massage therapy techniques(1)
Although massage is increasingly popular in the West, the degree of touch and nakedness involved made it suspect for many years among people who associated it with sexual intimacy and 'massage parlor's.
But the therapeutic benefits of physiotherapy, developed from gymnast Per Henrik Ling's 'Swedish movement treatment' in the early 19th century, gave it respectability.
Far from being considered self-indulgent, massage's soothing effects have encouraged its use in NHS hospices and hospitals, particularly among the elderly, cancer and AIDS patients and those recovering from stroke and heart attacks.
The skin is the body's largest sensory organ and touch is said to be the first of the senses that we experience. In the dermis, or second layer of skin, are thousands of specialised receptors that react to stimulations such as pressure, cold and heat by sending messages to the brain via the nervous system. Brain centers respond by releasing chemicals that affect mood and physiological processes.
Privately, massage therapy is widely available in health and beauty centers and sports clubs. Practitioners will come to your home or workplace for on-site neck and shoulder massage.
What it's supposed to do
Gentle massage induces relaxation and a sense of well-being by stimulating nerve endings in the skin that trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural opiates or 'feelgood' chemicals and inhibiting stress hormones. Stronger massage acts on circulation to supply more oxygen and nutrients to tissues and improve skin tone, and stimulates the lymphatic system which carries away waste products that can cause pain and stiffness in muscles and joints.
Massage can remind stressed people what physical and mental relaxation feels like. It is recommended to relieve pain and anxiety, for stress-related conditions such as insomnia and headaches, muscle and joint disorders such as arthritis and back pain, high blood pressure, digestive disorders such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
How does it work?
Massage is simply the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body - the muscles, tendons and ligaments. A massage therapist's hands are his most important tool through which he not only treats the patient but also detects physical and emotional problems. The massage therapist palpates the patient's body to determine the condition of the tissues and the likely source of any pain, and thus the correct form of remedial treatment.
Massage works through the various body systems in one of two ways, a mechanical action and a reflex action. A mechanical action is created by moving the muscles and soft tissues of the body using pressure and stretching movement, thereby cleansing them of acids and deposits. This mechanical action breaks up fibrous tissue and loosens stiff joints.
A reflex is created when treatment of one part of the body affects another part of the body, much like pressing a light switch on a wall to turn on a light in the center of the room. Just like this electric connection, so too are different parts of the body connected to each other not just by flesh and bone but by nerve pathways, or flows of energy known as 'meridians'. So, by using reflex action, some therapists will treat a patient's stomach complaint by massaging the arms, and will alleviate pain in the legs by massaging the lower back.
What does treatment involve?
Each massage session will last 60-90 minutes, and will take place in a quiet room on a massage table. The patient will lie down undressed and the therapist will cover the parts of the body not being worked on with towels. Therapy will often start with the feet or with light stroking on the back to introduce you to the touch and for relaxation. The therapist will use either oils or talc and will work methodically around the whole body. The number of appointments required will depend upon the seriousness of the health problem.
The massage therapist will treat the patient through four stages of healing - relief, correction, strengthening and maintenance. For relief, the therapist will aim to alleviate any pain by sedating the sensory nerves, stimulating blood flow and reducing muscle tension, possibly by using hot and cold compresses. Secondly, for correction, the therapist will need to alleviate the underlying cause by rebalancing the muscles, clearing away lymph congestion and unknotting any fibers through various techniques of massage.
For strengthening, the weak joints and tissues should undergo continuing treatment to avoid repeated or additional injury. Finally, the massage therapist will recommend a monthly or bi-monthly maintenance program to help keep the tissues and ligaments healthy as ligaments never regain their original strength once they have been damaged.
What's the evidence?
Researchers at the Touch Research Institute, University of Miami, Florida, have found that massage can reduce anxiety and depression, relieve back and muscle pain, lower high blood pressure, ease PMS symptoms, re-invigorate office workers, and increase levels of natural killer cells that boost the immune system. Trials at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, showed massage could reduce anxiety and improve the quality of life in cancer patients.
Precautions
Massage of the abdomen should be avoided in the first three months of pregnancy.
Do not massage bruises, fractures or skin infections.
Consult a doctor before having a massage if you have phlebitis, thrombosis, varicose veins, acute back pain, cancer, a personality disorder, psychotic illness or any undiagnosed pain, lumps or bumps.
Remember that not everybody enjoys massage. Don't continue if you feel uncomfortable.
If you have a serious ailment, avoid massage in a 'health and beauty' context.
Be wary of advertisements with phrases like 'exclusive services' or 'executive massage'.
Research
Massage can improve circulation and aid digestion and has been known to help insomniacs and migraine sufferers.
Relaxation massage has been shown to help reduce blood pressure by as much as 20 points. One nurse who measured a patient's blood pressure before and after a half hour massage, confirmed that blood pressure nearly always falls. In some cases the reduction was quite dramatic, for example, from 180 over 130 to 140 over 110 nmHg.
Massage improves the blood circulation in several ways without putting additional strain on the heart. It helps the flow of blood through the veins and also stimulates the nerves which control the blood vessels. It has the added benefit of relaxing tense muscles and tight connective tissues which may have been constricting blood vessels and thus enable blood to flow more freely. It is for this reason that soothing massage helps reduce emotional tension, it induces relaxation and calms stress-related cardio-vascular conditions.
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