The experiential lines between the spa and the clinic are melting as clinics throughout the U.S. embrace the healing power of touch through the benefits of massage therapy.
Conditions That Benefit From Massage Therapy
Beyond the soothing experience and instant stress relief, the Mayo Clinic notes the benefits of massage are being used to provide relief and treatment for a range of conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Digestive disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Insomnia related to stress
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Paresthesias and nerve pain
- Soft tissue strains or injuries
- Sports injuries
- Temporomandibular joint pain
The Mayo Clinic cautions that massage therapy isn’t a replacement for regular medical care. While more research is needed, it’s clear that your entire body benefits from massage. As the DailyMail explains, “every system of your body can either directly benefit or indirectly benefit from massage.”
Why Massage Is Good For Your Health
The skeletal system: Bone is affected indirectly by massage by reducing joint stiffness and pain. Improved circulation brings more oxygen and nutrients to the bones. As the muscles become more flexible and joint movement increases.
The muscular system: Massage movements may relax and stretch muscles, reducing muscular tension and cramp. Massage also makes muscles more flexible by reducing muscle tone. Muscles tired by exercise are more quickly restored by massage than by rest.
The nervous system: Nervous irritability and stress-related conditions such as insomnia and tension headaches receive relief from soothing massage. When used for energetic stimulation, massage relieves lethargy and fatigue.
Circulation system: Massage improves the flow of blood, which helps poor circulation.
Lymphatic system: The lymphatic system is stimulated by gentle massage, which aids the body in the removal of built-up waste products. Additionally, the immune system receives an extra boost as the relaxing benefits of massage relieve stress in the body.
Respiratory system: As you fall into relaxation, respiration may become slower and deeper which means you are using your diaphragm for breathing, requiring less energy. Massage can also address chest congestion with the use of cupping movements over the base of the lungs to provide relief.
Digestive system: Massage aids relaxation which can help increase the movement of food and waste products through the digestive system. Thus creating a balancing effect on the digestive system.
Urinary system: As waste products are released during massage, they find their way to the kidneys where they may be filtered out and eliminated.
Female reproductive system: The relaxing effects of massage can alleviate menstrual problems such as period pains and PMS, as well as menopausal symptoms.
The Healing Power of Touch
As the power of touch is increasingly considered a key component of healing, it’s fun to remember that we all posses the capacity to share it daily. Even the slightest investment in touch can help us do better in our daily routines, as Tiffany Field, PhD, founder of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine explains:
“We know that even a 10-minute chair massage can lower your blood pressure and slow down your heart rate. And your mental performance is enhanced. When we gave people math problems to solve after a massage, they did them twice as fast with half the errors.”
To do our part and in honor of heart awareness, we’re offering a February Special: Three 60-minute massages for $200. Visit us to learn more and schedule an appointment with our amazing team of Licensed Massage Therapists.
Massage can reduce stress, increase production of endorphins, improve blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, and slow heart rate – all benefits that can contribute to heart health!
