A massage therapist (also called a masseuse) manipulates the soft tissues of the body with hands, fingers, forearms, and elbows. Massage therapy is a widely recognized form of relaxation and is also being studied for its role in reducing cancer symptoms, such as fatigue and pain.
Licensed massage therapists work in spas, resorts, gyms, medical offices, and private practice. Research indicates that the career is satisfying and rewarding. Visit https://www.flowstate918.com/ to learn more.
Whether your stress comes from a busy lifestyle, an unexpected event or chronic physical pain, therapeutic massage can help. A licensed massage therapist uses various pressures, movements and techniques to manipulate muscles and other soft tissues of the body to induce the relaxation response. This natural state of calm reduces stress and anxiety while promoting healing.
In addition to reducing muscle tension, massage therapy lowers heart rate and blood pressure and increases endorphins — the body’s natural “feel good” chemicals. It also lowers cortisol, the primary stress hormone and increases serotonin, which promotes a positive mood by lowering your risk of depression and facilitating the transmission of signals between nerves and cells.
Many studies have shown that massage significantly decreases physiological measures of stress, such as cortisol and epinephrine levels, as well as heart rate and blood pressure. It can also improve sleep and alleviate symptoms of anxiety, including panic attacks.
It helps to choose a therapist with experience, as they are more likely to understand your unique needs and provide the right type of massage for you. The therapist should create a relaxing environment by using soothing music and aromatherapy scents that encourage relaxation. They should also ensure your privacy by draping the areas of the body not being worked on with a sheet.
The therapist may use different oils or creams to increase the relaxing effect of the massage, which is why it’s important to communicate openly and ask questions if you are not comfortable at any time. A professional will always respect your preferences and prioritize your comfort throughout the session.
After your massage, you should drink plenty of water to flush out toxins that are released during the session and to rehydrate your body. It’s common to feel a bit disoriented and out of it when the session is over (we sometimes refer to it as being “massage drunk”). This is normal, but it should subside within 15 minutes. For optimal results, schedule regular massage sessions to maintain a healthy mind and body. A licensed massage therapist can offer you the best options for maintaining wellness.
Relieves Pain
Massage therapy relieves chronic pain and discomfort caused by stress, comorbid health conditions and deconditioning. It can also reduce pain from conditions such as fibromyalgia, low back pain, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, myofascial pain syndrome and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Massages increase the level of pain-reducing hormones in the body, called endorphins. The release of these hormones blocks the nerve signals that cause pain, reducing symptoms and blocking pain-signaling pathways in the brain. It also stimulates blood flow to the areas that are tense and congested, helping to carry away waste products and deliver oxygen and nutrients for healing.
To help ensure that clients receive the benefits they expect, a good massage therapist will ask questions about pain before a session begins and will continue to assess how the client is doing throughout the process. This understanding helps a massage therapist determine whether a technique is appropriate for a client.
If the client has rheumatoid or other types of arthritis, for example, the therapist will avoid techniques that require strong pressure to joints and may involve moving the limbs into positions that might aggravate them. He or she will also work with a client’s rheumatologist and primary care physician to ensure that massage is safe for them.
When a client is experiencing pain, a massage therapist will use several techniques, including effleurage (gliding or stroking), petrissage (kneading) and friction (rubbing). These movements loosen tight muscles, reduce pain and help to restore normal muscle movement.
A massage can also relieve tense muscles by removing the compression of nerves that occurs when muscles contract. Once the muscles relax, the nerves can assume their normal function of transmitting messages to and from the brain, improving functioning of muscles and organs.
A 2010 study in the International Journal of Neuroscience showed that stimulating pressure receptors – or nerves under the skin that convey pain-reducing signals to the brain – with moderate pressure, such as a massage, reduced pain. The study also showed that a massage improved patients’ perception of their ability to sleep, their overall mood and their need for pain medication.
Prevents Injuries
Massage therapy helps prevent injuries by improving muscle flexibility and circulation, promoting relaxation and overall wellness. Massage has been shown to help reduce inflammation and speed healing time after injuries by removing waste products and increasing oxygen flow to muscles and soft tissues. It has also been shown to decrease lactic acid build-up, which is associated with muscle tightness and soreness. Massage can be a great tool to add to an athlete’s injury prevention plan, especially when combined with proper warm-up and stretching exercises.
Many athletes experience muscle tightness and tension before an event. This tightness and tension restrict movement and make it more likely that an injury will occur during short bursts of activity. Massage can help prevent injury by releasing the muscle tightness and tension, allowing the muscles to increase their range of motion.
In addition, massage can prevent injuries by decreasing pain and reducing the recurrence of injury. Massage can help to decrease pain by interrupting the pathways that send painful messages to the brain. These hyper sensitive signals often result in a heightened feeling of pain compared to the actual damage. Massage can help to decrease the feeling of pain by sending other signals to the brain to displace these painful messages.
Another way that massage can prevent injury is by preventing adhesions to the muscles and connective tissue. Adhesions can cause pain by restricting movement and limiting flexibility. Massage can help to break down these adhesions and improve flexibility by releasing the tightness of the muscles.
While there are contraindications to massage (such as avoiding friction on burns or massage in a limb with deep vein thrombosis), most people can safely receive therapeutic touch from a qualified massage therapist. The most important factor is to communicate with your therapist about any discomfort or pain you are experiencing. They are trained to adjust their techniques to ensure your comfort throughout the entire session.
For athletes, incorporating massage into their regular fitness routine can help them perform at a higher level and support injury prevention efforts. Athletes should communicate with their massage therapists about any specific needs and concerns to create a customized treatment plan. By communicating regularly with their therapists, athletes can be sure that they are receiving the best care possible to stay healthy and safe on the field.
Enhances Sleep
For people who struggle with insomnia and sleep deprivation, the right massage therapy can make all the difference. Studies show that massage enhances sleep by promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, both of which can interfere with the body’s ability to fall asleep. In addition, the improved blood flow resulting from massage can also contribute to better sleep by helping your body distribute oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.
Therapeutic massage stimulates the vagus nerve, which activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system and promotes a sense of calm. It also increases serotonin levels, which boosts the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep/wake cycle and promotes restful sleep. This is why regular therapeutic massage can lead to longer and deeper sleep, even for those who don’t suffer from sleep issues.
Insomnia and sleep deprivation can cause serious health problems, and it’s essential to find ways to improve your sleeping patterns if you’re struggling with them. While the exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, it’s believed that massage reduces stress and anxiety and increases sleep onset, enabling your brain to settle into a calm state for sleep. In addition, if you suffer from chronic pain conditions, the relief you experience from your massage may help break the hyperarousal cycles that are tied to insomnia and chronic sleep issues.
With the fall season approaching, many people are struggling with sleep due to changing weather and increased stress associated with preparing for holidays and returning to work routines. By including regular massage in your wellness regimen, you can get the healthy sleep that you need to feel your best. In fact, adding massage to your bedtime routine is one of the most effective and affordable natural treatments for improving sleep.