Therapeutic massage – Learn to Ease Your Stress
Massage therapy is the treatment of stress, disease and physical or emotional disorders with manipulation from the musculoskeletal system and connective tissues. Specific targets of this kind of treatment may include superficial muscles, tendons, joints, surface of skin, ligaments, the lymphatic system, as well as organs. Some of the most popular parts of the body that are commonly treated include the back, shoulders, hands, and feet.
With origins in China, this type of physical procedure has turned into a popular treatment modality and it is now taught and performed around the world. While the benefits are often far-reaching and varied, many medical studies have yet to prove its effectiveness or cost-effectiveness. Probably the most common problems that are referred with this kind of treatment include chronic lower back pain, arthritis, fatigue, immunity suppression, infertility, smoking cessation, depression, and bursitis. Probably the most accepted use of massage therapy may be the simple reduction of day-to-day stress and tension.
Branches of drugs that typically prescribe this kind of procedure include physicians specializing in orthopedics, physiotherapy, sports injuries, chiropractics, osteopathy, psychology, acupuncture or other holistic health subspecialties.
Equipment used in this kind of treatment include: a padded table or chair, hydrotherapy shower nozzles, dry-water bed, a variety of oils, and/or warmed body rocks. You will find dozens of different subtypes of therapeutic massage that emphasize different parts of the body, different treatment modalities, or offer different therapeutic results. A few examples from around the world include Ayurvedic, Balinese, Esalen, deep tissue, myofascial release, reflexology, Shiatsu, Swedish, Thai, traditional Chinese, and trigger point therapeutics.
Results of massage therapy can include pain relief, anxiety reduction, blood pressure control, heartbeat reduction, improved alertness, decreased stress hormone levels, immune system stimulation, depression alleviation, as well as improvement of spastic muscular disorders such as cerebral palsy. However, the therapy is often considered controversial in lots of medical circles. Results largely remain unproven because it is virtually impossible to test this type of treatment against another modality. Any form of touch may be considered beneficial and there’s no “placebo” for therapeutic massage. Still, those who invest time and money in this kind of procedure are most often pleased with the outcomes and several engage in long-term therapy over months, years or decades.
While relatively safe when done by an experienced and skilled technician, massage therapy is not without its risk of adverse negative effects. Most states and countries require practitioners to be educated, licensed and accredited by specific boards with rigorous qualification requirements. Risks include temporarily increased swelling or pain, bruising or hematoma formation, and allergic sensitivity to any of the materials used, including oils and lotions.