When you are considering massage therapy, we want you to be educated on the facts. Through a number of different articles, we have put together 5 Benefits of Massage. We have a number of articles listed below that can help you to understand what a massage is as well as its benefits in a physical and mental capacity. We have listed a few talking points and then you can further educate yourself with the six articles listed below.
What is a massage?
Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure. It's generally considered part of integrative medicine.
Integrated medicine is defined as combining the most well-researched conventional medicine with the most well-researched, evidence-based complementary therapies to achieve the appropriate care for an individual.
Benefits of massage
Reducing Stress and Increasing Relaxation
50% of people who get massages do so for health or wellness reasons. 63 % of those who got massages did so as part of a treatment plan from a doctor or medical provider.
Reducing Pain and Muscle Soreness and Tension
1 in 5 adults suffer from chronic pain. While therapeutic massage cannot fix chronic pain over the long term, people find it helps ease their discomfort and makes living with that pain more bearable.
Improving Circulation, Energy and Alertness
Often, when a person has poor circulation, they experience swelling, tension, tightness and pain which can be relieved through massage therapy. The pressure applied through massage actually helps to move blood through any congested areas, and also allows new blood to flow in once certain areas are released. This is done through various massage techniques which use varying pressure. A 2020 study, from the American Physiological Society, found that a five minute manual leg massage could significantly increase circulation not only in the affected limb, but in the surrounding areas as well.
Lowering Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
One of the leading causes of heart problems comes from the damage caused by high blood pressure. In the United States, one in three people experiences this issue. Whether it is from stress, an unhealthy diet, or lack of exercise, putting too much stress on the heart can lead to strained arteries and possibly heart failure. Massage therapy aids in lowering blood pressure through relaxing bodywork techniques. Circulatory massages are known to lower blood pressure levels, as this modality helps regulate the blood flow of the body. With improved blood circulation, blood pressure is known to improve as well.
Improving Immune Function
Medical research indicates that massage therapy can help boost immune system strength by increasing the activity level of the body’s natural “killer T cells,” which fight off viruses.
We have only touched on the surface of the amazing benefits to getting a massage and looking at a long-term program of using massage therapy. A healthy body integrates medical and complementary therapies for a better quality of life.
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