What are the Benefits of Massage Therapy?
After a long stressful day, lying down in a quiet room with the lights dimmed sounds like the perfect way to unwind. For this reason, many people turn to massage as a way to get rid of the daily stressors encountered on a regular basis. However, studies have confirmed that the overall sense of well-being after a massage is not the only benefit!
There are also many medical benefits to having a massage. The utilization of touch as a healing method has been used for centuries. Early civilizations thought that massages could relieve pain, cure illnesses, heal injuries, and reduce stress. During a massage, built-up toxins can even be released!
While there are many benefits to routine massage appointments, we will focus on the top twelve:
- Back Pain: Massage has been found to be one of the top ways to relieve back pain caused by an injury. Those that take part in weekly massage sessions experience less back pain and are able to live their lives normally without concentration on their pain levels.
- Depression, Anxiety, and Fatigue Symptoms: Messages have been found to reduce stress, improve fatigue, and eliminate the symptoms of depression. The presence of depression is more often than not triggered by chronic pain. Depression, itself, can create tension in the muscles that can be very painful on a daily basis. Massage helps to mitigate this pain.
- Posture: If you find yourself sitting in front of a computer or standing on your feet for multiple hours throughout the day, tension in the back and neck can occur, resulting in poor posture. Massage sessions will keep you on track and help to reinforce natural and healthy movement throughout the tightened areas. Massage will help to relax and loosen the muscles, allowing the body to position itself correctly.
- Lower Blood Pressure: Routine massages can enhance blood flow, lowering blood pressure and improving the overall function of the body. With a better circulation of blood, the body can revert to functioning at an optimal level.
- Athletic Performance: Those that take part in sports can benefit from sports massages. They are tailored to the individual in order to enhance performance. These massages help to enhance blood flow and to warm up the muscles before an event or a game.
- Insomnia: During a massage, an increased level of serotonin is released. Serotonin is naturally known to promote a good night’s sleep.
- Diabetes: Massage sessions help to restore the proper use of insulin to the body, and also help to reduce inflammation.
- Arthritis: A tailored massage that applies minimal pressure to the joints helps to relieve arthritis pain. It helps to increase blood flow to the joints, and with increased circulation, increased mobility and flexibility are achieved.
- Headaches: Massage is a great way to relax the body. This results in less migraine and tension headaches. Neck, shoulder, and head massages help to decrease the pain caused by pain and tension headaches and assist in reducing the number of headaches one incurs monthly.
- Flexibility: With massage, the natural lubricants of the body are produced at a higher level, keeping flexibility at its best. Muscles, tissues, tendons, and joints are all focused on, allowing for a better range of motion.
- ADHD: Those that suffer with ADHD have found that they are more content when incorporating routine massages into their weekly routines. They appear more on task and less squirmy!
- Chronic Pain: Those with chronic pain typically find that massage therapy sessions help to improve their quality of life. They experience less pain and appear to be more relaxed overall. Side effects of stiffness, injuries, and chronic health conditions can all be addressed by seeing a massage professional.
Overall, massage is becoming increasingly popular to treat a wide array of conditions. There are so many conditions that can be treated with massage, instead of medications with a long slew of side effects. There are no side effects to massage, except a feeling of relief!
