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ABOUT MASSAGE THERAPY
Why Massage Therapy?
Sports injuries, household accidents, repetitive actions on the job and tension from everyday stresses can all cause problems that too often take up permanent residence in our bodies.
Massage Therapy provides an alternative health option to help alleviate the soft tissue discomfort associated with everyday and occupational stresses, muscular overuse and many chronic pain syndromes. It can also greatly reduce the development of painful muscular patterning, if employed early enough after accidents involving trauma and injury.
Massage therapy can be performed on either a specially-designed, portable massage chair or table
What is Massage Therapy?
Massage Therapy is the assessment and treatment of the soft tissues and joints of the body. It is used to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function or relieve pain.
It is an effective treatment for headaches, low back pain, whiplash, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, circulatory problems and many other conditions.
Massage Therapy includes, but is not limited to:
* Swedish Massage
* Deep Tissue Massage
* Lymphatic Massage
* Shiatsu/Acupressure Massage
* Sports Massage
* Medical Massage
* Pregnancy Massage
* Myofascial Therapy
Rx-MassageOnsite offers a full spectrum of massage therapies, with a focus on education and prevention.
How can Massage Therapy help you?
Many of today’s health problems arise from stress. Because stress upsets the delicate integral balance of all your body’s functions, regaining this balance is imperative. Massage therapy not only treats parts of you which are a problem, but also affects the whole of your metabolism through normalizing your circulatory, muscular, and nervous systems and their interdependent functioning. Massage therapy is safe and effective when used for stress management, but is also widely used to help patients obtain relief from many specific problems including:
Posture
Many structural imbalances are due to poor posture. Massage releases restrictions in muscles, joints, and surrounding fascia, freeing your body to return to a more natural posture. Common conditions such as scoliosis and hyperkyphosis can be effectively treated bringing back proper body mechanics and restoring function.
Stress
Massage is one of the best known antidotes for stress. Reducing stress gives you more energy, improves your outlook on life , and in the process, reduces your likelihood of injury and illness. Massage can also relieve symptoms of conditions that are aggravated by anxiety such as asthma or insomnia. Because it relieves stress, massage is an excellent supportive therapy for people in psychological counselling or treatment for addiction.
Injuries
Massage therapy can help heal both acute and chronic injuries such as contusions, strains, sprains, dislocations, fractures, as well as overuse injuries that produce numbness and tingling sensations in the upper and lower extremities. Massage reduces inflammation by increasing circulation, which removes waste products and brings nutrition to the affected area. Specific massage techniques can also break down scar tissue in new and old injuries to help restore function.
Painful or tight muscles
Massage can relieve many types of muscle tightness by increasing circulation to the affected area. From strains and sprains to muscle cramps and spasms, massage therapy works. This is done by applying specific massage techniques which release tension directly by stretching your muscles and their connective tissue coverings (called fascia). Other techniques work less directly, but quite powerfully by stimulating your nervous system to allow your muscles to relax.
Tingling in your arms or legs
Muscles can become so contracted that they press on nerves to the arms, hands and legs, causing a tingling sensation. This can be caused by repetitive motions which can be job-related or as simple as sleeping in an awkward position. It can also be caused by tight muscles which may compress a nerve. Specific massage techniques are very effective in treating these kinds of conditions.
Delayed muscle soreness
After vigorous exercise, a buildup of waste products called lactic acid accumulates in your muscles which can leave you very tight and sore. Massage increases circulation, which removes waste products(lactic acid) and brings in healing nutrients.
Secondary pain
Massage can relieve secondary pain that can outlast its original cause. Some examples are headaches from eyestrain, a low back ache during pregnancy, or the protective tensing of healthy muscles around an injury.
Prevention of new injuries
By relieving chronic tension, massage can help prevent injuries that might be caused by stressing unbalanced muscle groups, or by favoring or forcing a painful, restricted area.
Pain or restriction in joints
Besides releasing tight muscles that restrict joint movement, massage works directly on your joints to improve circulation, stimulate production of natural lubrication, and relieve pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis.
The effects of forced inactivity
There are many reasons you may be forced to limit physical activity including injury, surgery, paralysis or even normal aging. When this happens, massage can relieve your aches and pains and improve circulation to your skin and muscles. Even when an immobilized area cannot be massaged directly, the relaxation and increased circulation from a general massage can give you relief.
Fluid retention
Massage increases your circulation which in turn drains tissues of excess fluid caused by recent injury, surgery, or pregnancy.
Digestion
Massage can improve digestive motility.
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