Conditions & Benefits

My 3 cats have taught me a lot!

People and pets (LOL) of all ages are turning to massage therapy for relief from the stress of daily life, injuries, and chronic and acute conditions, as well as to help maintain health and wellness. It is one of the oldest healing arts, dating back 3,000 years, according to Chinese records.

Benefits

Using soft-tissue manipulation techniques, massage reduces stress and fatigue, while improving circulation. Depending on the style of massage, techniques may include stroking, kneading, rocking, tapping, or holding a steady pressure.

Massage can reduce pain and anxiety for people with chronic illnesses, such as cancer, and reduce the physiological burden of stress. It can help treat conditions including stress-related tension, cancer-related fatigue, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, low back pain, and depression, just to name a few.

Research has shown that massage can reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increase blood circulation and lymph flow. It also relaxes muscles, improves the range of motion, and increases endorphins, which can enhance medical treatment. Also, The research being conducted on massage therapy demonstrates that it is an effective treatment for reducing chronic and acute physical pain. It can help you recover faster from injuries in the short term and reduce the need for pain medications and surgeries in the long term.

Research also continues to show the enormous benefits of touch—which range from treating chronic diseases, neurological disorders, and injuries, to alleviating the tensions of modern lifestyles.

Therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, although it can stimulate weak and inactive muscles, which helps compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity caused by illness or injury. Plus, Therapeutic massage, in conjunction with directly treating physical pain, also alters your biochemistry; thereby dramatically improving your immune system, as well as boosting positive mood hormones. Stress has been said to be the root of as much as 80% of all diseases and is something massage therapy is known to help with. Getting a massage helps to reduce the stress hormones cortisol, raise feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin, and lower excitatory hormones like norepinephrine and epinephrine.

Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.

Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain, and muscle tension

Most people can benefit from massage. However, massage may not be appropriate if you have:

  • Bleeding disorders or taking blood-thinning medication
  • Burns or healing wounds
  • Deep vein thrombosis
  • Fractures
  • Severe osteoporosis
  • Severe thrombocytopenia

Massage helps release toxins from your soft tissues, so I recommend that you drink plenty of water after your massage session to flush toxins out of your system.

Massage therapy appears to have few risks when performed by a trained practitioner. However, massage therapists should take some precautions for people with certain health conditions.

Getting a massage can do you a world of good. And getting a massage frequently can do even more. This is the beauty of bodywork. Taking part in this form of regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for bodywork at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health. And remember: just because massage feels like a pampering treat doesn’t mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider massage appointments a necessary piece of your health and wellness plan, and work with your practitioner to establish a treatment schedule that best meets your needs.

Some forms of massage can leave you feeling a bit sore the next day. But massage shouldn’t ordinarily be painful or uncomfortable. If any part of your massage doesn’t feel right or is painful, speak up right away. Most serious problems come from too much pressure during massage.

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Any of my Modalities or

Bodywork can help these

Conditions:

(RSL) Massage for Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome

Achilles Injuries & Tendonitis 

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 

ACE – Adverse Childhood Experiences 

ALS –  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis –  Lou Gehrig’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease

Anxiety

Arthritis – Childhood Arthritis – Fibromyalgia – Gout – Osteoarthritis (OA) – Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Arm Pain or Injuries

Asperger’s Syndrome / Disorder

Asthma & Bronchitis

Autism

Autoimmune Diseases

Back Pain

Body Tension

Calf Injuries, Pulls, Strains, Tears, Ruptures, and Myositis

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Cerebral Palsy – CP

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome- CFS

Chronic Pain Syndrome (CPS)

CVST – Two-Cups Cranial Vibro-Sound Therapy

Damaged Nerves, Muscles from Accidents, and Sports Injuries

Depression

Diabetes

Dowager’s (Kyphosis), Buffalo, Thoracic Humps

Dysphonia Muscle Tension

Ease Medication Dependence

Edema

Elbow Pain

Fatigue and Cancer-Related Fatigue

Fibromyalgia

Foot Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)

Fractured Patella for Runners – Hairline Fractures

Frozen Shoulder or Adhesive Capsulitis

Golfer’s Elbow or Medial Epicondylitis, Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylitis

Gout

Hamstring Injury Pain Pulls Tears Tendonitis Tendinopathy Tenosynovitis

Headaches

Heart Disease

High Blood Pressure

Hip Pain & Injuries

Hypertension

Iliopsoas Pain

Insomnia

IT Band  (iliotibial)

Knee Pain

Labral Tears

Leg Pain

Lessening of Depression

Low Back Spasms or Pain

Lower stress levels

Lupus

Lymphatic Drainage

Massage for Addiction / Rehabilitation

Massage for Allergies

Massage for Down Syndrome

Massage for High Blood Pressure

Massage for Hypertension

Massage for Mental Health

Massage for Muscle Tension

Massage for Strokes

Massage for Subluxation

Medical Massage

Mid Back Pain

Migraines

Morton’s Neuroma

MTDY / MTD – Muscle Tension Dysphagia – Muscle Tension Dysphonia

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Muscle injuries

Muscle Knots

Muscle Pulls

Muscle Strains

Muscle Tears

Muscle Tension

Muscle Tension Dysphonia

Muscle Testing – also referred to as –  (Touch for Health, Neurokinetic Therapy, Applied Kinesiology (AK) which George J. Goodheart, a chiropractor, originated applied kinesiology in 1964)

