Massage Therapy For Stress Reduction

Massage therapy has been around for over thousands of years and has many benefits, which people use from treating specific diseases to general wellness. There are few risks associated with massage therapy, provided it is done by a trained massage professional. There are over 80 types of massage therapy and in all of them the therapist manipulates muscles and other soft tissues of the body. A popular therapy is the Swedish massage, where the therapist uses long strokes, friction and kneading on the muscles and shifts joints to promote flexibility. Another type is Shiatsu, where the therapist focuses on rhythmic pressure from the fingers on parts of the body that are thought to be essential in the flow of a vital energy called qi.

Massage therapy is provided in a variety of settings including private offices, clinical settings, hospitals, nursing homes, studios, fitness facilities and even in the home or office in certain cases. A massage usually lasts from 30 to 60 minutes, but could be as short as 15 minutes or last as long as 2 hours. One of the benefits of massage therapy is stress reduction and the therapist usually provides a calm setting with dim light, soft music or pleasant fragrances. Other benefits that are thought to be gained from massage therapy are that it may help block pain signals to the brain, release certain chemicals in the body such as serotonin or endorphins and help to improve sleep to help the body heal better.

Physicians do not recommend massage therapy for patients who have deep vein thrombosis, bleeding disorders or are on blood thinners, damaged blood vessels, osteoporosis or cancer. If you are pregnant, have heart problems or are diabetic, it is recommended that you check with your health care provider prior to making an appointment. Some side effects of massage therapy are temporary pain or discomfort, bruising, swelling and sensitivity or an allergic reaction to massage oils.