| The Benefits of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork |
Regular Massage Therapy by a well trained professional promotes
health and wellness in all aspects of life. For addressing specific health concerns, &
maintaining good health, Massage Therapy has MANY physical, mental, & emotional
benefits. Only a few are discussed here:
maintaining good health, Massage Therapy has MANY physical, mental, & emotional
benefits. Only a few are discussed here:
• Reduces the
chemical &
emotional effects of
mental & physical
stress
• Calms the nervous
system
• Encourages general
relaxation
• Improves sleep
patterns & can help
to relieve insomnia
relieve insomnia
• Reduces anxiety
levels & depression
• Restores a calm
mind
• Fosters a deep
sense of well-being
chemical &
emotional effects of
mental & physical
stress
• Calms the nervous
system
• Encourages general
relaxation
• Improves sleep
patterns & can help
to relieve insomnia
relieve insomnia
• Reduces anxiety
levels & depression
• Restores a calm
mind
• Fosters a deep
sense of well-being
Stress Relief & Relaxation:
With the ever increasing stress in today’s hectic lifestyles our
bodies & minds suffer. Managing your stress with massage can
reduce stress related disorders such as depression, anxiety,
muscular pain, chronic aches, persistent viral & bacterial
infections, headaches, & insomnia. Massage helps to reverse
damaging physiological effects & improves overall health by
inducing a relaxation response; increasing circulation, helping
tight muscle become more flexible & pliable; calming the nervous
system; promoting deeper, more relaxed sleep & breathing; &
restoring the balance between body & mind.
Massage offers the opportunity to simply "let go" & enjoy the
pleasure of relaxing deeply & feeling good! Acceptance of
nurturing & caring touch increases calmness. Massage therapy
can also provide release of emotional blocks enabling you to
better cope with day to day situations improving your ability to
monitor stress signals & respond appropriately. Massage can help
you focus, & clear your mind, enhancing your capacity for calm
thinking & creativity. Massage induces a relaxed state of mental
alertness which stimulates healing on a deeper level within the
body. Massage can help relieve mental fatigue, leading to
renewed energy, ambition, & a renewed sense of confidence.
Massage can help raise self esteem & enhance psychological well
being.
Increased Blood & Lymph Circulation:
Massage acts as a “mechanical cleanser”, stimulating lymphatic
fluid flow, the body's natural defense system, to help with the
elimination of wastes & toxic debris that builds up in the body.
Massage dilates the blood vessels & increases the number of red
& white blood cells, improving blood circulation & helping to
reduce blood pressure.
Increased circulation allows the body to pump more oxygen &
nutrients into muscles, tissues, joints, & vital organs, including the
skin (improving skin’s condition & texture).
Aging is largely a process of dehydration. The less water in the
body, the more quickly we age. As we dehydrate, our cells begin
to shrink and as our muscles become smaller, our skin begins to
wrinkle. Drinking lots of water and having regular massage is a
great way to get rid of wrinkles.
Increased blood supply reduces muscle aches & chronic pain; &
improves flexibility & range of motion.
Improved Posture:
Our bodies & posture are held in balance by the muscular system.
In order for you to stand still there are various muscles throughout
the body constantly tightening & slackening to maintain the
stillness that you desire. If one or more of your muscles becomes
too tight or slack then your posture will be thrown out of alignment
& your body will deliberately put other muscles out of their normal
state of tone to compensate. If this is not corrected it will, over a
period of time, be accepted by your body & you will have a
permanent imbalance. You will become accustomed to this & quite
probably will not notice that you have a dysfunction until you try
to do something which requires a normal full range of movement.
This is where massage therapy comes into its own, for if the
muscles being worked are too tight they will be relaxed &
stretched. However, if they are too slack then they will be toned &
tightened. If a joint is too tight causing stiffness then it will be
released, or if too slack, then it will be tightened, or rather the
surrounding tissue that holds it in its proper alignment will be
adjusted.
Pain Relief & Accelerated Healing:
Massage stimulates lymph circulation, strengthening the immune
system. It can also help to reduce swelling caused by injury, &
help to stabilize the muscles surrounding tendons & ligaments.
Massage provides pain relief by sedating nerve impulses &
stimulating the production of endorphins, the body's natural pain
killers (used in chronic illness, injury, & recovery from surgery to
control & relieve pain). Massage helps to relieve pain from
migraines, as well as eye strain & tension related headaches.
