Thursday, June 28, 2007

The Miracle of Therapeutic Massage

When muscles ache and backs give out, there are many different approaches towards healing and treatment that doctors may recommend. But, you really don not need a physician to tell you that massage is a beneficial course of action to aid in a multitude of ailments, conditions and diseases.

Throughout the years and across numerous cultures, therapeutic massage has been highly regarded as a positive aid in the maintenance and achievement of better health. Although a wide range of options are available to choose from, there are various techniques and methods that will provide the best results on an individual basis.

When receiving a massage from a well-trained professional, you will encounter a set of hands that have been molded into sturdy tools of health. It is the job of the massager to promote the wellness of a client. The healing properties of a therapeutic massage are undeniable. Offering relief from a variety of ailments, from poor circulation to a muscle tear, it can be found in spas, resorts, rehabilitation clinics and doctor offices. It is such a popular form of stress relief and healing that many people offer therapeutic massage in private settings, such as sessions given in the home.

Why Therapeutic Massage?
One of the main reasons a client may seek out massage is to achieve relief from a pain in a specific part of the body or to eliminate the effects of something causing discomfort in the body. But, there are many different benefits that a client may receive from having a massage. Therapeutic massage increases the range of motion associated with various joints, as well as speeds up the recovery time from overexertion in physical activity.

Have trouble sleeping? Massage can help. Slumping too much? Therapeutic massage improves posture. Suffer from high blood pressure? This type of massage has been known to reduce high blood pressure levels. Have a big test or job interview coming up? Massage can improve concentration and help people to focus better. Overall, therapeutic massage encourages and promotes an increased feeling of wellness and calm.

Massage Services
When visiting a spa or massage clinic, you will encounter an array of exhilarating options to help ease your tension and relax your muscles. For instance, aromatherapy can be used in therapeutic massage to intensify the stress-reducing properties of the practice. Essential oils are slathered on the skin during the massage, promoting increased detoxification and tension relief. While lying on a table is considered quite a common practice in giving and receiving a massage, there is also a therapeutic massage approach that is given in a chair. While the fully clothed, the client sits in a special massage chair, their shoulders, arms, neck, upper back and head receive attention.

Sometimes, a therapeutic massage uses heated lava rocks to increase circulation, as well as treat joints and tendons. There is even therapeutic massage that provides a wealth of relief to a pregnant woman. Two different kinds of massage exist in this category of relief. Throughout the nine months of pregnancy, there are therapeutic massage techniques that allow a client to relax and get relief from some of the common discomforts associated with this important milestone. The second selection in pregnancy massage helps women when they are experiencing labor. Various techniques and positions are used to provide comfort throughout this trying process.

For those who suffer from chronic muscle tension, a deep tissue massage may be chosen. Slow strokes and increased direct pressure and/or friction characterize this type of massage. The hands run across the grain of the muscles in such a way that promotes enhanced relaxation and tension relief.

Two types of popular massage you may encounter include Swedish and Shiatsu techniques. Swedish massage provides relaxation through a mixture of long, light strokes, coupled with kneading techniques. This type of massage is good for the elimination of toxins, increased circulation, decrease in muscle tension and a noticeable boost in the immune system. Shiatsu massage, which originates from Chinese health treatments, involves the stretching, rubbing, chopping and massaging of the body.

What Else Can Therapeutic Massage Do For Me?
Besides easing the aches and pains associated with tight, swollen and rundown muscles, there are numerous benefits that a client can enjoy. Below is a brief mention of some of the positive results that come from therapeutic massage:

Relieve Stress & Achieve Relaxation: When muscle tissue is transferred from a position of contraction, relaxation is achieved. The movement of blood throughout the body encourages this relaxed state.

Medical Massage: Massage aids in the treatment of a variety of health problems that could slow up daily activities with painful and stressful ailments. It is often used to treat back problems, as well as straighten out kinked nerves. Varicose ulcers, strained bowel movements and muscular atrophy can also be treated with therapeutic massage.

Aid Sports-Related Injuries: Whether you are nursing a healing broken bone or dealing with chronic strains and sprains, therapeutic massage can provide relief. The pain and inflammation attached to these sports-related injuries can be eased with the techniques of this kind of massage. Therapeutic massage not only helps weak or injured body parts, but also makes the healthy ones even stronger.

Treat Disease: When suffering from a serious disease or chronic condition, therapeutic massage, when properly administered, is rather beneficial. This is especially true when it comes to diabetic patients. Not only can diabetic clients achieve relaxation through massage, but it also improves poor circulation that often leads to serious complications with the disease. Massage especially provides much-needed relief to the hands and feet of those suffering from diabetes.

Tone the Body: Whether you are trying to lose weight or working on improving the overall appearance of your physique, you will find that therapeutic massage aids in the quest of a better body. Muscles become more toned and the increase in circulation allows harmful toxins and chemicals to flow away from vital body parts. Improved range-of-motion, as well as increased flexibility is also a welcome outcome associated with therapeutic massage.

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Pleasure Only? Massage Has Much More to Offer

Many people regularly visit massage therapist mainly because they like the heavenly feeling. In fact massage has much more to offer than just pleasure.

Massage therapy is the manipulation of soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing them. The goal of massage therapy is to help the body heal itself and to increase health and well-being.

The direct effect of the massage is to improve circulation and increase the blood flow. This is bringing fresh oxygen to the tissues of the human body and thus improving their health and condition. Massage also helps specific conditions by reducing back pain, increase joint flexibility, exercise and stretch weak, tight muscles, and relieve migraine pain. Future mothers can also benefit from massage therapy as it assist with shorter, easier labor and shorten maternity hospital stays.

Massage therapy is also a great way to fight almost all kinds of psychological discomfort. It helps decrease anxiety, improves sleep, provides more energy and has positive effect on concentration. Since these are mainly stress-related issues it is clear that proper massage therapy can greatly help in fighting stress.

The list with massage therapy benefits can go on and it is obvious it is impossible to mention all here. Nowadays more and more studies prove the enormous benefits of touch which range from treating chronic diseases, neurological disorders, and injuries, to alleviating the tensions of modern lifestyles.

Moreover it is proven that regular massage therapy is even more beneficial to the human body. The effect of regular massage may not be visible right away but the results will show in time. Indeed regular massage treatment needs time and money but this is an investment in health that should not be underestimated.

Massage treatment is offered in all modern SPA centers. if it is combined with aromatherapy the results will be even better. The use of specific essential oils, Dead Sea minerals and other substances can also help to heal specific conditions or to improve the general well being. Do not be worried by the fact that the massage therapy received in a beauty center feels more like pampering than a medical treatment. As long as it is practiced by a professional the effect is the same.

Another option is to schedule massage therapy with a massage therapist. You can as your doctor to recommend you one or ask your friends. The massage therapist will make you a massage treatment plan to suit your needs, your lifestyle and budget.

Keith Londrie II is the and publisher of http://Massage.coffee-info.info A website that specializes in providing tips on Massage that you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://Massage.coffee-info.info now!