Benefits of Massage Therapy

The benefits of massage therapy go far beyond the dreamy ideas of luxurious spas with candles, fancy robes, and massage on the beach.

Nice things...but not what most people truly need.

When I started massage school 12 years ago, I thought I would be providing that "plush" spa environment for my clients. Little did I know that "plush" would rarely be what a client truly needed.

Many times, the greatest massage therapy benefits, and what causes a total release of stress, is knowing  that your therapist's attention, energy, and focus is totally on you and your healing.

Just as a counselor or trusted friend is there to listen to us as we verbally release angers or fears, a massage therapist is there as we release the worries of our mind, allowing us to escape reality, if only for a short time. 

The 3 Main Benefits of Massage

• Reduces Stress - Stress causes us to release the hormones of cortisol and adrenaline, our muscles tighten and our blood pressure rises. Over time, it can cause serious medical issues. Find out how massage can dramatically effect stress!
  
• Reduces Pain - pain can be caused by many factors, both internally and externally to the body. But, how does massage therapy help the types of pains we feel on a daily basis like headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, TMJ, PMS, sinusitis, and plantar fasciitis? You may be interested to learn more about common pains and disorders that can be effected by massage therapy!
• Releases Trauma - Many massage therapy techniques help release painful trauma from injuries, car accidents, fighting in war, life-altering events or loss of loved one. Therapy helps by providing a safe place to let go of psychological effects often held in the mind, body and/or spirit.
  

Other benefits of massage therapy:

Although, the basic goal of bodywork is to help the body heal itself by increasing blood flow, bringing oxygen to muscle tissue and helping to eliminate waste build-up, the "greatest" goal is to release the worries of the mind, if only for a while.

But it also...

• Promotes deep relaxation, especially with hot stone massage, sometimes allowing our bodies to go into the first or second stage of sleep
• Reduces pain from many syndromes and disorders such as TMJ, PMS, Carpal Tunnel, Piriformis syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, and much more
• Increases immunity by increasing lymph flow
• Allows deep tissue pain release, sometimes using massage stones designed for deep tissue restrictions
• Improves Range of Motion
• Eases the pain of Arthritis, headaches, back pain, and neck pain
• Decreases inflammation with traditional massage oils, such as jojoba or arnica oil
• Improves facial muscle tone and stimulates circulation, reduces the appearance of fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles; nourishes, hydrates, detoxifies - just some of the benefits of facial massage
• Aids in recovery from sports injuries, surgical scar tissue, and bulging disc
• Allows release of bowels in Constipation
• Promotes emotional well-being -allowing healing of mind, body and spirit
• Improves our ability to heal from disorders like piriformis syndrome, plantar fasciitis, patella tendinitis, and edema
  
• Improves quality of sleep
• Aids with pain of colic in babies
• Speeds healing of Sciatica
• Increases circulation and promotes natural healing

Healthy massage therapy benefits can bring peace to our bodies, a sense of peace that goes on and on, far beyond the hour of therapy.

We all search for ways to relieve stress, cope with pain, and give our bodies natural healing alternatives. Massage therapy is definitely one of those natural alternatives.

This is one of the massage videos that discusses the benefits of massage therapy and how it can positively affect our bodies:

It can be easy to find a therapist if you just ask around. People who are health minded and those who work in the health industry will have some suggestions. You can also do an online search, just ask lots of questions before making an appointment.

Bodywork therapy is no longer just for the rich and privileged, it is now being practiced in hospitals, medical offices, and clinics all over the world, as more studies are conducted on massage therapy benefits. Learn more about all the places that you may find a massage therapist.

Research is now showing that regular bodywork may help us live a longer, healthier life. It can definitely help us live with less stress.

Massage therapy can be a great addition to your lifestyle by helping you deal with all these issues,.. which may greatly outweigh any price you pay for the session.

It has been estimated that 80-90% of illness is stress related.

Although massage may not be a "cure-all", the benefits of massage therapy can certainly help us to manage the stresses of everyday life.

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