Massage therapy can be dated back to 4,000 years ago, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It was then and is now used for healing purposes. Massage therapy should be performed by a licensed massage therapist. Many people who are unlicensed perform massage for family members or friends. However, there can be some problems with massage therapy that everyone should be aware of.
Pain
Massage therapy can sometimes be painful for the people it is practiced on. Certain types of massage therapy, such as Shiatsu massage, can use a very firm touch or pressure that can cause pain to people. Pain can also be caused if someone suffers from bruising, painful joints or even broken bones. In these cases, massage should be avoided all together because it could worsen the condition and cause increasing pain. Usually, massage therapy is helpful with relieving painful conditions. However, in certain circumstances it can actually cause additional pain. In fact, according to New York University, massage therapy can exacerbate pain temporarily. This can occur when the massage recipient suffers from a condition that is more serious than they realize. For these reasons, it is very important to keep open communication between you and your massage therapist so that pain is not caused during therapy sessions.
Injury
Sometimes massage therapy that is performed by an unlicensed person can cause an injury. According to New York University, when massage is performed too powerfully on someone who has a fragile condition, it can actually cause bone fractures, internal bleeding and even internal injuries. In addition, the elderly who often have fragile skin can also be injured by an aggressive massage. Licensed massage therapists are trained and know how not to injure someone. However, the danger exists for those inexperienced people who dabble in massage therapy to injure someone unknowingly.
Danger
Massage can be dangerous and even deadly. One example of this is when someone who suffers from blood clots in the leg receives a massage and then suffers a blood clot traveling to their heart or brain. This type of situation can be very deadly and at the very least it can cause serious injury to the person. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, there are some conditions that you can suffer from that massage should never be utilized for. These conditions include heart failure, kidney failure, bleeding disorders and infections of the veins or soft tissue. Additional harm can be caused to the person who suffers from these conditions and the harm can be life-threatening at times. Therefore, it is extremely important that everyone discuss any medical conditions that they may have with their massage therapist before treatment begins.
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