Benefits of Massage
What exactly are the benefits of
receiving massage or bodywork treatments? Useful for all
of the conditions listed below and more, massage can:
- Alleviate low-back
pain and improve range of motion.
- Assist with shorter, easier
labor for expectant mothers and
shorten maternity hospital stays.
- Ease medication dependence.
- Enhance immunity
by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense
system.
- Exercise and stretch
weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
- Help athletes
of any level prepare for, and recover from,
strenuous workouts.
- Improve the condition of the
body’s largest organ—the skin.
- Increase joint
flexibility.
- Lessen depression and
anxiety.
- Promote tissue regeneration,
reducing scar tissue and stretch marks.
- Pump oxygen and nutrients into
tissues and vital organs, improving
circulation.
- Reduce postsurgery
adhesions and swelling.
- Reduce spasms and
cramping.
- Relax and soften injured,
tired, and overused muscles.
- Release endorphins—amino acids
that work as the body’s natural painkiller.
- Relieve
migraine pain.
A Powerful Ally
There’s no denying the power of bodywork. Regardless of
the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating,
therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious
treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy
can be a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen.
Experts estimate that upwards of ninety percent of
disease is stress related. And perhaps nothing ages us
faster, internally and externally, than high stress.
While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in
this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can,
without a doubt, help manage stress. This translates
into:
- Decreased anxiety.
- Enhanced sleep quality.
- Greater energy.
- Improved concentration.
- Increased circulation.
- Reduced fatigue.
Furthermore, clients often report a
sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a
massage. The emotional balance bodywork provides can
often be just as vital and valuable as the more tangible
physical benefits.
Profound Effects
In response to massage, specific physiological and
chemical changes cascade throughout the body, with
profound effects. Research shows that with massage:
- Arthritis sufferers note fewer
aches and less stiffness and pain.
- Asthmatic children show better
pulmonary function and increased peak air flow.
- Burn injury patients report
reduced pain, itching, and anxiety.
- High blood pressure patients
demonstrate lower diastolic blood pressure, anxiety,
and stress hormones.
- Premenstrual syndrome
sufferers have decreased water retention and
cramping.
- Preterm infants have improved
weight gain.
Research continues to show the
enormous benefits of touch—which range from treating
chronic diseases, neurological disorders, and injuries,
to alleviating the tensions of modern lifestyles.
Consequently, the medical community is actively
embracing bodywork, and massage is becoming an integral
part of hospice care and neonatal intensive care units.
Many hospitals are also incorporating on-site massage
practitioners and even spas to treat postsurgery or pain
patients as part of the recovery process.
Increase the Benefits with Frequent Visits
Getting a massage can do you a world of good. And
getting massage frequently can do even more. This is the
beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of
regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in
how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain
with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for
bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment
in your health. And remember: just because massage feels
like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less
therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary
piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with
your practitioner to establish a treatment schedule that
best meets your needs.
