Guest Author: William Hall
Getting a professional massage just might very well be one of the best ways to relax the mind, body and spirit. These days, professional massage therapists are in high demand, and although the occasional massage from one of these highly trained practitioners may cost what the average person considers a good bit of money, it seems well worth it to many. Not only does it make you feel wonderful from head to toe, it also has many health benefits that many people (and you?) are probably unaware of.
The best way to describe what a massage can do for a person’s overall health is explaining how a therapist can manipulate the body’s soft tissues, which means the massage therapist has complete control of a person’s musculature. The most common areas of the body that a therapist focuses on are the back, neck, arms, legs and, at times, even the jaw and head. Massages can help to alleviate the most common types of stress that occurs in the body’s muscles, wherever they are located. Still, simply describing massage methods doesn’t quite answer the question of what massage therapy can do to benefit a person’s overall health.
Reduce Stress, Live Longer
One key benefit to massages is that they help lower high blood pressure. This is important information for someone who might suffer from high blood pressure and the various secondary conditions it causes or contributes to. Massage therapy helps lower a person’s heart rate, which, of course, is directly linked to blood pressure. Since high blood pressure can lead to serious health conditions, like heart attack and strokes, the occasional massage might be a good thing to try as a preventative against such conditions.
Interestingly, massage therapy has been shown to help certain people with certain, specific kinds of mental health conditions. Many psychiatrists will recommend that their patients receive a massage regularly to help alleviate depression symptoms, anxiety and other mental health conditions. The mechanism by which it works is hardly mysterious, but it is amazing for its simple effectiveness and ability to affect all major systems of the human body. Massage clearly relaxes the body, as well as the mind, at the same time, which can stimulate the brain’s production of both endorphins (natural pain killers) and mood-enhancing serotonin.
Set and Setting, Game and Match
The human mind being the powerful creative force that it is, many massage therapists set the mood with candles, music and sometimes by burning incense. In addition to bringing a more soothing atmosphere to the massage, there are some indications that aromatherapy has some testable effects on stress, too. Enhancing the mood, therefore, may be a more powerful technique than even massage professionals now realize.
Massage therapy can bring a wide variety of beneficial elements to a person’s life. Many professional and amateur athletes have been known to use massage therapy, quite often before they play in a game, take to the track or strap on the skis. The massages that pro athletes receive help to relax them before they play, at which time they will exert themselves far beyond the normal demands of life, with more force and potential pain than most people will ever experience. The massage therapist is ready to help relieve their pain after the game is over, too.
Good For One And All
Yet it is not just the athlete who can benefit. Massages can greatly reduce the pain and inflammation associated with such diverse conditions as osteoporosis, asthma, arthritis, diabetes and other inflammatory diseases. Massage therapy is also part of the toolkit for many physical therapists, who understand how important good blood flow is to healing muscles, organs, bones and, ultimately, every cell in the body. The oxygen that the blood takes to the cells is what keeps the various cogs and gears of the human engine running. Massage therapy can help deliver the fuel and sustenance that the body needs by facilitating blood flow and oxygenation.
Clearly there are many beneficial aspects to massage therapy that help to open wide the window of opportunity for people suffering from all different types of ailments. This article mentions only several of the rewards associated with massage therapy, but the benefits all share some things in common as do the methods. All the methods are natural, drug-free, noninvasive, chemical-free (except for simple lotion or oil) and based on the sciences of physiology and anatomy. All benefits are real, not based on mood-altering drugs and can be obtained exactly the same way time after time – you build no resistance as you do to a drug, and you have no side effects except a feeling of wellbeing, and that is one you will never complain about.
In fact, massage therapy has just as much right to say it is “good for every body” as milk does, and there is a simple way you can prove whether or not it’s right for you. There is probably a trained, licensed massage therapist within a short drive from where you are sitting right now. If you’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing a professional massage for yourself, what are you waiting for? Your local massage therapists are waiting for your call today, and are ready to introduce you to the original “natural health care.”
