Massage: Healing Mind and Body for Centuries
Massage therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known to history. References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts more than 4,000 years old. Massage has been advocated in Western health care practices at least since the time of Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine.” In the fourth century b.c. Hippocrates wrote, “The physician must be acquainted with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (the ancient Greek term for massage was rubbing).
A massage is not only for relaxation purposes, as many people may think. When attending a massage session, health issues you might be suffering from are also alleviated.
Generally, massage is known to affect the circulation of blood and the flow of blood and lymph, reduce muscular tension or flaccidity, affect the nervous system through stimulation or sedation, and enhance tissue healing. These effects provide a number of benefits:
- Reduction of muscle tension and stiffness
- Relief of muscle spasms
- Greater flexibility and range of motion
- Increase of the ease and efficiency of movement
- Relief of stress and aide of relaxation
- Promotion of deeper and easier breathing
- Improvement of the circulation of blood and movement of lymph
- Relief of tension-related conditions, such as headaches and eyestrain
- Promotion of faster healing of soft tissue injuries, such as pulled muscles and sprained ligaments, and reduction in pain and swelling related to such injuries
- Reduction in the formation of excessive scar tissue following soft tissue injuries
- Enhancement in the health and nourishment of skin
- Improvement in posture through changing tension patterns that affect posture
- Reduction in stress and an excellent stress management tool
- Creation of a feeling of well-being
- Reduction in levels of anxiety
- Increase in awareness of the mind-body connection
- Promotion of a relaxed state of mental awareness
Massage therapy also has a number of documented clinical benefits. For example, massage can reduce anxiety, improve pulmonary function in young asthma patients, reduce psycho-emotional distress in persons suffering from chronic inflammatory bowel disease , increase weight and improve motor development in premature infants, and may enhance immune system functioning. Some medical conditions that massage therapy can help are: allergies, anxiety and stress, arthritis, asthma and bronchitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries, chronic and temporary pain, circulatory problems, depression , digestive disorders, tension headache, insomnia , myofascial pain, sports injuries, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
Learn more online at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/massage/art-20045743
Whether you are interested in becoming a massage therapist or are looking to enjoy the benefits from receiving a massage, visit our Las Vegas or Chicago (Skokie) Campus pages to learn about our programs and student clinic.
