and strengthen tendons. The massage therapist uses deep pressure and short strokes to massage deep into the underlying tissues to work into the knots. The therapist massages the area until the knots are released and an increase of blood flow is returned to the affected area.The massage therapist has to use a great amount of pressure during the massage and the patient may feel discomfort during the procedure. Sometimes the day after the massage, some soreness may be felt as well. The benefits of the massage is increased blood flow to the muscles and stretching and strengthening of the tendons. According to the 2008 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, deep tissue massage lowers blood pressure and the heartbeat by 10.8 beats per minute.
The Benefits of Orthopedic Massage
The orthopedic massage is used to treat injuries and disorders of the muscles and skeletal system. An orthopedic massage generally targets one particular area of the body such as a particular joint with attaching tendons and muscles. In the orthopedic massage, the damaged joint or area is moved to determine the range of motion. Orthopedic massage is then used to gain an increase in the range of motion of the joint. This is done by massaging the muscles to gain an increase of blood flow to the affected area, stretching the ligaments and tendons and massaging the area as the joint is moved.
The Benenfits of Lymph Massage
Lymph massage is performed to increase the flow of lymph through the body to boost the immune system. A lymph massage usually follows a 30-minute deep tissue massage, which will increase the blood flow through the body. The lymph massage is performed for 30 minutes and involves light, relaxing strokes across the lymph nodes of the arms, neck and face. Light strokes are used because the lymph nodes are located just under the surface of the skin. Following the lymph massage, the patient should drink a lot of water to flush the toxins from the system.
The Healing Power of Touch
Aside from the benefits of the different types of massage, the healing power of human touch should not be left out. Human touch in itself has been found to reduce blood pressure and to cause the muscles to relax. Also, the psychological aspects of massage can be seen in a feeling of well-being from human touch. All of these aspects of massage make massage a healthy choice.
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