Benefits of Massage Therapy

• Relaxation
• Stress Reduction
• Pain Relief
• Injury Rehabilitation and Prevention
• Attitude Enhancement
• Massage can improve circulation and nutrition of the joints and may increase joint range of motion and flexibility.

• A typical Swedish style massage is equivalent to a four mile walk - your circulation improves, your lymph moves toxins out so that they can be eliminated from your body, you are refreshed and relaxed. And, if you haven’t exercised in a while or had a massage in a long time, you might even be a tad sore the next day, the good kind of sore from having done something physical. This can be alleviated by taking a nice hot mineral bath of salt and baking soda afterwards plus drinking a lot of water. These will help flush the toxins that cause soreness out of your body.

•Prenatal massage does more than benefit the mother. Everything a pregnant woman does from her diet and fitness to her relaxation and relative state of contentment - also directly affects the child she is carrying. Study after study has proven that calmness in the mother leads to healthier in-utero development.

• Therapeutic touch can also be effective in reducing stress. This is particularly noteworthy for those who report that stress exacerbates their symptoms. Massage activates the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for creating body calmness, conserving body resources and is generally antagonistic to the aroused and tense states of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. Some effects of parasympathetic stimulation include decreased heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure and an increase in gastrointestinal motility. Thus massage can play a critical role in reducing levels of anxiety and calming the nervous system. Recipients of regular massage may experience sleeping improvement, more regular bowel movements, larger handwriting, and an increased effectiveness in medications.

• Massage can improve circulation and nutrition of the joints and may increase joint range of motion and flexibility. By engaging the client in passive range of motion exercises and resisted stretches, the rigidity and stiffness of PD is gently challenged as the body is reacquainted with healthy and normal movement. In addition to stretching the muscles, moving the body stimulates the production of snynovial fluid in the joints (for healthy joint lubrication and pain-free movement) and resets the proprioceptors (neurons that sense where the joint is in space) in those joints that are stretched.

• There are several types of massage therapy. All of them have circulatory and musculoskeletal benefits. The most common is Swedish massage. This is a very soothing massage in which oil is used and strokes are typically gliding and smooth. Deep tissue therapies such as neuromuscular therapy, trigger point and rolfing often are a bit more uncomfortable, yet produce highly effective results with chronic pain and holding patterns. Eastern styles such as Shiatsu, Tradition Thai massage and acupressure are considered energetic and aim to normalize the flow of energy in the body though the use of finger pressure, rocking and stretching. This is by no means an inclusive list of manual therapies available.