The Benefits of Massage
History & Benefits of Massage
The history of healing touch dates back thousands of years and is evident in many cultures. Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine are both over 5,000 years old and work by balancing the elements within the body through herbs, medicinal foods, and healing touch. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, is known to have described methods and benefits of massage, lending the term "Anatripsis" which means to massage towards the heart.
More recently we have seen a revival in alternative medicine and a merging of modern medicine with alternative and spa therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy. The many benefits of massage are being more and more frequently documented, and we are seeing a greater number of massage-goers who testify to the healing power of touch and especially that of massage therapy.
Massage therapy may be a perfect elixir for good health, as it provides an opportunity for being completely aware and in the moment; an awareness of the connection between body, mind, and spirit. By producing a meditative state or heightened awareness of living in the present moment, massage can provide emotional and spiritual balance, bringing with it true relaxation and peace.
An understanding of how dramatically massage affects the body is gained through experience. One begins to develop a sense of the difference between the client prior to massage and after massage. For me personally I have been surprised time and time again at how different my client appears physically after receiving massage. It is like two different people; the one who arrives and the one who departs. This could be explained in energetic terminology as well as physical. Energetically there is a clearing, balancing, and rejuvenated effect on the aura and energetic field. Thoughts and thought patterns, feelings, and stresses that tend to define our sense of reality are put into perspective and people generally let go of what is no longer serving their highest potential. People tend to be more vibrant at the same time being more grounded.
While it is easy to explain this in intuitive and energetic terms it is also useful to understand how massage is affecting the physical body/mind system. Physiologically speaking massage has a marked and positive effect on all of the body’s systems.
The Benefits of Massage
from Associated Bodywork Magazine
- Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
- Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body's natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
- Increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body's largest organ - the skin.
- Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles
- Reduces spasms and cramping
- Increases joint flexibility.
- Reduces recovery time, helps prepare for strenuous workouts and eliminates subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
- Releases endorphins - the body's natural painkiller - and is being used in chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
- Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred.
- Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain.
- Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication.
- Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
- Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as less need for medication, less depression and anxiety, and shorter hospital stays.
Click Here For Additional Massage Research Articles and Resources
The history of healing touch dates back thousands of years and is evident in many cultures. Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine are both over 5,000 years old and work by balancing the elements within the body through herbs, medicinal foods, and healing touch. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, is known to have described methods and benefits of massage, lending the term "Anatripsis" which means to massage towards the heart.
More recently we have seen a revival in alternative medicine and a merging of modern medicine with alternative and spa therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, and massage therapy. The many benefits of massage are being more and more frequently documented, and we are seeing a greater number of massage-goers who testify to the healing power of touch and especially that of massage therapy.
Massage therapy may be a perfect elixir for good health, as it provides an opportunity for being completely aware and in the moment; an awareness of the connection between body, mind, and spirit. By producing a meditative state or heightened awareness of living in the present moment, massage can provide emotional and spiritual balance, bringing with it true relaxation and peace.
An understanding of how dramatically massage affects the body is gained through experience. One begins to develop a sense of the difference between the client prior to massage and after massage. For me personally I have been surprised time and time again at how different my client appears physically after receiving massage. It is like two different people; the one who arrives and the one who departs. This could be explained in energetic terminology as well as physical. Energetically there is a clearing, balancing, and rejuvenated effect on the aura and energetic field. Thoughts and thought patterns, feelings, and stresses that tend to define our sense of reality are put into perspective and people generally let go of what is no longer serving their highest potential. People tend to be more vibrant at the same time being more grounded.
While it is easy to explain this in intuitive and energetic terms it is also useful to understand how massage is affecting the physical body/mind system. Physiologically speaking massage has a marked and positive effect on all of the body’s systems.
The Benefits of Massage
from Associated Bodywork Magazine
- Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
- Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body's natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
- Increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body's largest organ - the skin.
- Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles
- Reduces spasms and cramping
- Increases joint flexibility.
- Reduces recovery time, helps prepare for strenuous workouts and eliminates subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
- Releases endorphins - the body's natural painkiller - and is being used in chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
- Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred.
- Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain.
- Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication.
- Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
- Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as less need for medication, less depression and anxiety, and shorter hospital stays.
Click Here For Additional Massage Research Articles and Resources