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Benefits Galore!

I'm trying to educate my clients about all the benefits that massage has to offer. And I'm also trying to direct them to my blog, because I feel that it will help spread the word. This is taken from my Healing Hands blog:

Lots of people have received massage, but many are not educated about all the benefits that it has to offer. But we can all agree that there’s absolutely no denying the power of bodywork. Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it (pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress relief, pain management), massage therapy can be a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen.

Experts estimate that upwards of 90% of disease is stress related. (And I personally agree!) And perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help manage stress. This translates into:

Decreased anxiety

Enhanced sleep quality
Greater energy

Improved concentration

Increased circulation

Reduced fatigue

Furthermore, clients often report a sense of clarity and a new outlook after receiving a massage. The emotional balance massage provides can be just as vital and valuable as the physical benefits.

Profound Effects
In response to massage, specific physiological and chemical changes cascade throughout the body, with profound effects. Research shows that with massage:

Arthritis sufferers note fewer aches and less stiffness and pain

Asthmatic children show better pulmonary function and increased peak air flow

Burn injury patients report reduced pain, itching, and anxiety

High blood pressure patients demonstrate lower diastolic blood pressure, anxiety, and stress hormones Premenstrual syndrome sufferers have decreased water retention and cramping

Preterm infants have improved weight gain

Research 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. Consequently, the medical community is actively embracing bodywork, and massage is becoming an integral part of hospice care and neonatal intensive care units. Many hospitals are also incorporating on-site massage practitioners and even spas to treat post-surgery or pain patients as part of the recovery process. I have personally found that communities are becoming more receptive to medical massage. Settings such as hospitals, Chiropractic offices, Dentists, and other healthcare facilities are starting to incorporate massage therapy into their practice.

Massage may also help with:

Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion

Assist with shorter, easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten maternity hospital stays

Ease medication dependence

Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow—the body’s natural defense system

Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles

Help athletes of any level prepare for, and recover from, strenuous workouts

Improve the condition of the body’s largest organ—the skin

Increase joint flexibility

Lessen depression and anxiety

Promote tissue regeneration, reducing scar tissue and stretch marks

Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation

Reduce post-surgery adhesions and swelling

Reduce spasms and cramping

Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused muscles

Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body’s natural painkiller

Relieve migraine pain

Like I said: lots of people have received massage, though many are not educated enough about its benefits. I hope this post has been helpful and educational for you, so that you may be able to reap the rewards of massage and bodywork.

Benefits Galore!

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