Massage accelerates recovery from muscle fatigue through the
removal of metabolic wastes, increases nutrient supplies to the
muscles, & helps release chronic muscular tension. Although,
massage therapy does not increase muscle strength, it can
stimulate weak, inactive muscles. By providing circulation &
stretching for atrophied muscles (reducing the shortening of
muscles), massage can partially compensate for the lack of
exercise & inactivity resulting from illness, injury, restricted range
of motion, or a sedentary lifestyle. Massage reduces post surgery
adhesions & edema, & can be used to reduce & realign scar
tissue after healing has occurred.
Body Awareness:
Mind & body have a reciprocal relationship. There can be effects
in which the conditions of the body affect the mind & emotions.
Likewise, there can be effects in which psychological or emotional
conditions affect the body. Change in one domain may cause
change in the other. A habit or fixed pattern in one may also
impede change in the other & require special attention. Our
attitudes, behaviors, & beliefs have a direct effect on bodies. Our
actions, habits, & postures have a direct effect on our minds.
Massage Therapy & Bodywork offers an opportunity for you to
develop mindful awareness of your body. One of the reasons that
we don’t notice chronic conditions, injuries or illnesses,
developing in our bodies is that we do not tune in & listen to our
bodies on a regular basis. We listen mostly to our minds. Our
bodies are always giving us signals about what they like & don’t
like about what is going on inside. Your body registers stress long
before the conscious mind. The ability to recognize how your
body & mind react to physical & emotional stressors in your life
can be a powerful skill. The more we learn how to listen &
interpret, the more we naturally do what is healthy for us.
Enhanced Physical Conditioning & Athletic Performance:
Massage helps to prepare for strenuous workouts, & eliminates
subsequent pains of the athlete at any level. Pre-event:
stimulates the body & mind. Post-event: increases muscle
recovery rate. During training: maintains nutrition & vitality of
muscle tissue, promoting greater endurance, vitality flexibility, &
helping to preventing injury. Massage reduces recovery time &
leads to a more complete recovery from training or injury.
Pre-event: stimulates the body & mind. Post-event: increases
muscle recovery rate. During training: maintains nutrition & vitality
of muscle tissue, promoting greater endurance, flexibility, &
helping to preventing injury. Massage reduces recovery time &
leads to a more complete recovery from training or injury.
Childrens' & Young Adults' Health & Wellness:
Good Posture
Pain Relief & Prevention (Headaches, Muscle Pain; Now and later)
Healthy, Injury Free participation in Sports, gymnastics and Dance.
Stress Reduction
Emotional stability
Strengthened immunity
Body Awareness
Self-Confidence
Self-esteem.
NOTE: "Unexplained thigh and knee pain in children, even in infants, is more
frequently due to quadricepts femoris TrPs (trigger points) than is generally
realized. These youngsters with thigh and knee pain should be examined for
TrPs. " (Travell 6 Simons, Myofascial Pain & dysfunction: The Trigger Point
Manual, vol, 11.)
With the ever increasing stress in today’s hectic lifestyles our
bodies & minds suffer. Managing your stress with massage can
reduce stress related disorders such as depression, anxiety,
muscular pain, chronic aches, persistent viral & bacterial
infections, headaches, & insomnia. Massage helps to reverse
damaging physiological effects & improves overall health by
inducing a relaxation response; increasing circulation, helping
tight muscle become more flexible & pliable; calming the nervous
system; promoting deeper, more relaxed sleep & breathing; &
restoring the balance between body & mind.
Massage offers the opportunity to simply "let go" & enjoy the
pleasure of relaxing deeply & feeling good! Acceptance of
nurturing & caring touch increases calmness. Massage therapy
can also provide release of emotional blocks enabling you to
better cope with day to day situations improving your ability to
monitor stress signals & respond appropriately. Massage can help
you focus, & clear your mind, enhancing your capacity for calm
thinking & creativity. Massage induces a relaxed state of mental
alertness which stimulates healing on a deeper level within the
body. Massage can help relieve mental fatigue, leading to
renewed energy, ambition, & a renewed sense of confidence.
Massage can help raise self esteem & enhance psychological well
being.
Increased Blood & Lymph Circulation:
Massage acts as a “mechanical cleanser”, stimulating lymphatic
fluid flow, the body's natural defense system, to help with the
elimination of wastes & toxic debris that builds up in the body.
Massage dilates the blood vessels & increases the number of red
& white blood cells, improving blood circulation & helping to
reduce blood pressure.
