Massage can help relax tight and painful muscles, improve range of motion in the joints, enhance circulation and lower stress levels. Stress is considered a risk factor for many chronic diseases, and can make your symptoms worse. Since there are many different massage therapies available, it may require some trial and error to find the right therapist and massage technique to reduce your stress level.
Techniques
Massage therapy encompasses many different techniques.
The main forms of massage include Swedish, Deep tissue, Sports, Reflexology and Trigger point. Some forms of massage use oils and others use warm stones to release tension and promote relaxation. Talk to our professional and certified massage therapists about which type of massage is best to reduce your stress.
General Benefits of a Professional Massage.
When administered by one of our well-trained and licensed massage therapists, massage therapy may help with conditions that affect your state of mind, including stress, depression and anxiety. A massage helps you shift your thoughts away from everyday worries and allows your body and mind to relax. Massage also helps you feel that you’re in control over your health and plays an active role in managing chronic illnesses. Many massage techniques are practiced in a quiet and dimly lit room. Some therapists have soft music in the background and use candles or incense to help you relax.
Muscular Benefits
Activation of the stress response causes muscles throughout the body to tense up. When the event ends, the muscles relax. However, if stress is constant, the muscles may remain in a slightly tensed state. This may lead to joint aches and pains, headaches, chronic back and neck pain and other symptoms. According to the National Institutes of Health, massage therapy may help relieve your muscle tension. A massage therapist uses various techniques to rub, stroke, stretch or apply pressure to the muscles to help them return to a relaxed state, which in turn reduces your stress-related aches and pains.
Positive Benefits of Massage Therapy
To the Immune and Digestive System
When responding to stress, the body conserves energy by suppressing the digestive and immune systems. Circulation is increased to the heart, muscles and lungs. With chronic stress, this reaction may lead to decreased immune system activity, which increases the risk of colds, flus and immune system diseases. Problems with digestion and elimination may also accompany chronic stress. Massage may help restore normal circulation, improve immune system activity and play a role in restoring normal digestive system function, according to the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center