Massage involves pressing, rubbing or manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is commonly used to reduce stress and pain. It is also being increasingly offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.
Massage stimulates the body’s natural relaxation response, which decreases heart and breathing rates, lowers blood pressure and relaxes muscles. Visit their Website for more details.
Stress is a normal part of life, but excessive levels of it can lead to serious health problems. Regular therapeutic massages can help lower stress, improve mood, increase relaxation, boost energy and alertness, decrease pain and muscle tension and promote general wellness.
Massage therapy stimulates the body’s natural release of happiness-inducing hormones and reduces stress and anxiety by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system. Studies have shown that even a 10-minute massage can boost the levels of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, decrease cortisol, and increase tissue elasticity.
In addition to these physical benefits, a therapeutic massage can also foster emotional healing. People often feel cared for and supported during massage, which can lead to feelings of euphoria and happiness. The sense of caring and support can also help with communication in some settings, such as with children with profound disabilities, where touch may be the only means of communication.
During a massage, the body releases oxytocin and serotonin into the bloodstream, which cause an immediate feeling of well-being. They also help to reduce the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that causes depression and anxiety. Cortisol inhibits the brain’s use of glucose and curbs functions that are nonessential in a fight-or-flight situation, which can contribute to stress. During a massage, cortisol levels are decreased and oxytocin and serotonin are increased, which can help to alleviate stress.
Another way that massage relieves stress is by decreasing heart rate and lowering blood pressure. This is a result of the relaxation of the muscles and the overall stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Additionally, massage increases the circulation of blood throughout the body and helps to eliminate waste products.
In addition to decreasing the heart rate and reducing blood pressure, massage increases the temperature of the skin, which relaxes the muscles and promotes general wellness. A study published in the journal Scientific Reports found that just ten minutes of therapeutic massage significantly increased psychological and physiological relaxation compared to rest. Including massage as part of your health regimen can help you feel, look and be healthier far into the future.
Reduces Anxiety
A massage stimulates the autonomic nervous system encouraging the release of positive hormones like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are responsible for reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Moreover, they reduce the level of negative hormone cortisol in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that increases the “fight or flight” response and suppresses the immune system.
A study published in the “Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” suggests that massage can increase serotonin levels which is known to help with depression, phobias and anxiety. This is because when there is an increased level of serotonin, it helps to decrease the stress hormone cortisol. In addition, an article published in the “Prog Cardiovasc Nurs” suggests that massage can decrease anxiety for those awaiting invasive cardiovascular procedures.
Massage can also increase the feeling of connection between patients and their healthcare practitioners. For example, a study on the effect of massage on HIV/AIDS patients and their quality of life found that people who received massage reported less depression and anxiety than those who did not receive a massage. It is thought that this is due to the fact that those who received a massage felt cared for, and this can lead to improved communication between patients and their caregivers.
Another study found that massage can help with anxiety in those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is characterized by unfocused worries that can interfere with daily functioning and is twice as common in women as men. The study found that massage significantly reduced GAD in the participants, and the benefits were maintained at follow-up.
Unlike some studies that have compared massage to medication, this one used an experimental design and randomized the participants into two groups. One group received a 10 massage sessions and the other did not. Both groups were evaluated on their anxiety levels using a visual analogue scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results showed that both the hand massage and hand holding group and the control group experienced a significant decrease in their anxiety levels compared to premassage measurements. However, the hand holding group had an even greater reduction in anxiety.
Relieves Pain
Massage relieves pain by triggering the release of chemicals called endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. Additionally, if you have a muscle or joint injury, massage may stimulate the release of cytokines, which are molecules that reduce inflammation and swelling in the injured area.
Studies have found that massage increases a person’s range of motion in the joints, decreases muscle tightness and tenderness and improves overall mobility. Many people with chronic conditions, such as arthritis, find that regular massage helps to ease the symptoms of their condition and may even prevent flare-ups.
If you have a chronic pain disorder, talk with your doctor before getting a massage. You will need to provide a medical history and your health care provider may want to do an examination before recommending massage therapy. In addition, it is important to communicate with your health care provider about any discomfort or pain you feel during and after a massage.
Therapeutic massages are designed to release deep layers of muscle and connective tissue using slow, firm strokes. These techniques include kneading, stretching and cupping. Depending on your needs and the type of massage you choose, your therapist will use different amounts of pressure. Some massages, such as deep tissue, may be slightly uncomfortable, but the therapist will adjust the pressure and technique to your comfort level.
Tight muscles can result from increased stress, comorbid health conditions or just everyday wear and tear on the body. These tight muscles can increase pain, restrict your range of motion and cause other health problems. Massage reduces pain and stiffness by increasing blood flow to the tissues, which carries oxygen and nutrients and flushes waste products.
Massage can also reduce the level of a neurotransmitter called ‘substance P’, which sends messages along pathways in the nervous system including those that are sensitive to pain and inflammation. By reducing the levels of this chemical, massage can diminish pain and decrease inflammation.
Massage can also be used to help manage a variety of health conditions, such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. In one study, patients with knee osteoarthritis who received weekly massages showed improved range of motion and decreased pain compared to a control group that did not receive massage.
Promotes Healing
Massage increases the circulation of blood and lymph. This enables oxygen and nutrients to flow to damaged muscles, tissue and organs and removes waste products, improving the function of tissues and cells. Massage also decreases swelling and promotes the removal of scar tissue.
In one study, patients with chronic fibromyalgia experienced improved sleep, cognition and mood following five weeks of weekly massage treatments. Massage may also be beneficial for people living with cancer or other illness. According to a report in Integrative Cancer Therapies, massage can alleviate the physical and emotional stress of cancer pain, as well as the fatigue associated with it. Massage can stimulate the release of feel-good hormones, such as oxytocin and serotonin, which are known to boost immunity and reduce depression.
The type of massage you receive, and the way it is applied, can have a big impact on its effectiveness. Research shows that deep tissue massage is the most effective for relieving chronic back pain. This type of massage involves rubbing or kneading the body’s soft tissues, which are made up of muscle, skin, connective tissue and other fibrous tissues. Massage can be applied with hands, fingers, elbows, forearms, knees or feet or by using a massage table.
One theory for how massage relieves pain is that it interrupts the body’s pain loop. Another is that it stimulates the nervous system. Pain signals travel on small-diameter nerve fibers, but massage can stimulate larger, more receptive nerves. This causes a “muffling” of pain messages, and the brain begins to interpret pain signals differently.
In addition, massage may increase the production of antioxidants in the blood, which can protect tissues from damage and reduce inflammation. It may also improve the immune system by reducing levels of inflammatory proteins called cytokines in treated muscles. Studies indicate that massage can help the immune system clear injured muscle tissue faster, which may help speed up the healing process. Massage also increases the elasticity of muscles, which allows them to move more easily and reduce strains on joints. This can also help prevent future injuries.