Are You New to Massage Therapy?

Are You New to Massage Therapy?

Years of research shows that massage therapy is no longer just for relaxation. The medicinal benefits offered by therapeutic massage can have a positive, lasting impact on your health and lifestyle. But if you haven’t had much experience with massage therapy, you might be wondering what to expect.

Purpose of Massage

The benefit of a therapeutic massage comes from the purpose of the massage. It can rid your body of life’s every day stresses, reduce muscle pain, help alleviate the discomfort of certain ailments, or just help restore balance to your body and mind, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and helping you maintain a life of wellness and good health.

The Best Treatment For You

You can select the massage treatment that best fits your needs. If you aren’t certain what type of massage you would enjoy most, an experienced Massage Therapist will help determine the best customized therapeutic massage for you.

Some of your massage options include:

• Trigger Point Therapy
• Swedish Massage
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Sports Massage
• Reflexology Therapy
• Cranial Sacral Therapy
• Hot Stone Therapy

Ongoing Relief

While periodic massage enhance your well being, the real benefit of massage is only unlocked when the body is exposed to multiple therapy sessions.

Hot Stone Therapy

Hot Stone Therapy

Hot Stone Therapy melts away tension, eases muscle stiffness, and increases circulation and metabolism. Each 90 minute Hot Stone session features the placement of smooth, water-heated stones at key points on the body to allow for deeper relaxation of the muscles. Our professional massage therapists then incorporate a customized massage, with the use of hot stones, to create a healing and relaxing experience.

Hot Stone Therapy is ideal for:

• Muscular aches
• Back pain
• Stress and anxiety
• Poor circulation
• Rheumatic and arthritic conditions
• Fibromyalgia

Hot Stone Therapy is gaining popularity for its ability to provide deeper muscle and tissue relaxation, which in turn releases more toxins and improves circulation. The benefits of Hot Stone Therapy have even been used in the treatment of insomnia and depression.

Cranial Sacral Therapy

Cranial Sacral Therapy

Cranial sacral therapy (also known as craniosacral therapy) is a gentle, noninvasive form of alternative medicine that deals with the movement of the fluid surrounding the skull and spine. Cranial sacral therapists ease the restrictions of nerve passages by focusing on the membranes that encase the central nervous system.

Cranial sacral therapy seeks to restore misaligned bones to their proper position and is thought to eliminate the negative effects of stress as well as provide relief from migraine headaches, neck and back pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (the inflammation of the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull) and more.

Reflexology Therapy

Reflexology Therapy

Reflexology is a branch of massage that focuses solely on the hands and feet. Originally developed as “zone therapy” in the early twentieth century, reflexology uses specifically targeted points on the extremities to send signals to the brain and balance the nervous system.

A reflexologist stretches and moves the hands and feet, applying pressure on reflex areas that correspond to specific organs and other parts of the body. Endorphins are released throughout the entire body, reducing stress and returning the body to equilibrium. Reflexology has been known to provide relief from ailments such as tension headaches, arthritis, digestive issues and back pain.

Sports Massage Therapy

Sports Massage Therapy

Sports massage is geared toward athletes of every kind, from world-class professionals to weekend joggers. The particulars of the massage are specific to the athlete’s sport of choice and are often focused on a particular troublesome area like a knee or shoulder.

Aspects of massage are gaining popularity as useful components in a balanced training regimen. Sports massage can be used as a means to enhance pre-event preparation and reduce recovery time for maximum performance during training or after an event. Athletes have discovered that specially designed massage promotes flexibility, removes fatigue, improves endurance, helps prevent injuries, and prepares them to compete at their absolute best.

Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

Deep tissue massage is similar to Swedish massage but is used to target knots and release chronic muscle tension. Other benefits include reducing inflammation and helping to eliminate scar tissue. The focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons, and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints).

Deep tissue massage uses strokes across the grain of the muscles, not with the grain as in Swedish massage. The more intense movements and techniques such as deep finger pressure may be slightly uncomfortable and cause soreness that lasts a couple of days before resulting in the desired relaxation and pain relief.

Swedish Massage Therapy

Swedish Massage Therapy

Swedish massage is the style that comes to mind when most people think about massage. It was developed in Stockholm a couple of centuries ago and is the most common and best-known type form of bodywork performed today.

The goal is relaxing the entire body and this is accomplished by rubbing the muscles with long gliding strokes in the direction of blood returning to the heart. Additional techniques include circular pressure applied by the hands and palms, firm kneading, percussion-like tapping, bending and stretching. Lotion is often used to reduce friction and stimulate the skin.

Swedish massage is exceptional for increasing the level of oxygen in the blood, decreasing muscle toxins, improving circulation and flexibility while easing tension.

