Amazing Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage is generally defined as manipulation of soft tissue, whereas massage therapy is the systematic application of massage. Generally, massage therapy has many different uses, extending all the way from healing from serious injuries and illnesses to simply maintaining one’s health and well-being. With a variety of different uses, there are also numerous various techniques and ways to provide massage therapy.

The techniques and methods depend heavily on the root causes and reasons on why someone needs to get a massage. Additionally, different massage techniques also have different outcomes, because they often focus on different areas of the body, different movements and different levels of intensity.

Nevertheless, all types of techniques and methods of massage therapy carry a great amount of benefits. Massage can help you with stress and muscle tensions and help one relax their muscles, elevating any associated pain. Massage therapy can be a great aid to someone who sits behind desks for extended periods of time, strains their muscles on a regular basis, stands behind a counter and does repetitive movements from day to day.

Massage therapy is also extremely helpful in improving sleep and helping with depression and anxiety. By helping you relax and let go of the tension in your body, massages allow your mind to slow down and rest in a calming environment.

Lastly, massage therapy positively affects our stress hormones, reducing levels of cortisol and vasopressin, regulating our blood pressure, bodily functions and improving our blood circulation. All these factors lead to a better immune system and overall health.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to starting massage therapy, whether it is for athletic injury, an illness, stress and anxiety management, or to simply support one’s well-being. Everyone will be able to find the right type of massage and witness the positive changes in their mental and physical health.

References:

Kennedy, Ann B, et al. “Clarifying Definitions for the Massage Therapy Profession: The Results of the Best Practices Symposium.” International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 Sept. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5017817/.

Castellanos, Andrew. “Did You Know? 5 Unique Benefits of Massage Therapy.” Did You Know? 5 Unique Benefits of Massage Therapy: Advanced Health Integrative Functional Medical Center: https://www.sfadvancedhealth.com/blog/5-unique-benefits-of-massage-therapy.

By Alina Myakota