Do you dream of laying on a wicker table while getting rubbed down in coconut oil as the warm Caribbean breeze blows by? This is a real pampered massage and one that is very relaxing. Great for a holiday, but if you have pain, a therapeutic massage is what you need.
A therapeutic massage must work on specific problems where pain and stress are built up. It may be hard like a deep tissue massage but also can be softer and work on muscle tension as it mobilizes soft tissue.
Here are the benefits of therapeutic massage.
Benefit #1: Reduces Muscle Pain
When you work out, you put your body under physical stress. Your muscles tear and signal the body to make repairs by replicating cells and fusing them to your muscle fibres. The pain you feel is inflammation in the muscles and is commonly called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
Massage therapy for sore muscles is a great recovery tool. The massage soothes those aches and pains by forcing blood and nutrients into the area and helping remove toxins. This assists the healing process. Chronic pain can benefit from massage as well, including after surgery or suffering from fibromyalgia.
Benefit #2: Relieves Stress
Stress is something we all experience throughout our lives. When stress builds up, it can hurt the body and mind with symptoms like:
- Increased Heart Rate
- Shortness Of Breath
- Chest Tightening
- Depression
- Irritability
- Increase Sweating
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Insomnia
These symptoms feed into the stress and make it a horrible cycle. One of the best remedies is a massage.
During a therapeutic massage, mood receptors, nerves and hormones are stimulated, bringing relief and release. Your cortisol and adrenaline levels drop, and the feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine increase. Massage helps melt stress and anxiety by relaxing your body and calming your mind.
Benefit #3: Improves Sleep
In our busy lives, sleep is something that gets sacrificed the most. Between trading time for money, running around the family and social commitments, there is never enough time on the clock. Then when we finally hit the pillow, our minds are still racing and keeping us from getting restful sleep.
Regular therapeutic massages are the best way to combat this. It helps you unwind and relax by releasing the tension of the day, so when you do lay down for the night, you will fall asleep faster and have a deeper, longer sleep.
Benefit #4: Increases Movement
Are you stiff every morning and tight throughout the day? Do you notice a lack of flexibility and a narrow range of motion? This is your body slowly being restricted because of the normal aging process. Our tissues and discs lose water, and we lose elasticity in our muscles and tendons as well. Massage helps you turn back the clock.
During a therapeutic massage, soft tissue is manipulated throughout your body, positively affecting functionality. Blood flow increases, and lymph circulation is promoted while it relaxes your muscles and connective tissues. Massage also raises the temperature in your soft tissues to reduce swelling, remove waste and break down any adhesions. Get a therapeutic massage and get your range of motion back!
Benefit #5: Strengthens Your Lower Back
We carry the weight of the world on our backs. In our history as a species, we were very mobile. We walked great distances and laboured outside on our feet all day. Our bodies were tough, and our backs were strong before the modern world made work easier.
Now we have tech necks and sore backs from sitting hunched over a computer all day. Then we leave work and hunch over our mobile devices. All this puts an almost unbearable strain on the quadratus lumborum and gluteus mediuslower muscles in our backs, hips and butts.
Therapeutic massage works great to alleviate this pain by kneading, rubbing and stroking the affected tissues and muscles to increase blood flow and eliminate accumulated waste products like acids that have built up. It also reduces muscular tension while increasing endorphins in the body. This will alleviate the symptoms and relax your whole body.
Benefit #6: Other Benefits
There are many more benefits to getting a therapeutic massage, including:
- Increased relaxation
- Lowered heart rate and blood pressure
- Improved immune function
- Better circulation
- More energy
- Increased alertness
- Faster sports injury recovery
- Helps with digestive disorders
- Promotes comfort and connection
There are several types of therapeutic massage, and most therapists are trained in multiple disciplines to provide a comprehensive massage to meet the needs of their clients. These include :
- Deep Tissue Massage improves function by focusing on internal muscle layers to cure chronic pain and gain mobility.
- Swedish Massage uses movements of the joints and top layers of muscle through soft, kneading strokes and light tapping.
- Sports Massage focuses on acute problems from injuries through physical activity and manipulates soft tissue like the skin, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and fascia.
Other types may include Shiatsu massage, Thai Massage and other healing methods that complement a therapeutic massage.
Ultimately, a therapeutic massage will benefit everyone and help bring balance back to the body. By understanding the benefits, you can seek out a company that offers the healing discipline of a therapeutic massage and reap the benefits their well-trained registered massage therapists provide.