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger Point Therapy

A trigger point is a tight area within muscle tissue that causes pain in other parts of the body. A trigger point in the back, for example, may trigger pain in the neck. The neck, now acting as a satellite trigger point, may then cause pain in the head. The pain may be sharp and intense or a dull ache. Trigger points are caused by muscle overuse or injury, and because the aches are associated with moving parts, the pain is commonly mistaken for arthritis.

Trigger point massage (also known as myotherapy) is specifically designed to alleviate the source of the pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release. In this type of massage the recipient actively participates through deep breathing as well as identifying the exact location and intensity of the discomfort.

The result of trigger point massage is the elimination of toxins in the muscles and the release of energizing endorphins. A significant decrease in pain is often found after just one treatment.

Types of Massage or Modalities

Types of Massage or Modalities

Therapeutic massage is the manipulation of the muscles and tissues of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, and stress. There are many styles and types of massage therapy.

Some of the more recognized forms are:

• Trigger Point Therapy
• Swedish Massage
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Sports Massage
• Reflexology Therapy
• Cranial Sacral Therapy
• Hot Stone Therapy

Massage Therapy Is Booming

The Demand For Massage Therapy Is Booming

In launching a new business venture, there is no substitute for being in the right place at the right time. And we can’t think of a better place to be than in the booming massage therapy market. To relieve the stress of their modern lifestyles, as treatment for a medical condition or just plain relaxation, record numbers of Americans are getting an unprecedented number of massages.

The Market For Massage Is Huge... And Growing Rapidly

• Consumers spend between $5 and $7 billion annually on massage therapy.
• They visit Massage Therapists 140 million times per year.
• Those who seek therapeutic massage from trained professionals average 7 visits per year.
• 21% of all Americans have had a massage in the past year.
• The percentage of Americans using Massage Therapists has doubled since 1997. Doctors are increasingly including massage therapy as treatment.
• 14% of Fortune 500 companies now offer massage as an employee benefit.
• The growing population of elderly and aging baby boomers continues to fuel an unprecedented demand for massage therapy.

Massage Therapy for Pain Management

Massage Therapy for Pain Management

Looking for a natural and effective pain management solution? Massage therapy can provide all the relief necessary without the need for pain killing drugs.

Massage plays an important role in achieving a pain free lifestyle by utilizing various types of massage, such as swedish, deep tissue, or trigger point therapy. By employing one of the many massage techniques, one can rejuvenate and refresh the mind while improving joint movement, and increasing the flow of blood and nutrients to muscles and other tissue.

Be sure to check out all the different types of massage to find out which massage therapy is right for you!

Massage Therapy Improves Rehabilitation

Massage Therapy Improves Rehabilitation after Injury

Rehabilitating any injury can be a tiring and frustrating process. While the main goal of physical rehabilitation is to increase strength and flexibility, it often ends before the area has been returned to its full pre-injury state.

Massage plays an important role as a supplement to standard rehabilitation procedures. By increasing circulation and relaxing muscles, massage helps the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs. This allows the rehabilitating areas to become more flexible and heal at an accelerated rate.

Massage therapy is also used to aid in pain management as the injury is nursed back to full strength. By committing to a continual massage program, one can accelerate the healing process after injuries are sustained.

Improve Rehabilitation after Injury Benefits

• Supplements standard rehabilitation procedures
• Helps the body pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissue and vital organs

Massage Therapy Helps Post-Operative Rehabilitation

Massage Therapy Enhances Post-Operative Rehabilitation

In medicine, surgical procedures are many times the only way to achieve lasting relief, although, the surgery itself is just one step in making long term results successful.

Many consider the most important component of a successful surgical procedure to be the post rehabilitation process. It is during this process that natural movement is re-learned, and freedom of movement is re-enforced. Massage plays an important role as a supplement to standard rehabilitation procedures.

By increasing circulation and relaxing muscles, massage helps the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs. This allows the rehabilitating areas to become more flexible and heal at an accelerated rate.

Enhance Post-Operative Rehabilitation Benefits

• Assists the body in pumping more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs
• Accelerates the rehabilitation process
• Aids in improving joint movement and flexibility

Massage Therapy Strengthens the Immune System

Massage Therapy Strengthens the Immune System

Regular therapeutic massage sessions provide significant benefits beyond the immediate relaxation we enjoy. People who experience high levels of stress tend to get sick more than others. Combine stress with lack of sleep and poor nutrition, and our body’s ability to naturally protect itself against bacteria and infection is greatly reduced.

Numerous studies have indicated that massage can increase the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity (the activity level of the body’s natural "killer cells") and decrease the number of T-cells, which improves the body’s immune functioning overall.

