Benefits of Massage Therapy

The Benefits of Therapeutic - Remedial Massage

Article by: Dieter L. Editor of useNature

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Benefits of Massage

"Touch with your hands, feel with your heart, heal with your soul."

Therapeutic Massage is the systematic and scientific manipulation of soft body tissue. It has been used for thousands of years for relaxation and to restore and promote the good health of both mind and body.

Massage releases chronic tension and pain in muscles, improves circulation, increases flexibility in the joints, and reduces mental and physical fatigue.

There are many different Massage Techniques, and each technique has it's own specific benefit, however in the context of this article we concentrate on the all over beneficial effect of a remedial massage.

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The Benefits of Massage include:

REDUCES STRESS AND TENSION

In today's world, we can't help it, we will experience sudden or sustained stress in our daily lives. The brain responds to stress in an age old manner, known as "fight or flight".

This signals our sympathetic nervous system to respond with some serious body re-action, such as:

Muscles tighten in our neck, shoulders and back, blood vessels constrict, our eyes dilate, large amounts of energy are expended as the adrenal glands excrete hormones, circulation is re-routed away from the digestive track to your muscles.

When this process continues for a long time, you feel "stressed out"!

Massage breaks this tension by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system (the body's way of conserving and restoring energy).

Touch helps our body and mind to refocus and relax.

Lymphatic massage help to drain out the by-products from our excited adrenal glands. Squeezing, stretching and kneading releases tight muscles and natural endorphin's.

All this results in decreased stress, pain, heart rate and a sense of calm.

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IMPROVES CIRCULATION - MENTAL RESPONSE AND ALERTNESS

Massage relieves muscle tension, enabling blood to flow freely and supply the body with necessary nutrients and oxygen. This increases cellular activity and improves mental response and alertness -- your whole system runs more efficiently, and you feel energised!

The more massage you receive, the more supple and relaxed your musculature becomes.

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ASSISTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

When the body is invaded by foreign cells or substances, an immune response is triggered. The body dramatically increases its production of T-cells and B-cells, our first line of defence. The lymphatic system, with its vast network of lymph nodes, vessels and capillaries, is also a major part of our immune system. It circulates lymph fluid throughout the body and its organs, makes contact with these foreign substances and toxins, and assists in killing and moving them out.

The lymphatic fluid flows in part, because of the contraction of skeletal muscles that compresses lymph vessels and pushes the fluid through the body.

Massage can be of significant value when normal muscle function has been lost.

Massage promotes lymphatic flow through the milking and squeezing of skin and muscle tissue; mimicking muscle movement. Inhalation and exhalation also enhance the flow of the lymphatic system. Massaging the upper body releases tight respiratory muscles, facilitating more movement throughout the chest cavity and increasing lymph flow.

For more info ... see >> Lymphatic Massage

Actually, there are many more hidden or sub-conscious benefits of a massage treatment.

Just the feeling of trust people experience when being touched can have a profound effect on people. It also reduces Blood pressure, enhances the health and nourishment of the skin, Increases awareness of mind-body connection, and much more.

Article provided by ...

the editor of Use Nature, Dieter L

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more reading ...

Naturopathy & Scientific Evidence - Naturopaths aim to restore optimal health by natural means, free of side-effects, free of drugs and their side effects and free of harm of any kind.

Natural Health ... under attack ?

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general use and for personal interest only. It should not be used or understood as suggestion or medical advice.

References:

1. Majo Clinic - Massage: Get in touch with its many benefits
2. Cancer Council - Massage and Cancer