Benefits of Massage

The Benefits of Massage

In an age of technical and, at times, impersonal medicine, massage offers a drug-free, non-invasive, and humanistic approach based on the body's natural ability to heal itself. Following is a brief list of the many known, research-based benefits of massage and bodywork:

·	Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.

Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body's natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer. Furthermore, increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body's largest organ -- the skin.

·	Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles.

·	Reduces spasms and cramping.

·	Increases joint flexibility.

·	Reduces recovery time and helps prepare the body for strenuous workouts, reducing subsequent muscle pain of athletes at any level.

·	Releases endorphins -- the body's natural painkiller -- and is proving very beneficial in patients with chronic illness, injury, and post-op pain.

·	Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred,

·	Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain,

·	Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and decreases the need for medication,

·	Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion,

·	Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as reduces the need for medication, eases postpartum depression and anxiety, and contributes to a shorter hospital stay.

The Fallout of Stress

Experts estimate that 80 percent to 90 percent of disease is stress-related. Massage and bodywork is there to combat that frightening number by helping us remember what it means to relax. The physical changes massage brings to your body can have a positive effect in many areas of your life. Besides increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety, massage lowers blood pressure, increases circulation, improves injury recovery, encourages deep sleep, and increases concentration. It reduces fatigue and gives you more energy to handle stressful situations.

Massage is a perfect elixir for good health, but it can also provide an integration of body and mind. By producing a meditative state or heightened awareness of the present moment, massage can provide emotional and spiritual balance, bringing with it true relaxation and peace.

The incredible benefits of massage are doubly powerful if taken in regular "doses." Researchers from the Touch Research Institute (TRI) at the University of Miami, found that recipients of massage can benefit even in small doses (15 minutes of chair massage or a half-hour table session). They also note that receiving bodywork two to three times a week is even more beneficial. While this may not be feasible, it's nice to know that this "medicine" only gets better with frequency.