Massage – A Therapeutic Boon for all mankind

One of the most influential therapy in today’s world is “Massage therapy ” which is done manually to control soft body tissues like ligaments, tendons, muscle and connective tissue that results in enhancing a person’s physical fitness, strength and well-being. If we look at the types of massage therapy methods then they are in masses (commonly termed as modalities). There are various reasons for getting massage done to our body:-

• Recover pains and injuries,
• Comfort muscles,
• Lower depression, stress level to minimum,
• Stimulate complete health and wellness.

There are proven observations by clinical studies that routine massage therapy results in amplifying our cytotoxic capacity (the movement level of the body’s naturally called “killer cells”) that is there in our immune system. It also reduces the count of T-cells, which boosts the overall functioning of immune system. In one of the study carried by Gail Iron son,, M.D., a 45 minute long massage was given up to five consecutive days a week, consistently for a month period to HIV positive men. This study gave rise serotonin and growth in cells that were viewed as the first line of defense in their immune system.
“Massage is one such therapy that helps in repairing the soft tissue by transporting blood and necessary nutrients to such badly affected area. It not only repairs soft tissues but encourage in breaking up scar tissue that results in muscles supple to lower down the growing of scar tissue further in the place.” In case of athletes of all disciplines, massage is a boon in getting flexibility and elasticity in the muscles. Professional therapists are trained at such level that they can stretch the muscles in affected areas, elevating boosted flexibility at the time when body is warm and more elastic. Massage therapy includes acting and performing on the body with pressure that might be – stationary, unstructured, structured or moving – tension, motion or vibration, done manually or with the help of aids.

Massage can be done with the help of

• Feet,
• Knees,
• Forearm,
• Hands,
• Elbows,
• Fingers or a
• Massage device.

In professional way a person taking massage therapy is treated by lying him/her on a massage table, sitting in a massage chair, lying on a mat on the floor and one such similar massage type is aquatic massage that is done in a warm-water pool.

This therapy is known to be oldest form healing artic is believed that the ancient Indians, Egyptians, Greeks and Chinese were some of them who practiced it and are following today. This therapy was vastly accepted in the United States in the mid-1800, just to diminish in the following century and not revive until the 1960’s and 1970’s.Today, around 100,000 massage therapists in number are found in the United States. They practice massage therapy in health clubs, hospitals, private studios, etc. People prefer to go them for many different reasons for the beneficial of good health. To our wonder it is found that most therapists follow one or two methods of massage techniques from more than 250 varieties of massage techniques.
“Massage helps in boosting brain chemistry responses that gives long lasting feelings of freshness, reduced stress and good mood.“