Increased circulation allows the body to pump more oxygen &
nutrients into muscles, tissues, joints, & vital organs, including the
skin (improving skin’s condition & texture).
Aging is largely a process of dehydration. The less water in the
body, the more quickly we age. As we dehydrate, our cells begin
to shrink and as our muscles become smaller, our skin begins to
wrinkle. Drinking lots of water and having regular massage is a
great way to get rid of wrinkles.
Increased blood supply reduces muscle aches & chronic pain; &
improves flexibility & range of motion.
Improved Posture:
Our bodies & posture are held in balance by the muscular system.
In order for you to stand still there are various muscles throughout
the body constantly tightening & slackening to maintain the
stillness that you desire. If one or more of your muscles becomes
too tight or slack then your posture will be thrown out of alignment
& your body will deliberately put other muscles out of their normal
state of tone to compensate. If this is not corrected it will, over a
period of time, be accepted by your body & you will have a
permanent imbalance. You will become accustomed to this & quite
probably will not notice that you have a dysfunction until you try
to do something which requires a normal full range of movement.
This is where massage therapy comes into its own, for if the
muscles being worked are too tight they will be relaxed &
stretched. However, if they are too slack then they will be toned &
tightened. If a joint is too tight causing stiffness then it will be
released, or if too slack, then it will be tightened, or rather the
surrounding tissue that holds it in its proper alignment will be
adjusted.
Pain Relief & Accelerated Healing:
Massage stimulates lymph circulation, strengthening the immune
system. It can also help to reduce swelling caused by injury, &
help to stabilize the muscles surrounding tendons & ligaments.
Massage provides pain relief by sedating nerve impulses &
stimulating the production of endorphins, the body's natural pain
killers (used in chronic illness, injury, & recovery from surgery to
control & relieve pain). Massage helps to relieve pain from
migraines, as well as eye strain & tension related headaches.
Massage accelerates recovery from muscle fatigue through the
removal of metabolic wastes, increases nutrient supplies to the
muscles, & helps release chronic muscular tension. Although,
massage therapy does not increase muscle strength, it can
stimulate weak, inactive muscles. By providing circulation &
stretching for atrophied muscles (reducing the shortening of
muscles), massage can partially compensate for the lack of
exercise & inactivity resulting from illness, injury, restricted range
of motion, or a sedentary lifestyle. Massage reduces post surgery
adhesions & edema, & can be used to reduce & realign scar
tissue after healing has occurred.
Body Awareness:
Mind & body have a reciprocal relationship. There can be effects
in which the conditions of the body affect the mind & emotions.
Likewise, there can be effects in which psychological or emotional
conditions affect the body. Change in one domain may cause
change in the other. A habit or fixed pattern in one may also
impede change in the other & require special attention. Our
attitudes, behaviors, & beliefs have a direct effect on bodies. Our
actions, habits, & postures have a direct effect on our minds.
Massage Therapy & Bodywork offers an opportunity for you to
develop mindful awareness of your body. One of the reasons that
we don’t notice chronic conditions, injuries or illnesses,
developing in our bodies is that we do not tune in & listen to our
bodies on a regular basis. We listen mostly to our minds. Our
bodies are always giving us signals about what they like & don’t
like about what is going on inside. Your body registers stress long
before the conscious mind. The ability to recognize how your
body & mind react to physical & emotional stressors in your life
can be a powerful skill. The more we learn how to listen &
interpret, the more we naturally do what is healthy for us.
Enhanced Physical Conditioning & Athletic Performance:
Massage helps to prepare for strenuous workouts, & eliminates
subsequent pains of the athlete at any level. Pre-event:
stimulates the body & mind. Post-event: increases muscle
recovery rate. During training: maintains nutrition & vitality of
muscle tissue, promoting greater endurance, vitality flexibility, &
helping to preventing injury. Massage reduces recovery time &
leads to a more complete recovery from training or injury.
Pre-event: stimulates the body & mind. Post-event: increases
muscle recovery rate. During training: maintains nutrition & vitality
of muscle tissue, promoting greater endurance, flexibility, &
helping to preventing injury. Massage reduces recovery time &
leads to a more complete recovery from training or injury.
Childrens' & Young Adults' Health & Wellness:
Good Posture
Pain Relief & Prevention (Headaches, Muscle Pain; Now and later)
Healthy, Injury Free participation in Sports, gymnastics and Dance.
