About Massage Therapy

Overview

Massage therapy offers benefits both immediate and cumulative. Full-body massage offers pain relief, helps you recover from injury and provides ongoing health maintenance. If you've ever had a simple back rub, you know that it feels relaxing when you're feeling good and great when muscles are sore. Massage works in the same way. Massage also treats the emotional stress that accompanies physical trauma. Among the many types of massage, most therapeutic treatments combine manipulation of the muscles and soft tissue, with pressure-point stimulation.

Pain Relief

Mayo Clinic cites studies that show that massage therapy effectively relieves pain associated with surgery, childbirth, migraines and fibromyalgia. Cancer patients also reported pain and fatigue reduction when receiving regular massage treatments.

If you are pregnant or have health issues, massage therapy represents an effective alternative to pharmaceutical pain relievers. Therapeutic massage is available from some surgical centers, maternity centers, alternative care clinics and private licensed providers. Licenses are required of massage practitioners in 37 states.

Musculoskeletal Conditions

Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions such as scoliosis and osteoporosis can cause chronic pain. Degenerative conditions such as spinal stenosis may require ongoing pain management programs. For patients and doctors who wish to avoid persistent drug use, massage is a viable option.

Manipulation of soft tissue surrounding the affected area of the body sends oxygen to cells to promote healing. Therapeutic massage provides pain relief by relaxing muscles that are strained by displacement or inflammation.

Accidental Injury

The same healing techniques apply to physical trauma sustained through an injury, such as a car wreck or an on-the-job accident. When one part of the body is severely injured, other parts must work harder to compensate for it. That is why full-body massage treatments are particularly relevant to victims of accidental injuries.

Massage therapists are trained in anatomy and in how to treat accident patients. They can adjust their "touch" pressure to accommodate your pain and soreness, and avoid areas that are too uncomfortable or are unsafe to manipulate.

Stress Relief

Whether your emotional stress is caused by physical trauma, a hectic lifestyle or the loss of a loved one, massage therapy can be an important tool in preserving your health. Stress-induced muscle tension triggers a buildup of toxins that can threaten your immune system. This is why we often get sick after a major stressful event in our lives.

A series of massage sessions can help to normalize your anxiety level, purge your body of toxins and lift your spirits in general.

Health Maintenance

All of the above health benefits strengthen your body when regular massage treatments become a habit. Monthly or more frequent massages contribute ongoing support to muscle tone, blood circulation, lymphatic drainage and positive mental health.

With regular treatment, the symptoms of your chronic medical issues may decrease, and you may become less dependent on drugs for pain relief.