Visit Your Local Health Professionals.com to locate and compare fitness and nutrition professionals in your town. Offering a broad list of massage therapist nj, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and San Francisco.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Massage Therapy- Why it's Good for Your Body and Mind
Guest Author: Lita Stone
It's common to think that massage therapy is just a luxury that people do because it feels good. It's true that it feels wonderful for those achy and sore muscles. But the truth is, massage therapy also has many more wonderful health benefits.
It is true,that the most obvious health benefit of massage therapy is it feels great! When you are in the hands of a good massage therapist, you can feel your body letting go of the tension that was causing discomfort and pain. Its also possible, in the hands of a skilled massage therapist,to feel yourself dropping into a place of deep relaxation of both the body and mind. This state of deep relaxation and stillness can be profound. For some, learning to trust you can let go this deeply, may take a few sessions. Yet once you start to feel yourself deeply letting go, you will be amazed at how wonderful it can feel!
Dropping into this state of relaxation and peace can be, in itself, very healing. The nervous system is brought back into balance. In Chinese medicine, its referred to how the Chi or energy of the body can rebalance itself, bringing about renewed health and well-being. Getting regular massage therapy can do wonders for ones mood, alleviating depression and it's health draining effects.Once you've found a massage therapist that you are comfortable with, just knowing you have that time for your self scheduled will do wonders for how you feel and will have an accumulative effect on you ability to let go of stress.
Here are still more great benefits to getting regular massage:
Massage therapy relieves stress.
It can relieve depression and insomnia.
It improves the circulation of blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the different organs, systems and tissues.
It stimulates the circulation of the lymphatic system- thus helping to release toxins (remember to drink plenty of water after a massage!)
It can help lower blood pressure.
It can relieve tension headaches.
Massage enhances flexibility, mobility and joint range of motion.
It reduces muscle spasms.
It treats muscular-skeletal problems.
It encourages faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments, reduces pain and swelling and reduces formation of excessive scar tissue.
It boosts the immune system.
Massage reduces fatigue (emotional and physical).
It helps with pain management in cases such as arthritis and sciatica.
Taking time out, on a regular basis to let go of stress with massage therapy can have far reaching effects on you overall health. To receive all of the above benefits,try different massage therapists until you find one your comfortable with. Each one will have there own style and feel that they bring to the session. Your body and mind will be happy you did. And the wonderful thing is, it feels great too!
Author Resource: www.Massageclips.com Lita Stone has been practicing as a certified massage therapist for over 20 years. She's currently teaching massage on her Massage Training Videos. Visit her site for her Free Massage Training Video Now!
It's common to think that massage therapy is just a luxury that people do because it feels good. It's true that it feels wonderful for those achy and sore muscles. But the truth is, massage therapy also has many more wonderful health benefits.
It is true,that the most obvious health benefit of massage therapy is it feels great! When you are in the hands of a good massage therapist, you can feel your body letting go of the tension that was causing discomfort and pain. Its also possible, in the hands of a skilled massage therapist,to feel yourself dropping into a place of deep relaxation of both the body and mind. This state of deep relaxation and stillness can be profound. For some, learning to trust you can let go this deeply, may take a few sessions. Yet once you start to feel yourself deeply letting go, you will be amazed at how wonderful it can feel!
Dropping into this state of relaxation and peace can be, in itself, very healing. The nervous system is brought back into balance. In Chinese medicine, its referred to how the Chi or energy of the body can rebalance itself, bringing about renewed health and well-being. Getting regular massage therapy can do wonders for ones mood, alleviating depression and it's health draining effects.Once you've found a massage therapist that you are comfortable with, just knowing you have that time for your self scheduled will do wonders for how you feel and will have an accumulative effect on you ability to let go of stress.
Here are still more great benefits to getting regular massage:
Massage therapy relieves stress.
It can relieve depression and insomnia.
