AAAHHHHHHH!!! MASSAGE!!!
|
|
With Valentine's Day around the corner, one gift that is right up there with a box of fine chocolates is a massage!
 Back To Health now offers massage! Call 954-565-0075 to give a gift to a loved one...or to treat yourself!
What is it exactly that makes a massage so special?
The obvious answer is that it
feels good and it is nice to be pampered.
But there is more to it. Massage
may be the oldest form of medical care.
There are ancient Egyptian paintings depicting massage and a Chinese
book of medicine dating back to 2700 B.C. recommends the "massage of the skin
and flesh" to treat various ailments. In the West in the 5th century
B.C. , Hippocrates, the Father of Western Medicine wrote: "The physician must
be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing...for rubbing can loosen
a joint that is too rigid."
 Now modern research strongly suggests that there are very
real medical benefits to massage.
Studies show that massaging premature or sickly babies help them to
recover and grow more quickly than babies who do not get massage.
Another study showed significant improvement
in blood pressure in patients who received regular brief massages versus those
who did not. Apparently massage stimulates the receptors that prompt action
from the Vagus nerve which regulates blood pressure. Massage has also been
shown to help with pain relief by at least temporarily decreasing the
production of "P", a brain chemical related to pain.
Those suffering from depression and stress
can also find relief in massage. Cortisol, which is produced when we are
stressed, kills cells important for immunity and studies show that levels of
cortisol are dramatically decreased with massage. In this regard getting massages during
stressful period in our life may help ward off a cold or other illness. |
|
Types of Massage |
|
 There are many different types of massage from traditional Swedish to hot stone.There is no
evidence that one is better than another for most of the medical benefit; it is
really just a matter of what you prefer.
In addition, it is not even necessary that the place on us that hurts
most be the focus of massage because massage produces chemical changes that can
decrease stress and pain throughout the body.
While it is great to know that we are receiving medical
benefit from massage, I think what really makes it special for most of us is a
break from our hectic routines and the comfort of caring human touch.
If you
have any questions about this article, you can contact us through our website:
www.backtohealthpt.com
|
