You will encounter many different forms of massage depending where around the world you travel. However in this modern age, you can probably find all significant forms of massage within a close proximity.
Want to improve your quality of life? Want to perform better and feel energized? Try therapeutic massage therapy. It helps promote stress relief and can be soothing or stimulating. It also helps promote inner harmony and balance.
Therapeutic Massage Therapy refers to soft tissue (e.g. body fluids, muscle fascia) mobilisation in order to restore normal biochemical and systemic use. Usually, it is utilized to aid in treating musculoskeletal (and related) problems. Regular therapeutic massage sessions can result in improved neurological, lymphatic, and circulatory functioning.
Depending on the speed, depth, and technique used, this type of massage therapy can be either soothing or stimulating. It is done by a certified therapist and is an effective and safe way to create harmony and balance within a person.
In today’s fast-paced world, almost everybody experiences high levels of stress within the body. Therapeutic massage therapy is not only beneficial on a cellular level, it is also one of the best options to improve a person’s quality of life.
What Benefits Can You Get From Therapeutic Massage Therapy?
As the world becomes more fast-paced, more and more people are getting anxious and stressed. This leads to therapeutic massage therapy becoming an attractive option for busy people. Therapeutic massage can be beneficial for a variety of reasons.
Health Promotion And Maintenance
Therapeutic massage therapy promotes lifestyle changes and encourages overall health awareness. In addition, the said technique also promotes healthy tissues.
Stress Management
Therapeutic massage therapy helps to relieve muscular tension and loosens tight muscles. In addition, it promotes general relaxation among clients. Massage therapy reduces levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which in turn leads to reduced stress and better stress management.
Post-Surgical Care
This technique often leads to a decrease in recovery periods necessary post-surgery. In addition, it helps reduce stiffness and pain associated with long periods of bed rest.
Psychological Disorders And Overall Emotional Well-Being
Massage therapy helps release endorphins, feel-good hormones that reduce depression and uplifts a person’s mood.
Terminal Illness
Therapeutic massage helps reduce discomfort and pain linked to long periods of bed rest. In addition, it provides support and decreases emotional stress experienced by patients and their loved ones.
Chronic Pain
It reduces muscle tightness leading to discomfort. In addition, it helps break the cycle of pain spasm.
Supplementary Care For Disabled Persons
Helps promote overall well-being and health even for disabled persons. It also gives emotional support to the patient and promotes overall tissue health.
Sports Participation
Therapeutic massage therapy can help with pre- and post-events in sports. It helps reduce the possibility of injury. In addition, it enhances an athlete’s performance and speeds up the recovery process.
Therapeutic Massage Therapy Types
Various types of massages can be opted for by clients. You can read about them in blogs, journals, and newspapers. Therapeutic massage is described in a variety of ways. These might include rehabilitation massage, relaxation massage, sports massage, deep tissue massage, and anti-stress massage. All of these techniques fall under the therapeutic massage category.
Choosing The Right Therapist
It is important to choose a therapist that is licensed within your state. He or she must have gone through intensive training that involves not only massage but the study of anatomy, pathology, physiology, and pathophysiology. Years of experience is a vital factor in choosing a therapist. Consult with your doctor for recommendations. Or, you can ask suggestions from family and friends. The key here is to find a therapist that is trained and qualified to perform therapeutic massage therapy.
Clinical Studies
Only a few studies regarding therapeutic massage therapy were done in other parts of the world. However, extensive research studies were conducted in the United States. In 1991, a study was conducted by the University Of Miami’s Touch Research Institute. Qualitative studies regarding therapeutic massage therapy and its benefits were done. Thus, the said therapeutic technique became a mainstream method of treatment.
Other research studies reported the following:
- Massage therapy had been found to relieve patients of pain and discomfort.
- An April 2001 journal reported that massage therapy can help with chronic lower back pain. These findings are actually supported by other studies conducted by different researchers.
- Massage therapy has been found to help children with ADD or attention deficit disorder. Weekly massages that span a period of one month were given to these children. The result is a reduce in the hyperactivity of children in class.
What Happens During The Treatment?
Haven’t tried therapeutic massage. Well, we will spill the beans on what happens during a session.
The session is done in private within a therapist’ massage room. Initial consultation (Q & A) lasts for a period of approximately 2 hours. All information given are confidential. The first 30 minutes is utilized to gain information regarding a person’s medical history. This is used to identify if a person is a good candidate for therapeutic massage or not.
The relationship between the therapist and the patients remains confidential. The therapist will also explain the scope of his or her practice including the code of ethics. An indemnity form will be given for the patient to sign. This is for the protection of both the therapist and the patient.
After the initial consultation, the patient will undress in the treatment room alone or inside the restroom. He or she will lay down the massage table. Towels will be given to cover private areas. The therapist does his or her best to protect the patient’s dignity. The latter shouldn’t feel invaded at any point in time during the session.
High quality essential oils are utilized by the therapist. Rhythmical work is applied to the patient’s body. The pressure applied is gentle and firm. The main goal of a therapeutic massage is to avoid causing pain that would actually nullify the various benefits provided by a massage. The therapist will work over the whole body of the patient methodically. He or she will ensure that the patient is comfortable throughout the session.
After the session, the patient will be encouraged to do a few things. One of which is to drink a lot of water. This is because a therapeutic massage therapy session will have detoxifying effects on the body. It is important to remember that multiple sessions are necessary to notice significant improvements in the body. However, with the first session, you can start to see results especially with one’s mental and physical well-being.
The Bottom Line
Therapeutic massage therapy has profound benefits on the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of a person. Touch has an undeniable importance in helping a person heal.
Once therapeutic massage therapy is practiced properly, it can be a very powerful tool to help people heal and reduce pain. It is a safe and effective way of improving one’s quality of life. Find a massage clinic nearby and enjoy the benefits of a wonderful massage experience.
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