Posts Tagged massage therapy

Massage Therapy: Healthy and Relaxing

Posted by admin in Massage on August 7, 2011

Getting a good massage is one way to pamper or reward yourself after a hard and stressful day. It is one way for you to relax. However, massage is not just for relaxation. As years pass by, many studies were made to prove that massage helps improve one’s health. Thus, massage therapy became part of the medical world in aiding patients to relieve pain, stress, or in rehabilitating patients with injuries.

Massage therapy is not a new medical discovery. Even during the ancient times, massage was used and known as the “art of rubbing”. The massage therapy you know today was first introduced in United States back in 1850 and became popular, especially among athletes, in 1970. And until today, this becomes an alternative way for people to have a healthy lifestyle.

Then, why do people choose to undergo this kind of medical treatment? It is because people can get a lot of health benefits from it. And what are those benefits? Studies conducted by various medical schools and some research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have shown that massage is an effective way to reduce anxiety, depression, or stress, even helps lower blood pressure, and can stimulate weak muscle to make it more active (in case of any muscle related illness or injury). It can also help relieve back pains, headaches or migraines, and neck pains. Other results suggested that massage affects not only the physical reaction of the body but also the chemicals-like endorphins, chemical produced by the pituitary gland when you exercise, eat spicy food, feel excited or feel pain-that it produces.

It is indeed an alternative way-if not an additional prescription by doctors-to improve physical and mental health. But before you take any massage therapy, you should first consider the tips below.

*Find the right therapists. Do not just go into massage clinics or houses without knowing if the therapists are licensed and properly trained to perform a massage. This is very important especially when you have some serious illness or injury. You do not want to worsen any of your pain by just getting the wrong therapist, right? So, it is best to ask your doctor before going on your own. But if you just want a mere relaxation, you can just come to spa and enjoy their massage services.

*Next, always bear in mind that before you take any massage, the therapists will ask you to explain the problems you feel in the body. Tell them exactly where or what parts are in pain. Also tell them if you have sensitive skin or allergy. There might be massage products or certain massage techniques that might affect your body and give side effects.

*And lastly, do not take massage if you have flu or migraine for it might worsen what you feel. Also keep in mind not to take a massage on the area of the body where there are wounds, fractures, or surgery. And if you find hard to breathe when lying face down, you can always ask the therapist to let you lie in sideways. Read the rest of this entry »

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What Is Touch for Health Therapy?

Posted by admin in Massage on August 7, 2011

Changes are part of our lives that we can’t stop or alter in the course we want them to be. The same goes with our health, it degenerates as we grow older each day. The more we age, the more it becomes prone to all sorts of sickness and diseases. Our vessel also becomes fragile and weak as the days goes by. However, we can slow down the process and fight off illness with massage therapy.

Touch for health is one therapy that is known as a therapeutic massage that uses muscle manipulation by testing to find weak muscles. It is known as a branch of applied kinesiology designed for ordinary people to understand and implement on their family and friends. The techniques used in this type of massage therapy are quite simple and easy to learn, understand, and practice. Touch for health uses combined knowledge and elements found in Western medicine, bodywork, and traditional Chinese medicine. All of these components are blended to form a basic type of therapeutic massage that can be utilized and enjoyed by anyone who needs to have treatment. The therapy doesn’t require the learner to be knowledgeable in physical therapy in order to understand the techniques.

The technique uses muscle testing on the affected areas to assess and search for weak muscle groups. The practitioner then works on the strong muscles surrounding the fragile ones in the goal of strengthening and regaining their optimum condition. Muscle testing is constantly performed during the massage therapy in order to get a good idea of the progress of the massage therapy.

Its history can be traced to Dr. George Goodheart’s discovery on the effect and benefits when certain muscles were massaged. He noticed changes in the weak and affected muscles whenever he conducts massage works on the strong muscles connected to the frail ones. This led to the development of the system known today as applied kinesiology.

The idea though wasn’t complete, not until Dr. Goodheart worked with John Thie who was also a chiropractor. Both were diligent and determined in developing a technique using the idea of applied kinesiology on a simpler level that can be understood and learned by everyone. Their goal was to create a massage therapy method that can be practiced and conducted by individuals without proper training and education on physical therapy. Later on, this systematic approach in therapeutic massage education was successfully developed and became known as the new kinesiology Touch for Health.

The therapy session usually begins with the client lying down or sitting on somewhere comfortable and relaxing as the practitioner starts with the evaluation of the muscles. Although it can also be done while standing, most patients prefer to sit down or lay down to avoid discomfort. Read the rest of this entry »

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