Massage Therapy
Through the Ages
Massage therapy is our oldest forms of treatment and one that is used in every culture. The earliest Chinese, Egyptian and Indian writings all describe preventive and therapeutic uses of massage. Galen, a second-century Roman physician, massaged both the emperor and gladiators, and wrote more than a dozen medical books about massage. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, also wrote of massage as an essential component in treatment.
Massage therapy today
Today, massage therapy is one of the fastest growing complimentary therapies. As consumers of health care become more aware and involved in their health and well-being, the focus is shifting to prevention and health maintenance alongside primary care and rehabilitation. Massage therapy is an integral part of this combined approach.
Effects and benefits
As primary and rehabilitative care, massage therapy works directly to remove trauma from the muscles and fascia and is recommended by Doctors and Chiropractors for:
- relief of stress / tension
- muscle rehabilitation
- improved joint mobility
- relief of pain / spasm
- improved circulation
- lymphatic drainage
How it works
Massage therapy alleviates muscular stiffness, tension and pain while promoting optimum musculoskeletal health. With a variety of hands-on methods, a skilled therapist stretches and loosens muscles and connective tissue, and also greatly improves blood flow to the heart and movement of lymph throughout the body.
The therapist’s hands speed the removal of metabolic waste products resulting from exercise or inactivity, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the cells and tissues. Sensory receptors in skin and muscles, "wake-up’, bringing new awareness to areas that have felt "cut-off’ by chronic tension. All this translates into an amazing number of positive results.
Who can benefit
Arthritis sufferers find relief from stiff, achy muscles and joints as well as improvement in muscle and joint health. Pregnant women find massage relieves back and leg pain as well as other complaints associated with pregnancy. Migraine and headache sufferers find tremendous relief and long-term prevention with massage therapy. Athletes benefit from massage as preparation for competition, relief of soreness afterwards and treatment of injuries such as strains and tendonitis.
Preventive health care
Massage therapy is utilized in a wide variety of ways, both as an adjunct to medical treatment and in the promotion of health and wellness. Feel better than you thought you could! By keeping mind and body relaxed and stress-free, massage therapy can help prevent illness. Raise your health and vitality to a state of wellness - perhaps to levels you’ve not yet imagined! For most people, it’s a new idea that health is a spectrum, not just the opposite of sickness.
Massage therapy works on all levels to enhance your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. In the words of the ancient philosopher Cicero, "Only the person who is relaxed can create, and to that mind ideas flow like lightening."