Monday, 11 March 2013

Massage History, Practice, And Benefits

By Shane McConnell


Most of us will quickly tell you how a massage benefitted us. However, not many of us know the history of this practice. The general technique of massage has been around for several thousand years. Modern society recognizes about 80 modalities of massage. This practice is often used to rid the body of tension, improve organ functioning, and speed healing due to injury.

Civilizations that existed many years ago, including those in Greece, China, and Mesopotamia, left us images and writings containing reference to massage. In Romania, a unique practice for illness treatment involved a tame bear trodding on a patient, in a form of massage. Contemporary massage clients may not be so receptive to this treatment, though it was effective.

Currently, massage therapists provide us with our treatments. Before they are considered qualified to do so, they attend school to learn techniques like Shiatsu, reflexology, and deep tissue. The most talented can use multiple techniques and work as easily with medical patients as with athletes or the average person. A massage therapist may have an office or travel to client locations such as a home or company.

People may receive a massage to achieve relaxation, hasten healing, improve the way their bodies function, or feel better overall. It is common for a massage therapist to use his or her hands during treatment. Some techniques involve the use of feet, knees, forearms, and elbows. Clients may remove some clothing with certain techniques and they usually sit in a massage chair or lie on a massage table.

How massage works varies based on focus area. Parasympathetic nervous system activation is thought to occur, stimulating serotonin and endorphin release. Excess scar and connective tissue development may be prevented, which increases lymph flow. Relaxation that results from massage tends to improve sleep, which can lead to less pain and aching. Methods and symptoms determine clinical benefits of this practice.




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