It improves the circulation of blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the different organs, systems and tissues.
It stimulates the circulation of the lymphatic system- thus helping to release toxins (remember to drink plenty of water after a massage!)
It can help lower blood pressure.
It can relieve tension headaches.
Massage enhances flexibility, mobility and joint range of motion.
It reduces muscle spasms.
It treats muscular-skeletal problems.
It encourages faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments, reduces pain and swelling and reduces formation of excessive scar tissue.
It boosts the immune system.
Massage reduces fatigue (emotional and physical).
It helps with pain management in cases such as arthritis and sciatica.
Taking time out, on a regular basis to let go of stress with massage therapy can have far reaching effects on you overall health. To receive all of the above benefits,try different massage therapists until you find one your comfortable with. Each one will have there own style and feel that they bring to the session. Your body and mind will be happy you did. And the wonderful thing is, it feels great too!
Author Resource: www.Massageclips.com Lita Stone has been practicing as a certified massage therapist for over 20 years. She's currently teaching massage on her Massage Training Videos. Visit her site for her Free Massage Training Video Now!
Monday, January 31, 2011
Massage for Healing Before and After Having Surgery
Guest Author: Mary Edison
When your doctor mentions that you need to start preparing for surgery, I will venture a guess that you will not think of massage as one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. Well... you are not alone in this thinking and that is unfortunate because the healing benefits of massage are vast.
Massage therapy is useful for endless conditions including insomnia, muscle pain, anxiety, circulatory problems, and recovery from injury or before and after having surgery.
I agree with Mary that Massage Therapy is very beneficial prior to surgery. I have been providing massage to people prior to all types of surgeries for many years. To schedule your massage therapy session whether pre-surgical or just to relieve stress and pain please call my Massage practice, Massage By Ben at 210-269-3314
When your doctor mentions that you need to start preparing for surgery, I will venture a guess that you will not think of massage as one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself. Well... you are not alone in this thinking and that is unfortunate because the healing benefits of massage are vast.
Massage therapy is useful for endless conditions including insomnia, muscle pain, anxiety, circulatory problems, and recovery from injury or before and after having surgery.
Even self-massage techniques that target reflexology points in the hands and feet, affect the head, neck, sinuses, in addition to many other parts of the body and organs that are beneficially affected. Massage is particularly effective when used as part of preparing for surgery and the recovery from surgery, particularly bone or muscle reconstructive surgery.
Before surgery, massage can relieve much of the anxiety and tension associated with the anticipation of having surgery. Massage helps the patient feel less stressed and lowers the patient's expectations for pain. This lowering of stress promotes a general sense of well-being that enhances the patient's ability to heal quicker and with fewer complications.
After surgery, massage therapy is a great addition to or even a substitute for other pain and recovery treatments, such as pain medication, which can sometimes cause unpleasant side effects. There are several reasons why massage is beneficial after surgery. For one, massage improves the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid throughout the body, allowing for increased oxygenation of the body's tissues and organs and reduction of swelling and stiffness. Additionally, the simple fact that human touch, something we all need and benefit from, is involved in massage therapy and accounts for much of its physical and mental healing qualities.
Listed below are some of the most valuable health benefits and effects of massage as it applies to surgery.
- Helps to reduce edema or fluid accumulation
- Reduces swelling
- Reduces or relieves pain
- Increases flexibility of tissues
- Increases mobility
- Reduces stress and tension
- Increases body awareness
- Promotes relaxation
- Enhances immune functions and improved cell functions
- Lowers the production of the hormone Cortisol (also known as the stress-hormone)
Even though the benefits of massage are immense, there are a couple of main reasons why massage therapy is not widely used or recommended by doctors. One reason is many insurance plans do not cover the cost of massage therapy. Another is because massage is often regarded as an unsophisticated, insufficiently researched treatment.
However, people have benefited greatly from massage before and after having surgery and practitioners of massage therapy endorse it as one of the most effective and pleasant healing modalities available to modern medicine.