Stress Reduction
Emotional stability
Strengthened immunity
Body Awareness
Self-Confidence
Self-esteem.
NOTE: "Unexplained thigh and knee pain in children, even in infants, is more
frequently due to quadricepts femoris TrPs (trigger points) than is generally
realized. These youngsters with thigh and knee pain should be examined for
TrPs. " (Travell 6 Simons, Myofascial Pain & dysfunction: The Trigger Point
Manual, vol, 11.)
• Strengthens the
immune system
• Promotes well
nourished & healthy,
vibrant skin
• Helps to slow the
aging process
• Enhances the
body's natural ability
to detoxify itself
• Aids the digestive
system
immune system
• Promotes well
nourished & healthy,
vibrant skin
• Helps to slow the
aging process
• Enhances the
body's natural ability
to detoxify itself
• Aids the digestive
system
• Helps stabilize the
spine & improve
posture
• Improves joint
mobility & stability
• enhances tissue
elasticity promoting
greater flexibility
• Relaxes tense, tight
muscles
spine & improve
posture
• Improves joint
mobility & stability
• enhances tissue
elasticity promoting
greater flexibility
• Relaxes tense, tight
muscles
• Relieves
headaches, including
migraines & eye
strain
• Relieves muscle
aches, fatigue,
stiffness, & chronic
pain
• Speeds recovery
from strenuous
physical exertion &
injury
• Improves areas of
strains, sprains,
fibrosis, spasms, &
scar tissues
• Stimulates weak,
inactive muscles
• Helps reduce
edema
headaches, including
migraines & eye
strain
• Relieves muscle
aches, fatigue,
stiffness, & chronic
pain
• Speeds recovery
from strenuous
physical exertion &
injury
• Improves areas of
strains, sprains,
fibrosis, spasms, &
scar tissues
• Stimulates weak,
inactive muscles
• Helps reduce
edema
• Improves body
awareness
• Promotes a more
positive self image
awareness
• Promotes a more
positive self image
• With proper diet &
exercise, massage
helps to restore the
contour of the body
by reducing fat
deposits.
• Allows athletes to
train at a higher
level & decreases
the chance of injury
exercise, massage
helps to restore the
contour of the body
by reducing fat
deposits.
• Allows athletes to
train at a higher
level & decreases
the chance of injury
Research Findings On Massage Therapy
The Touch Research Institutes, based at the Medical School at the University of Miami, have
conducted over 90 studies on the positive effects of massage therapy on many functions
and medical conditions in varied age groups. Among the significant research findings are
enhanced growth (e.g. in preterm infants), diminished pain (e.g. fibromyalgia), decreased
autoimmune problems (e.g., increased pulmonary function in asthma and decreased
glucose levels in diabetes), enhanced immune function (e.g., increased natural killer cells in
HIV and cancer), and enhanced alertness and performance (e.g., EEG pattern of alertness
and better performance on math computations). Many of these effects appear to be
mediated by decreased stress hormones.
For More Information please visit: The Touch Research Institute
The Touch Research Institutes, based at the Medical School at the University of Miami, have
conducted over 90 studies on the positive effects of massage therapy on many functions
and medical conditions in varied age groups. Among the significant research findings are
enhanced growth (e.g. in preterm infants), diminished pain (e.g. fibromyalgia), decreased
autoimmune problems (e.g., increased pulmonary function in asthma and decreased
glucose levels in diabetes), enhanced immune function (e.g., increased natural killer cells in
HIV and cancer), and enhanced alertness and performance (e.g., EEG pattern of alertness
and better performance on math computations). Many of these effects appear to be
mediated by decreased stress hormones.
For More Information please visit: The Touch Research Institute
Information
Away Therapeutic Body Care
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| “The physician must be experienced in many things, but most assuredly in rubbing” ~Hippocrates |
| " What I find myself thinking more often than anything while working on adults with pain problems is, "If only I had gotten to you twenty, thirty, forty years ago, I might have saved you this pain". And more than one patient has said, 'if only I had done this as a child.'" ~James H. Clay Clinical Massage Therapist & Author |
| The mind, which before massage is in a perturbed, restless, vacillating and, even despondent state, becomes after massage, calm, quiet, peaceful and subdued; in fact, the wearied and worried mind has been converted into a mind restful, placid, and refreshed. ~ Dr Stretch Dowse, Eminent Victorian Physician, 1887 |