Doctors are increasingly recommending and sending their patients for massage therapy for rehabilitation and overall well-being. In this article, you will learn about massage treatment, its therapeutic effectiveness, and its physiological and perceptual benefits.
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What is massage therapy?
Massage therapy is a generic term that encompasses a wide range of touch therapies including Swedish massage, Thai massage, deep tissue massage, corporate massage, sports massage, lymphatic drainage massage, oncology massage, infant massage, ayurvedic massage, etc.
Basically, it is the application of manual pressure and the movement of soft tissue, with rhythmical pressure and stroking to obtain or maintain health.
There are two fundamental approaches to massage therapy: wellness and medical (Fritz, 1995).
What to expect in a massage therapy
We mainly offer Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, and aromatherapy to specifically address the muscles and connective tissue. The massage can be for the whole body or on specific body parts eg neck, foot, shoulder, or back. We adapt our massage techniques to accommodate pregnant women.
We use a wide variety of techniques including pressure, kneading, rubbing, and mobilization all administered using massage oil as a lubricant to the skin.
A basic massage session lasts 60 min, but could also be as short as 20 mins or as long as 90 mins.
Benefits of massage therapy
From a consumer survey conducted in 2003, among respondents who had a massage within the previous 5 years, 25% did so for soreness, pain management, or injury-related reasons, and 22% for relaxation or stress relief (2003 Massage therapy consumer survey fact sheet, 2003).
Below, I list 13 physical and psychological health benefits of massage therapy with their supporting data sources;
- Reduce soreness, stiffness, or muscle spasms
- Manage or relieve stress
- Assist in muscle injury rehabilitation and recovery when used as a complement to occupational therapy, physical therapy, and other forms of rehabilitation for injuries.
- Lower blood pressure and heart rate
- Makes you relaxed
- Increases joint mobility & flexibility; by loosening the muscles.
- Improves skin tone; improved blood circulation helps flush out toxins from the body, reduces blood pressure, and improves the functioning of the body. This nourishment to the skin brightens it and results in an all-over natural glow.
- Helps improve sleep. Cortisol is responsible for sleeplessness, headaches, and even some digestive problems. A massage lowers cortisol production by about 30% thus helping you have a good night’s sleep.
- Heightens mental alertness; by stimulating the left side of the brain resulting in more focus and heightened awareness.
- Reduces anxiety & depression; by decreasing cortisol, the stress hormone, and increasing more production of serotonin, the feel-good hormone.
- Improves blood circulation
- Treatment for chronic fatigue
- Migraine and headache relief; by reducing cortisol production and applying the right pressure to pain points such as the face, shoulder, and neck muscles.
Closing remarks
We all get fatigued occasionally, and when unchecked, fatigue can get in the way of our lives. It can make it hard to follow routines and do simple tasks.
A massage will help you relax and fight fatigue naturally, eliminating the need to use drugs or stimulants.
Scheduling a massage is a way of recognizing your worth and your desire to live a healthy lifestyle. In fact, doctors are increasingly recommending and sending their patients to massage therapists for rehabilitation and overall well-being.
Relaxation is a routine requirement and it isn’t practical to go to a spa every time you feel you need a massage. But the spa can come to you.
Choose to live healthier by scheduling your massage now. We will bring the spa to where you are within Nairobi and the neighboring towns.
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Last Updated on April 3, 2021