Massage Therapy has always been a natural and instinctive means of relieving pain and discomfort. Just think of the times when your ankles or abdomen hurt and you suddenly began to rub those areas for relief. The art of Massage has been around for many centuries, as far back as 2000 B.C. Massage has been proven not only to reduce aches and pains in muscles and joints but it reduces stress levels and controls emotional healing. Individuals who were living with chronic fatigue and sleep disturbances, reported significant improvement after having massage treatments.

The two most popular massages are the Swedish and, Therapeutic massages which are normally done on a massage table where clients are draped with sheets. The other option would be a seated or chair massage where the client is fully clothed. The intent of a massage is to leave each client feeling more integrated and balanced after each session. Each technique feeds new information into the neuromuscular system and causes areas of tension to be adjusted.

Massage encourages the body through phases involved in rehabilitation, restoration, and normalization of its functions, through the manipulation of soft tissue, muscles, tendons and ligaments. There are many types of massages to treat specific ailments and so it is always advisable to ask for all information when determining a treatment best for you. Treatments may also include external applications of water, heat and cold to establish and maintain good physical condition. Clients receiving a massage treatment should always feel comfortable and safe in the environment provided. Clients should also expect the same confidentiality with the Therapist as with a Physician. Massage therapy does not replace the treatment and care of a Physician, however, it is quite beneficial and rehabilitative.

Next time we will examine closely the effects of massage on various systems of the body.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 15th, 2007 at 9:30 am and is filed under health and beauty. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.