Massage Therapy
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How can Massage Therapy help you?
Massage Therapy is generally considered part of integrative medicine and can be used to support current health issues or to be part of preventative care. This includes sports training, injury prevention, ongoing stress management, relaxation, improving immune function, circulation, energy, and alertness, and more!
The following are some health issues that can benefit from Massage Therapy treatment:
- Anxiety and Depression
- Asthma and Emphysema
- Cancer
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Digestive Disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Insomnia related to stress
- Joint Pain
- Neurological Diseases and Syndromes
- Pregnancy and Labor Support
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Soft Tissue Strains or Injuries
- Sports Injuries
- Stress Management
- Strengthen Mind-Body Connection (Mayo Clinic)
Overview
Massage Therapy treatments provided by a Registered Massage Therapist or another credentialed Massage Therapist can offer significant benefits for a variety of conditions and for a diverse range of people. Massage Therapy is an important part of many people’s regular and ongoing health maintenance plan.
Whether you need to have a moment of relaxation, reduce muscle tension, or attain relief from chronic pain, Massage Therapy can enhance your overall well-being. Massage Therapy can help alleviate musculoskeletal disorders associated with everyday stress, muscular overuse, physical manifestation of mental distress, and many persistent pain syndromes.
Massage therapy can be used as part of a preventative healthcare program as well as treating both acute and chronic conditions. (RMTAO – Registered Massage Therapists’ Association of Ontario)
Massage Therapy consists primarily of hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, specifically, the muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and joints for the purpose of optimizing health.
Massage Therapy treatment has a therapeutic effect on the body and optimizes health and well-being by acting on the muscular, nervous, and circulatory systems. Physical function can be developed, maintained and improved; and physical dysfunction and pain and the effects of stress can be relieved or prevented through the use of Massage Therapy.
Modern Massage techniques can be traced back to the 1700s and the development of Swedish massage, the first systematic method of Therapeutic Massage based on physiology. Today’s Massage Therapists use their knowledge of anatomy and physiology to combine traditional Swedish and modern Massage Therapy techniques with exercise and other therapies to treat their clients. (College of Massage Therapists, Ontario)
Massage is rubbing the soft tissues of the body, such as the muscles. Massage may be helpful in reducing tension and pain, improving blood flow, relieving pressure on nerves, restoring normal joint movement, and encouraging relaxation.
Massage Therapists usually apply pressure with their hands, but they can also use their forearms, elbows, or feet. There are at least eighty different types of massage. Some are gentle, and some are very active and intense.
For example, Swedish Massage is very gentle and is often used to promote relaxation, improve blood flow, and relieve muscle tension. Massage Therapists use long, gliding strokes and kneading and tapping techniques on the top layer of muscles in the direction of blood flow to the heart. This may also include moving the joints gently to improve range of motion.
Deep tissue massage is more active and intense. It is used to treat long-lasting muscle tension. The therapist applies slow strokes (with the fingers, thumbs, and elbows) using intense pressure to reach deeper layers of the muscles than those reached with a Swedish Massage technique.
Trigger Point Massage is less gentle and can sometimes be uncomfortable. The Therapist applies firm pressure to knots or tight, tense muscles that have been overused or injured, continuing until the muscles relax. Let your massage therapist know if you feel any discomfort during the massage.
Some people feel that massage works because the touch is healing. Touch also communicates a sense of caring.
Massage Therapy may include or work well with
Massage Therapy is commonly used to treat
Explore the Research
We believe you should have access to high-quality research to help you make informed health decisions. Below are four trusted databases you can use as tools to expand your healthcare knowledge.
