Massage Therapy

The Healing Touch

Babies quiet and grow better. You will Relax. It can improve your health and well-being. You will be more creative. Sporting events will be won and injuries decreased. Pain will be eased,

WHAT IS IT???? A new Wonder Drug? Nirvana? Heaven? No, it's Massage Therapy. AND IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS ! ! !

Human Touch is required to grow, feel better, and sustain health. After many years of research, we have learned what the ancients always knew. Touch is essential. Massage Therapy provides this nurturing and healing touch. Massage Therapy is the soft tissue manipulation technique used to achieve or increase health and well-being. There are documented health, creative and relaxation benefits of this technique

Several types of massage therapy are recognized by the American Massage Therapy Association. For the most part, massage therapists are licensed by their state of country. As with all medical treatment, you should know the credentials of the practitioner before you have any treatment. Other methods of Body Work also exists, such as Polarity, Reiki, Trager, and others, which will not be covered on this page.

The scientific evidence exists. There are health benefits, but there are also contra-indications, reasons against using it.

MASSAGE THERAPY

	TYPES OF MASSAGE THERAPY
	HEALTH BENEFITS OF MASSAGE THERAPY
	WHAT THE STUDIES TELL US
	CAUTIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS
	ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
	MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
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TYPES OF MASSAGE THERAPY

SHIATSU AND ACCUPRESSURE
These are Oriental-based systems of finger pressure massage. It treats special points along Accupressure zones or 'meridians' - invisible channels of energy flow in the body. If energy is blocked along these meridians, physical discomfort and pain can result. The technique releases the blocks and re-balances the energy flow. Shiatsu and Accupressure can be used for specific points or the full body. An excellent site for mapping the Points is at the Guide to Accupressure Page. It's graphics intense so be patient with the download time.

REFLEXOLOGY
Reflexology uses deep pressure on specific points of the hands and feet. These points are thought to correspond or "reflex" all areas of the body. Usually this is done for specific areas but whole body work can be done. The Association of Reflexologists has well done links for this.

SWEDISH MASSAGE
The name does not imply the country but a specific type ofd massage that uses long strokes, kneading and friction on the superficial layers of muscles, combined with both active and passive joint movements. This system is used primarily for full body massage. It promotes relaxation, circulation, range of motion and relieves muscle tension.

DEEP MUSCLE/CONNECTIVE TISSUE MASSAGE
As the name implies, this technique is used to relieve chronic tension patterns throughout the body. It also uses long strokes but combines it with deep pressure finger pressure on areas that are contracted. This technique works with muscles, tendons, and fascia. Both full body and specific area work is done with this technique.

CRANIO-SACRAL MASSAGE
Finding and correcting cerebral and spinal imbalances or blockages to sensory, motor, or intellectual function is the role of this technique.

TRIGGER POINT MASSAGE (A.K.A. MYOTHERAPY OR NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY)
Often used to deal with pain, this technique uses concentrated finger pressure to areas or "trigger points" that are painful or irritated areas in muscles. This breaks the cycle of spasm and pain caused by contracted muscles.

SPORTS MASSAGE
There are two types of Sports Massage Therapy: Maintenance and Event. Maintenance is on-going massage that is used to help the athlete reach optimal performance by keeping her/him injury-free during training. Event takes place before, during and after a competition This massage allows warm-up of muscles, keeping muscles supple and pliant during events, and cooling down or massaging the muscles used in the event to help repair small damages that can occur.

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HEALTH BENEFITS OF MASSAGE THERAPY

EMOTIONAL

Connection of the Mind and Body is increased.
Creates a general feeling of well-being.
Emotional expression becomes easier.
Enhances self-image.
Reduces anxiety.
Satisfies the need for the human nurturing touch.
Self-image is enhanced.

MENTAL

Enhances calm thinking and creativity.
Improves the ability to notice stress signals and respond appropriately.
Induces a relaxed state of alertness.
Reduces mental stress.