With benefits like the ones listed above, you may want to consider incorporating therapeutic massage into your preparing for surgery plans.
I agree with Mary that Massage Therapy is very beneficial prior to surgery. I have been providing massage to people prior to all types of surgeries for many years. To schedule your massage therapy session whether pre-surgical or just to relieve stress and pain please call my Massage practice, Massage By Ben at 210-269-3314
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Health Benefits Of Massage Therapy
Guest Author: Kevin Naulaerts
In an attempt to understand how and why massage therapy is as effective as it seems to be, scientists and medical researchers from around the world have been studying it for decades. Some characteristics of massage therapy have been conclusively resolved with apparent consensus among the learned scholars, while other characteristics remain as inexplicably mysterious as ever. For instance, they all agree that when a certain amount of pressure is applied to a soft tissue such as a muscle, some changes occur within the affected muscles. They also all tend to agree that massage therapy promotes relaxation and reduces the stress which often leads to deterioration or worsening of certain physiological conditions.
Those characteristics of massage therapy which have not yet been explained by conventional science, gave rise to a number of theories and postulates. You will note that they are all prefaced with the word "might" to indicate uncertainty as they described possible health benefits of massage therapy:
- Might provide stimulation that may help block pain signals transmitted to the brain and this is called the "gate control theory" of decreasing or alleviating pain.
* Might promote better health by stimulating the lymphatic system to increase the flow of lymph, which is the secretion that carries disease fighting cells through the body.
* Might re-route the nervous system away from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic. In doing so, the fight-or-flight reaction of the sympathetic nervous system with its increased heart and breathing rates along with tightened muscles of distress are shunned in favor of the rest-and-digest reaction of the parasympathetic nervous system with its lowered heart rate, slowed breathing and relaxed muscles.
* Might be instrumental in effecting beneficial changes in the body by preventing fibrosis through the process of breaking up scar-like tissue
* Might arouse the body to discharge chemicals such as serotonin or endorphins which area known to give people the feelings of wellbeing.
* Might improve sleep patterns which is essential to pain control and healing processes.
* Might contribute to the overall mental and physiological health by the intimate interaction between the client and the therapist.
The following are specific cases and their reported benefits whether they are understood or merely observed with bewilderment:
* Students at a New Jersey Medical School who were given massage therapy before an exam displayed less anxiety, lower respiratory rates, a substantial increase in white blood cells and an enhanced immune system.
* Cancer patients at the James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio experienced less pain and decreased anxiety after receiving massage therapies than those who did not get such treatments.
* Studies at the University of South Carolina show that women who recently lost a child were less depressed after massage therapy.
* The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that massage therapy improved weight gain in infants who were premature or those who were exposed to HIV. They also determined that massage therapy expedites recovery in patients who had abdominal surgery.
* Researchers at the University of the Miami School of Medicine Touch Research Institute discovered that massage therapy decreases high blood pressure, relieves migraine headaches, and generally increases alertness and performance in the workforce.
* Many additional studies confirm that massage therapy reduces heart rates, lowers blood pressure; increases blood circulation and lymph flow; relaxes stiffened and tense muscles while stimulating weak and inactive muscles to compensate for lack of movement due to an illness or an injury; speeds up the healing process after surgeries, disease and injuries; improves the range of vision; increases endorphins; reduces anxiety, tension, depression, pain and itching in burn patients; and Autistic children exhibit calmer and more predictable behavior.
Author Resource:- So, is massage therapy beneficial? Yes! Massage therapy is beneficial on, oh, so many levels. To understand the mechanics of how to massage and to learn stress relief massage, visit stressreliefmassagedvd.com
Of course you can experience the effects of Massage Therapy for yourself at Massage By Ben in San Antonio, Texas. Just call 210-269-3314 for information or appointments.