In one study by Gail Ironson, M.D., HIV positive men were given 45 minute massages five days a week, for a month. They showed an increase in serotonin and an increase in cells that are viewed as the first line of defense in the immune system. This is testing a very narrow aspect of the human immune system, but it does lend scientific credibility to a therapy which is widely recognized as therapeutic, based on experience.

Strengthen the Immune System Benefits

• Increases the bodies natural killer cells
• Aids in the fight against bacteria and infection
• Enhances the bodies ability to get nourishment to important areas

Massage Therapy Relieves Headaches

Massage Therapy Relieves Headaches

In the United States alone, more than 60 percent of the 45 million Americans who suffer from chronic headaches suffer from migraines. The disorder can be debilitating and typically results from high stress levels and/or lack of sleep.

Massage has two roles when it comes to treating migraines and tension related headaches. In a proactive role, massage treatments are performed on a regular basis to help the body maintain an optimal level of relaxation and stress-relief. This approach reduces the chances of migraine attacks and tension headaches significantly by relaxing muscle spasms and trigger points. In a comfort role, massage is done to ease the pressure brought on during a migraine or tension related headache. By focusing on the neck, shoulders, and head, massage can decrease the pain and discomfort brought on by migraine or tension headache.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association:

A recent study showed that massage therapy recipients exhibited fewer migraines and better sleep quality during the weeks they received massage, and the three weeks following, than did participants that did not receive massage therapy. Another study found that in adults with migraine headaches massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms. It also increased serotonin levels, believed to play an important role in the regulation of mood, sleep and appetite.

Relief of Tension-Related Headaches Benefits

• Decreases occurrences of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms
• Allows one to maintain a level of relaxation and stress-relief, reducing the chances of stress induced migraines
• Reduces muscle spasms and trigger points

Massage Therapy Improves Flexibility

Massage Therapy Improves Flexibility

As we age, our joints tighten and we lose the range of motion we once enjoyed in our youth. One of the main reasons we become less flexible as we get older has to do with certain changes that take place in our connective tissues. As we age, our bodies gradually loose fluid and dehydrate.

Massage therapy is an effective treatment for increasing and maintaining flexibility and motion. By working on muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and joints, massage can stimulate the production and retention of our bodies' natural lubricants between the connective tissue fibers, making stretching and movement easier, and keeping the body flexible.

Improve Flexibility and Range of Motion Benefits

• Stimulates the production of the bodies natural lubricants to keep flexibility at a maximum
• Can enhance athletic performance as the body ages
• Helps prevent active lifestyle injuries by keeping the body flexible

Massage Therapy Relaxes Muscles

Massage Therapy Relaxes Muscles

Not only do tense muscles cause knots and pain in their respective areas in the body, they can create a chain reaction that spreads, making the ability to reduce pain nearly impossible.

Massage plays an important role in training the body how to relax. Not only will massage therapy help relax internal muscles through deep tissue techniques; it can also help individuals become aware of their daily stress levels. Once the body recognizes what true relaxation feels like, the mind can then easily recreate it before stress becomes chronic and damaging. Having this relief from stress can enhance our ability to cope with and enjoy life.

With deep tissue massage, the massage therapist focuses on deeper tissue structures with intense pressure to release chronic muscle tension and ultimately relax the body.

Relaxed Muscles Benefits

• Reduces pain that results from tense muscles
• Aids in relaxation
• Relieves muscle tension and stiffness

Massage Therapy Lowers Blood Pressure

Massage Therapy Lowers Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has more misconceptions than nearly any other disease. According to the American Heart Association, some of the most common are:

Misconception: High blood pressure has many symptoms
Truth: High blood pressure has NO symptoms. That’s why it’s often called the silent killer.

Misconception: High blood pressure is a man’s problem
Truth: High blood pressure can be anyone’s problem. In fact, women need to be aware of certain things that may put them at greater risk than men

Misconception: You don’t need to have your high blood pressure checked until you reach middle age.
Truth: Children as young as 6 can have high blood pressure. It’s a good idea to start having your blood pressure checked at an early age.

One of the most effective ways to stave off high blood pressure is massage therapy. A number of long term studies have shown that a consistent massage program can decrease diastolic and systolic blood pressure; decrease salivary and urinary cortisol stress-hormone levels; and lower sources for depression, anxiety and hostility.

As is the intent with all massage programs, the ultimate goal lies in a pain free and relaxing lifestyle. Controlling blood pressure is just one of the added benefits of massage therapy.