PHYSICAL

Aids in re-education of muscles.
Promotes deeper breathing.
Promotes Deep relaxation and stress reduction.
Relieves muscle tension and stiffness and reduces muscle spasm.
Increases ease and efficiency of movement by providing greater joint flexibility and range of motion.
Improves circulation of blood and lymph fluids.
Assists with removal of metabolic wastes.
Reduces blood pressure.
Relieves tension related headaches and eye-strain.
Enhances and promotes faster healing time from pulled muscles and sprained ligaments: reduces pain and swelling; reduces formation of excessive scar tissue.
Improves skin nourishment.
Improves posture.
Strengthens the immune system by increasing circulation and disposal of wastes.
Improves the ability to notice stress signals and respond appropriately.

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WHAT THE STUDIES TELL US

Massage therapy enhanced weight gain in preterm infants. (Scafidi F.A.; Field T.; Schanberg S.M. Factors that predict which preterm infants benefit most from massage therapy. J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 14 (3): 176-80; June 1993.)

Sports massage may reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and Creatine Kinase when administered two hours after the termination of eccentric exercise. (Smith LL; Keating MN; Holbert D; Spratt DJ; McCammon MR; Smith SS; Israel RG. The Effects of Athletic Massage on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Creatine Kinase, and Neutrophil Count: A Preliminary Report. J. Orthop Sports Phys. Ther. 19 (2) p. 93-99; February 1994.)

Massage increased lymph flow by a rate by seven to nine times. (Elkins EC; Herrick JF; Grindlay JH; et.al. Effects of various procedures on the flow of lymph. Arch. Phys. Med. 34:31; 1953.)

Slow stroke massage reduces heart rate and blood pressure. (Fakouri C; Jones P. Relaxation Rx: Slow Stroke Back Rub. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 13 (2): p. 32-35; February 1987.)

Massage was shown to be an effective short-term nursing intervention for pain. (Weinrich SP; Weinrich MC. The Effect of Massage on Pain in Cancer Patients. Appl. Nurs. Res. 3 (4) p. 140-45; November 1990.)

This study confirmed clinical and physiological effects of massage. (Puustjarvi K; Airaksinen O; Pontinen PJ. The effects of massage in patients with chronic tension headache. Acupunct. Electrother. Res. 15 (2) p. 159-62; 1990.)

Reduction in Morning Sickness (Dundee JW; Sourial FB; Ghaly RG; Bell PF. P6 Accupressure Reduces Morning Sickness. Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine. 81 (8): p.456-57; August 1988.)

Perineal Massage decreases episiotomy (Avery MD; Burket BA. Effect of Perineal Massage on Incidence of Episiotomy and Perineal Laceration in a Nurse-Midwifery Service. Journal of Nurse-Midwifery. 31 (3): p. 128-34; May/June 1986.)

And the list goes on.

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CAUTIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS

Please let your Massage Therapist know if you have any of the following conditions. They may be REASONS YOU CANNOT HAVE (CONTRA-INDICATIONS) Massage Therapy.

Anemia
Aneurysms
Arteriosclerosis
Arthritis
Boils
Bursitis
Cancer
Contact Lenses
Cysts
Diabetes
Diverticulitis
Edema
Embolisms
Encephalitis
Erysipelas
Fever

Gout
Heart Problems
Hemophilia
Hematomas
Hepatitis of other jaundice
Hernias
Herniated Disc
Hypertension
Inflammation
Lice
Lymphangitis
Mental Problems
Multiple Sclerosis
Open Wounds
Osteoporosis

Peritonitis
Phlebitis
Pregnancy
Ringworm
Skin Problems
Paralysis of any kind
Tuberculosis
Tumors
Any Undiagnosed Problems
Varicose Veins
Tingling in any part of the body, especially hands or feet

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

	American Massage Therapy Association		Shiatsu: Therapeutic Art of Japan
	Association of Reflexologists		Accupressure.org
	Guide to Accupressure Page		Home of Reflexology

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MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: The information on these pages are by no means a diagnosis or treatment prescription for you to use these medications or methods without supervision. You should seek out a good alternative therapist or check with your physician before using any of the means presented here. Please see ENTIRE MEDICAL DISCLAIMER. by clicking the LINK. A seperate Window will open. When you are finished reading, just close the window.

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