The manipulation of the soft tissues of body using the right techniques is called a massage. Massage can be done using hands, feet, knees, elbows, forearms or even with a device. It is usually done to treat the body of any kind of pain or illness.
Traditionally, massage therapy has been used to treat a variety of ailments by the ancient people such as Indians, Chinese, Egyptians and Ancient Greeks.
It has multiple therapeutic properties known by one and all. From body massage for weight loss to one for a chronic disease, there are several popular forms of massage. But there are quite a few other facts about body massage that are not known to people.
We will take a closer look at all of them in this article.
Some Disorders that can be treated by massage
While there is an array of disorders that can be treated by massage, there are scientific studies that prove that massage can be especially effective in treating disorders such as:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Insomnia
- High blood pressure
- Soft tissue injuries
- Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
- Low back pain
Other than the above mentioned disorders, massage is also known to relieve patients suffering from a life threatening illness or a chronic disease.
How often should one get massage?
There is no correct answer to the question ‘How often should one get massage?’
The reason…
The frequency of massage one requires will depend on one’s health condition.
For instance, people who encounter high levels of stress in their day to day life can benefit from weekly or bi-weekly massage. While if an individual is indulging in a massage just for relaxation and general health, it is recommended once or twice a month.
People suffering from severe pain of any kind should start with getting a massage 1 to 2 times a week and then gradually reduce it to as required when the pain subsides.
Talking about massage as a therapy for athletes, its frequency will depend on the nature of sport, their training schedule and the final goal they have set for themselves.
Lesser known benefits of massage
We all know about the widely popular benefits of regular massage such as improved blood circulation, reduced stress and enhanced relaxation. But there are certain lesser known benefits of massage that almost come as a surprise to individuals receiving one.
Here are a few of them.
- Improves breathing
Massage helps to release tension that is accumulated in the muscles of a person’s chest, shoulder and neck. Since these muscles have a major role in breathing, massaging them helps to improve breathing that was restricted earlier.
- Improves digestion
Stress is known to hamper the digestion in the body. Since massage de-stresses the body, it automatically improves the digestion as well. Instead, the Classic Swedish Massage involves an abdominal massage that works on the large intestine and aids the process of digestion.
- Improved blood supply to the bones
Yes! Your bones have blood supply as well.
Massaging a body improves the blood circulation and there is better blood flow to the bones. Increased blood flow to the bones results in enhanced supply of Calcium and other minerals to the bones thus, strengthening the entire skeletal system.
- Refreshes skin
Massaging the body with oil or lotion results in gentle exfoliation of the skin and it feels refreshed with the new skin cells.
- Relaxes the nervous system
A full body massage is also known to relax the nervous system. The hormone production is balanced out. Production of corticosteroids (LDL), also known as the stress hormone decreases and the production of endorphins or the feel good hormones increases. All of it together results in a relaxed nervous system.
There are several scientific benefits of massage. They are known to treat a variety of conditions and diverse range of symptoms. What’s even better is that there is a wide range to choose from!
….and you certainly do not need to have a pre-existing condition to be able to experience the benefits of a massage.
LMT Guy Siverson
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