Massage is not a luxury, it is a rehabilitative tool for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Massage Therapy is a profession in which the practitioner applies manual techniques, and may apply adjunctive therapies with the intention of positively affecting the health of the client.
Massage is manual soft tissue manipulation and includes holding, causing movement and or applying pressure to the body.
Therapy is a series of actions aimed at achieving or increasing health and wellness.
Manual means by use of hand or body.
Information reproduced with permission from the American Massage Therapy Association.
What to Expect
Your massage therapist will do everything possible to insure that your experience is positive and rewarding. You’ll be asked about your reasons for getting a massage, current physical condition, medical history, life-style, stress level, areas of pain, and other pertinent topics.
You’ll be asked to undress in private and drape yourself with the sheet, towel or gown provided by the therapist. You may leave your underwear off or on, at your discretion. You’ll lie down on a comfortably padded massage table. The therapist will undrape only that part of your body being massaged, insuring that your modesty is respected at all times.
You should expect a peaceful and comfortable environment for your massage. Report distractions of any kind to your therapist, whether from physical discomfort, room temperature, volume of music, or any other source.
After your massage
Drink plenty of water. Massage releases physical and emotional toxins held in your muscles. Drinking plenty of water will flush these toxins from your body and will help with any residual pain after deep tissue work.
Benefits of Massage
Everyone can benefit from a professional massage.
Massage therapy can:
- provide anything from soothing relaxation to deeper therapy for specific physical problems.
- relieve your stress and anxiety.
- increase the nourishing blood supply to your tissues.
- improve your energy and alertness.
- aid your recovery from pulled muscles or sprained ligaments.
- ease many of the uncomfortable stresses of child bearing, including edema, backaches, and exhaustion.
- relieve certain repetitive motion injuries related to on-the-job activities.
- greatly reduce your pain if you suffer from such problems as temporal mandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) or carpal tunnel syndrome.
- compensate, at least in part, for lack of exercise and muscular contraction if you’re a person who, because of age, injury, or illness, is forced to remain inactive.
A healthy response
Once your massage is underway, a whole range of beneficial reactions is set in motion. The therapy can:
- hasten the elimination of waste and toxic debris that are stored in your muscles.
- increase the interchange of substances between the blood and tissue cells.
- heighten the oxygenation of the tissues.
- stimulate the relaxation response within your nervous system.
All of these responses can:
- help to strengthen your immune system.
- increase your joint flexibility and range of motion.
- lower your blood pressure.
There are some instances when the use of massage might not be appropriate. Be sure to consult your physician before initiating any massage program. An experienced massage therapist will also be able to tell you when massage is not indicated.
