Massage, Harmful Or Not!
Why pay to have your back rubbed, is it a waste of money? Or are there real benefits from having a massage. The art of massage is much more than just a back rub. The benefits are very similar regardless of the type of massage given, although certain types of massage are better for sports and muscle injuries.
So what exactly are these benefits? and are they worth paying for? Massage as a health care model is fairly new to the Western world, although has been practiced in many Eastern cultures for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese, to name a few, used massage as part of their healing tradition.
Massage therapy was often prescribed as part of a treatment in traditional medicine. It would have been given with advice on diet, exercise and maybe even medicines that were to be taken internally.
There are many different types of massage therapy used in the West, and new ones are sometimes developed which are then incorporated into use. The art of massage is evolving all of the time, scientists keep finding more and more benefits, and so this therapy has gradually become incorporated into main stream medicine.
Does massage just relax you, or are there greater benefits? Most people will tell you how relaxed they feel after having a massage but the benefits can be far more wide spread throughout the body than that. Each type of massage is unique in its technique the benefits can be very similar although each type brings its own individual way of bringing healing to the body.
It is important to get used to listening to your body, we are all individuals and are changing all of the time. Maybe you have tried massage and thought that it was ok but didn’t find any real benefit, then maybe it was the wrong type of massage for you at the moment.
If you are a fan of meditation then you know how to relax, for most of us relaxation is a big problem. Although our ancestors led stressful lives, their stress was in short bursts and not for the prolonged length of time that we in the modern world live with. Maybe you wake up stressed and go to bed stressed, and spend all of the time inbetween rushing around trying to get things done.
The hectic pace of life that you probably live, where you may feel you must be doing something all the time, will take its toll on you if you do not learn to relax. Mentally and physically feeling exhausted is not how you are meant to lead your life.
Pollution in the air, chemicals in your food and water puts a variety of toxins into your body. Add to that stress, muscle tension and a little exercise, there is no wonder you do not feel 100%. A good massage will address some of these problems, tension will ease, toxins will be excreted out of the body easily and best of all you will be able to relax.
On the physical level a good massage will leave you feeling invigorated, when you have finished your massage you may feel as if you are walking on air.
A good massage will increase the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid through the muscles, assisting in the removal of any accumulated toxins. These toxins can interfere with cells working properly, the toxic load of the body can build up to such high levels that great health is not possible. One of the ways to help the body is to have a massage.
The physical manipulation of muscles can increase mobility and reduce stiffness, especially of the large muscle groups. This additional mobility and toning can help prevent injury, especially if you work out, but only if you use massage therapy as part of your regular training, the odd massage will not help very much.
Many scientific studies confirm that massage therapy can:
Reduce heart rate.
Lower blood pressure (if high).
Increase blood circulation and lymphatic flow.
Stiffened and tense muscles are relaxed, and weak and inactive muscles due to lack of movement when you have an illness or an injury are stimulated.
Endorphins are increased.
There is a reduction in anxiety and tension.
Although this list looks impressive there is still a lot of research needed to find out what else can be helped by massage therapy.
Skilled masseurs marry their massage technique in tune with the healing forces of your body, by doing this there is a restoring of your mind, body and spirit, the body once more is in harmony.
Of course, it is recommended that anyone with any severe condition or chronic pain should consult with a licensed medical professional before embarking on a massage. Also any well trained massage therapist will be able to tell you if it is wise for you to have a massage or not.