Lower Blood Pressure Benefits

• Lower depression, anxiety, and hostility
• Keeps stress hormone levels under control
• Low blood pressure can contribute to lowering the odds of having a heart attack, kidney failure, or a stroke

Massage Therapy Improves Circulation

Massage Therapy Improves Circulation

The long term effects of massage therapy are much more than just skin deep. Better circulation is part of the chain reaction that happens in the body as a result of receiving massage therapy on a regular basis.

According to Eileen Cahalane of Alive Magazine:

A person with poor circulation can suffer from a variety of discomforts including pooling of the fluid in the extremities (like the toes), cold hands and feet, fatigue, and achiness created by an accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. Good circulation brings damaged, tense muscles the oxygen rich blood they need to heal.

Massage facilitates circulation because the pressure created by the massage technique actually moves blood through the congested areas. The release of this same pressure causes new blood to flow in. The squeezing and pulling also flushes lactic acid from the muscles and improves the circulation of the lymph fluid which carries metabolic waste away from muscles and internal organs, resulting in lower blood pressure and improved body function.

Improved circulation is just one more benefit of massage therapy. Combined with a balanced diet and regular exercise, massage can be the key to leading a healthier lifestyle.

Improved Circulation Benefits

• Enhances blood flow
• Moves waste away from muscles and internal organs
• Lowers blood pressure
• Improves body function

Massage Therapy Improves Posture

Massage Therapy Improves Posture

Allowing the body to reinforce healthy and natural movements can be one of the most beneficial aspects of massage therapy. Many aches and pains are due to poor posture. Whether we are driving, working at a desk, or even just standing still, poor posture can contribute to a number of physical aches and pains. Over time, these habits can cause increased body stress and breakdown.

With a consistent program of massage therapy, the painful points in muscles are loosened and relaxed, joints have greater freedom, and pressure points are relieved. This allows the body to position itself in a healthy and natural posture, therefore avoiding the movements and positions developed over time as a reaction to the pain.

Benefits of Improved Posture

• Muscles are loosened and relaxed
• Joints enjoy greater freedom
• Pressure points are relieved

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Massage Therapy Encourages Relaxation

Massage Therapy Encourages Relaxation

In today’s fast-paced world, our busy lifestyles can take a toll on our physical and mental well being. Allowing our bodies to relax and unwind is now more important than ever.

A therapeutic massage session provides the ultimate experience in relaxation. The lasting effects of massage can range from promoting relaxed states of mental alertness to enhancing our capacity for calm and creative thinking.

Through massage therapy, we become more aware of our daily stress levels. This allows us to recognize what true relaxation feels like so we can more easily recreate it for ourselves, before stress becomes chronic and damaging. Having this relief from stress increases our energy levels and vitality, as well as enhances our ability to cope with and enjoy our daily lives.

Relaxation Benefits

• Improves mental outlook
• Allows for better handling of pressure
• Reinforces positive attitude
• Promotes relaxed states of mental alertness
• Enhances calm and creative thinking

Massage Therapy Relieves Stress

Massage Therapy Relieves Stress

Stress management is a key component for anyone striving to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Massage therapy has been proven to be one of the most effective methods for achieving stress relief. Research studies show massage therapy actually boosts the body's immune system, which can become compromised from extended periods of stress.

Enrolling in a reputable massage therapy program leads to significantly increased energy levels, the reduction of nagging pains, and the improvement of our overall physical and mental performance.

Stress Relief Benefits

• Lowers Heart Rate
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Relaxes Muscles
• Increases Endorphins

Benefits of Massage Therapy

How Can Massage Be Medically Beneficial?

Massage therapy helps you relax, re-align and rejuvenate. There are many positive aspects to receiving massage therapy on an ongoing basis, and with the busy lives we lead, we can all benefit from a little stress-management.

More Americans are turning to therapeutic massage treatment to provide relaxation, relieve tension associated with the daily stresses of their busy lives, or simply to help maintain good health and achieve a balanced lifestyle. Oh, and let's not forget how great it feels to be treated by a professional massage therapist.

There are so many healthy benefits to receiving massage therapy on a regular basis:

• Relieves Stress
• Encourages Relaxation
• Improves Posture
• Improves Circulation
• Lowers Blood Pressure
• Helps Manage Pain
• Relaxes Muscles
• Improves Flexibility & Improves Range of Motion
• Relieves Tension-Related Headaches
• Strengthens the Immune System
• Enhances Post-Operative Rehabilitation
• Improves Rehabilitation After Injury

Recent scientific research also proves that massage therapy increases immune function, decreases stress levels and reduces recovery time in many medical conditions including:

• Allergies
• Depression and Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Asthma and Bronchitis
• Circulatory Problems
• Insomnia
• Sports Injuries
• Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ)
• Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Musculo-Skeletal Disorders