Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of disease is stress-related. And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which translates into:

 Massage Is More Than A Luxury!

 Physical Benefits of Therapeutic Massage

• Helps relieve stress and aids relaxation
• Helps relieve muscle tension and stiffness
• Alleviates discomfort during pregnancy
• Fosters faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments; reduces pain and swelling; reduces formation of excessive scar tissue
• Reduces muscle spasms
• Provides greater joint flexibility and range of motion
• Enhances athletic performance; Treats injuries caused during sport or work
• Promotes deeper and easier breathing
• Improves circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids
• Reduces blood pressure
• Helps relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain
• Enhances the health and nourishment of skin
• Improves posture
• Strengthens the immune system
• Treats musculoskeletal problems
• Rehabilitation post operative
• Rehabilitation after injury

 

Mental Benefits of Massage Therapy

• Fosters peace of mind
• Promotes a relaxed state of mental alertness
• Helps relieve mental stress
• Improves ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately
• Enhances capacity for calm thinking and creativity
• Emotional Benefits
• Satisfies needs for caring nurturing touch
• Fosters a feeling of well-being
• Reduces levels of anxiety
• Creates body awareness
• Increases awareness of mind-body connection 

 

 

 The Benefits of Massage

The Muscular System

• Relieves soreness, tension, and stiffness
• Improves muscle tone
• Increases flexibility and range of motion of joints
• Improves the flow of nutrients to muscles and joints, accelerating recovery from fatigue and injury
• Reduces scar tissue
• Breaks down or prevents adhesions (knots)
• Speeds recovery from exercise
• Enhances freedom of movement
• Prevents or delays muscular atrophy, resulting from inactivity caused by injury, age, surgery, or illness
• Increases physical confidence
• Relieves cramps and muscle spasms
• Reduces pain and swelling

 

The Skeletal System

• Improves posture/body alignment
• Relieve stiff joints
• Decreases inflammation
• Restores range of motion (increasing joint movement)
• Releases joint strain (releasing tight muscles and tendons)
• Releases restrictions in the fascia (connected tissues)
• Improves the circulation and nutrients of your joints

 

The Integumentary System

• Improves skin tone by removing dead cells and improving circulation
• Regenerates tissue, including burns, wounds, and wrinkles
• Helps to normalize glandular functions
• Improve elasticity of skin
• Stimulates blood flow to nourish the skin

 

  

The Circulatory System

• Increases blood flow (to tissues and organs), which can relieve much muscular and joint pain (especially associated with swelling)
• Increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients (to cells and tissues), improving and relieving congestion throughout the body
• Increases the number of red blood cells, especially in cases of anemia
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduces heart rate (helps develop a stronger heart)
• Elimination of metabolic waste

 

The Lymphatic System

• Cleanse the body of wastes and toxic debris in the body
• Increases the circulation of lymph
• Stimulates the immune system (strengthens resistance to disease)
• Reduces edema of the extremities (arms and legs)
• Removal of lactic acid from fatigued and sore muscles (allows for a quick recovery)
• Increases kidney action to remove wastes of protein metabolism
• Increases retention of nitrogen phosphorus, and sulfur to aid in bone repair
• Speeds recovery from illness

The Respiratory System

• Develops respiratory muscles
• Regulates respiration
• Promotes deeper and easier breathing

 

The Nervous System

• Stimulates Nervous System = boosting energy
• Calms the Nervous System = relaxing
•  Massage may have a sedative, stimulating or an exhausting effect on the nervous system depending on the type and length of massage treatment given
• Relieves restlessness and insomnia
• Relieves pain due to pinched nerves
• Decreases chronic pain
• Stimulates the release of endorphins (the body's natural painkiller)

The Endocrine System

• Helps the body to restore and heal itself
• Develops of a restful sleep pattern
• Promotes appropriate levels of hormones (bringing the immune system back in balance)

 

The Digestive System

• Relieves constipation (specifically if a abdominal massage is given)
• Relaxes the abdominal and intestinal muscles (therefore releasing tension in this area)
• Eliminates waste materials
• Stimulates activity of liver and kidneys

 

The Urinary System

• Elimination of metabolic waste
• Cleanses the body of wastes and toxic debris in the body
• Increases kidney action to remove wastes of protein metabolism

 

The Reproductive System

• Reduces depression and anxiety associated with PMS
• Reduces excess fluid retention
• Helps prepare for the birthing process

This list is just the beginning to how the benefits of massage can help you. The ever expanding research continues to grow.

 What are the Effects of Massage?

Effects of massage refer to changes that occur in the body, mind, and emotions of the one receiving massage therapy. The outcome of the massage session, such as, increased alertness, reducing anxiety, or muscle relaxation.

Different massage techniques are chosen for their specific effects. A specific massage technique can also produce a number of different effects.

Massage therapists who know how to apply massage techniques to obtain specific effects will be more successful in achieving the goals that you desire.

• Physiological changes offer a drug free, non invasive approach to facilitate the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This occurs by increased blood and lymph circulation which promotes tissue repair, reduces inflammation and helps fight infection.
• Physiological changes occur as the body releases endorphins (the natural feel good hormones). Massage can reduce pain by blocking signals sent to the brain (‘the gate control theory of pain reduction’). It can also encourage relaxation by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

It's amazing how the complexity of effects produced by something seemingly simple like massage.

Everyone can benefit from the general health promoting benefits of massage.

Massage makes you feel good! :-)