Do you like a good massage? Like everyone else I’m sure no one would turn down a massage if you were tired enough and needed one. Massages are no longer out of reach for ordinary folks and you don’t have to go to a luxury spa or upscale health club to get one either. They are available almost everywhere now: businesses, hospitals, clinics, and even airports have then now.
Massage is a general term referring to the rubbing, pressing, and manipulation of skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. There are a variety of massages including: Swedish massage, deep massage, sports massage, trigger point massage, and many others.
Swedish massage – uses a variety of five strokes which include: sliding or gliding movements, kneading, rhythmic tapping, friction, and vibration/shaking. Swedish massages have been shown to be effective in reducing join stiffness, and improving function in patients with osteoarthritis.
Sports massage – these are more often known as manual therapy or manipulative therapy. These are a physical treatment used on neuromusculoskeletal system in order to treat pain and disability. It often employs the use of joint mobilization and manipulation.
Trigger point massage – involves deactivating trigger points that may cause local pain such as headaches. Manual pressure, vibration, or other treatment is applied to these points in order to relive pain.
Studies have found that massages can help with a variety of ailments and is considered a part of alternative medicine. It is increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. Those studies have shown that massages may be helpful for the following: anxiety, digestive disorders, fibromyalgia, headches, insomnia due to stress, myofascial pain syndrome, paresthesias and nerve pain, soft tissue strains or injuries, sports injuries, Temporomandibular joint paint and many more.
A ten minute massage can be enough to lower your blood pressure and slow down your heart rate. It has been reported to also increase mental performance as well. Massage therapy also lowers cortisol, which is a hormone that is produced in response to stress, by a shocking 31%.
So next time you want to get a massage, get one because it has a variety of health benefits. Feeling good is only a side effect.