Muscular Dystrophies

Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction

Neck Pain

Occipital Neuralgia

OM / Orthopedic Massage Relief

Osteoarthritis

Physical Pain

Piriformis Syndrome

Polymyositis

Psoas Syndrome

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

Raynaud’s Disease

Recovering from Surgery

Reduce Post Surgery Adhesion and Swelling

Reduce Spasms and Cramping

Reduced Anger and Aggression

Reduced Anxiety

Reduced Fatigue

Repetitive Stress Injuries

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rotator Cuff Injuries

RSI- Repetitive Strain Injury

Scalene Pain

Sciatica Pain

Scoliosis

Shin splints

Shoulder & Arm Pain

Sleep Disorders

Somatic Therapy Massage

Sore or Overused Muscles

Sports Injuries / Falls

Stress Relief / Trigger Point Symptom Checker

Tendon Tears

Tendonitis

Tennis Elbow

Tension Headaches

Therapeutic Pain Relief

Thigh Pain

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

TMJ-Temporomandibular Joint

Torso Pain

Trauma Touch Therapy

Trapezius Pain

Upper Back Pain

Whiplash

Work Injuries / Falls

Plus – any related injuries for general pain relief and or life, work, or school stress relief.

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Further Reading

Diseases & Conditions A-Z Index

Muscle Strain Glossary of Terms

MedTerms Medical Dictionary A-Z List

Benefits

  • Helps relieve stress and aids in relaxation
  • Helps relieve muscle tension and stiffness
  • Alleviates discomfort during pregnancy
  • Fosters faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments; reduces pain and swelling;
    reduces the formation of excessive scar tissue
  • Reduces muscle spasms
  • Provides greater joint flexibility and range of motion
  • Enhances athletic performance
  • Treats injuries caused by sports or work
  • Promotes deeper and easier breathing
  • Improves circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids
  • Reduces blood pressure
  • Helps relieve tension-related headaches and the effects of eye-strain
  • Enhances the health and nourishment of skin
  • Improves posture
  • The Need for Touch
  • Helps relieve cramping
  • Faster recovery from athletic sports activities
  • Help athletes of any level prepare for strenuous workouts.
  • Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles
  • Increases Flexibility and Improves range-of-motion
  • Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces the shortening of the muscles
  • Strengthens the immune system
  • Releases endorphins
  • Treats musculoskeletal problems
  • Postoperative rehabilitation
  • Improves Mood
  • Rehabilitation after injury or surgery
  • Reducing or eliminating pain.
  • Improving joint mobility.
  • Improving circulation.
  • Improving lymphatic drainage.
  • Reducing muscular tension.
  • It counteracts all that sitting you do.
  • It improves sleep
  • It relieves headaches
  • Helps Fibromyalgia
  • Relieve chronic low-back pain
  • Curbing Carpal Tunnel Carpal tunnel
  • Greater energy
  • Heightened Body Awareness
  • Improved concentration
  • Increase muscle tone
  • Promotes nervous system functioning
  • Sedate the nervous system to help ease muscle tension
  • Stimulate sluggish circulation
  • Improves mood, intellectual reasoning, and job performance
  • ANTI-AGING EFFECTS
  • INCREASES ALERTNESS
  • Plus many, many other Conditions
  • Enhances Immune System,  Immunity by Stimulating Lymph Flow—the Body’s Natural Defense System
  • Exercise and Stretch Weak, Tight, or Atrophied Muscles
  • Helps athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts
  • Reduces Risk of Chronic Diseases, such as Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Autoimmune Diseases
  • Relax and Soften Injured, Tired, and Overused Muscles
  • Release Endorphins—Amino Acids that work as the Body’s Natural Painkiller
  • Pump Oxygen and Nutrients into Tissues and Vital Organs, Improving Circulation
  • Promote Tissue Regeneration, Reducing Scar Tissue
  • Improve the Condition of the Body’s Largest Organ—the Skin
  • Improved Sleep Patterns and Decreased Sleep Disturbance
  • Improves Athletic Performance and Enhances Recovery

The power of touch

The simple act of placing the hands on the body can encourage a person to thrive. Many studies have illustrated that without physical touch babies (human or animal) will not thrive and may not even survive. Touch also has a positive effect on caregivers. For example, mothers who regularly have a great deal of physical closeness with their babies experience postpartum depression to a far lesser degree, and elderly caregivers feel a decrease in stress, anxiety, and depression when they touch and are touched.

Academic evidence

A lot of the scientific research on massage therapy is preliminary or conflicting, but much of the evidence points toward beneficial effects on pain and other symptoms associated with a number of different conditions.

A landmark study conducted on rhesus monkeys by Harry Harlow in the 1950s noted that monkeys separated from their mothers soon after birth showed a greater need for tactile comfort than for eating. Since then, many studies have illustrated how touch and massage can assist infants, especially babies born prematurely, to survive, gain weight, and thrive. It has also been shown that the caregivers who massaged the infants benefited as well.

Massage therapy appears to have few risks when performed by a trained practitioner. However, massage therapists should take some precautions for people with certain health conditions.

Further Reading

Massage Therapy for Health Purposes: What the Science Says

What Does the Research Say about Massage Therapy?

Recent Research Provides Evidence of How Massage Therapy Heals

Massage Research Roundups

Massage’s Mystery Mechanism Unmasked

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*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.