In an attempt to understand how and why massage therapy is as effective as it seems to be, scientists and medical researchers from around the world have been studying it for decades. Some characteristics of massage therapy have been conclusively resolved with apparent consensus among the learned scholars, while other characteristics remain as inexplicably mysterious as ever. For instance, they all agree that when a certain amount of pressure is applied to a soft tissue such as a muscle, some changes occur within the affected muscles. They also all tend to agree that massage therapy promotes relaxation and reduces the stress which often leads to deterioration or worsening of certain physiological conditions.
Those characteristics of massage therapy which have not yet been explained by conventional science, gave rise to a number of theories and postulates. You will note that they are all prefaced with the word "might" to indicate uncertainty as they described possible health benefits of massage therapy:
- Might provide stimulation that may help block pain signals transmitted to the brain and this is called the "gate control theory" of decreasing or alleviating pain.
* Might promote better health by stimulating the lymphatic system to increase the flow of lymph, which is the secretion that carries disease fighting cells through the body.
* Might re-route the nervous system away from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic. In doing so, the fight-or-flight reaction of the sympathetic nervous system with its increased heart and breathing rates along with tightened muscles of distress are shunned in favor of the rest-and-digest reaction of the parasympathetic nervous system with its lowered heart rate, slowed breathing and relaxed muscles.
* Might be instrumental in effecting beneficial changes in the body by preventing fibrosis through the process of breaking up scar-like tissue
* Might arouse the body to discharge chemicals such as serotonin or endorphins which area known to give people the feelings of wellbeing.
* Might improve sleep patterns which is essential to pain control and healing processes.
* Might contribute to the overall mental and physiological health by the intimate interaction between the client and the therapist.
The following are specific cases and their reported benefits whether they are understood or merely observed with bewilderment:
* Students at a New Jersey Medical School who were given massage therapy before an exam displayed less anxiety, lower respiratory rates, a substantial increase in white blood cells and an enhanced immune system.
* Cancer patients at the James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio experienced less pain and decreased anxiety after receiving massage therapies than those who did not get such treatments.
* Studies at the University of South Carolina show that women who recently lost a child were less depressed after massage therapy.
* The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that massage therapy improved weight gain in infants who were premature or those who were exposed to HIV. They also determined that massage therapy expedites recovery in patients who had abdominal surgery.
* Researchers at the University of the Miami School of Medicine Touch Research Institute discovered that massage therapy decreases high blood pressure, relieves migraine headaches, and generally increases alertness and performance in the workforce.
* Many additional studies confirm that massage therapy reduces heart rates, lowers blood pressure; increases blood circulation and lymph flow; relaxes stiffened and tense muscles while stimulating weak and inactive muscles to compensate for lack of movement due to an illness or an injury; speeds up the healing process after surgeries, disease and injuries; improves the range of vision; increases endorphins; reduces anxiety, tension, depression, pain and itching in burn patients; and Autistic children exhibit calmer and more predictable behavior.
Author Resource:- So, is massage therapy beneficial? Yes! Massage therapy is beneficial on, oh, so many levels. To understand the mechanics of how to massage and to learn stress relief massage, visit stressreliefmassagedvd.com
Of course you can experience the effects of Massage Therapy for yourself at Massage By Ben in San Antonio, Texas. Just call 210-269-3314 for information or appointments.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
What Massage Topic?
I'll have to admit to having a bit of writer's block when it comes to making entries for the San Antonio Massage Blog. I haven't been able to come up with a new topic that you, the reader, might find interesting. Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's just because I'm too close to the subject matter. So, if there's a massage therapy or bodywork related subject you would like to see presented here on the San Antonio Massage Blog, just leave a comment on this entry and I'll take it into consideration. Thanks.
Meanwhile, if you are in the San Antonio, Texas area and need a massage...Call me at Massage By Ben, 269-3314.
Meanwhile, if you are in the San Antonio, Texas area and need a massage...Call me at Massage By Ben, 269-3314.
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