Massage - Have you ever noticed how you instinctively reach out to massage, rub or touch a part of your body that is painful? We instinctively stroke our temples and forehead to soothe a headache, rub our necks to ease tension, massage our abdomen when we have overeaten and feel bloated, and gently touch or kiss a child’s hurt better.
The importance of touch as an avenue for healing of both the body and the mind should not be underestimated. Touch is one of our most important senses, and a powerful and highly sensitive form of communication. It creates a powerful bond between mother and child, between lovers and friends. It is a natural reaction to reach out and touch something to feel its texture, or to respond to another person’s pain. Touch makes us feel secure and loved.
Our skin is by far the largest sensory organ. It is the receptor that sends messages to our mind about the external environment. Massage is the art of touch that has deep and profound healing powers for the mind, body and spirit.
Increasingly, medical research points to the link between the health of the mind and the body. Much research now suggests that negative mind states such as anxiety, fear, worry, anger and hostility may reduce the immune system, making one susceptible to increased illness.
According to Dr Candace Pert, cited in Clare Maxwell-Hudson’s book, Massage, The Definitive Visual Reference, “….old patterns of emotions are stored in nerve cells of the spinal cord and other parts of the nervous system”. Touch assists by activating these areas and, therefore, affects the mind through an induced state of relaxation.
This state is promoted through the release of endorphins, which generate pleasant and positive feelings. According to Dr Candace Pert “when people feel pleasure, they focus on the present moment rather than stay involved with worries or preoccupations”.
We may work in jobs where we sit in uncomfortable positions for hours in front of computers, or spend our leisure time in front of the television. In some industries, we see continued repetitive movements. For example, the constant repetitive movements involved in typing and using a computer mouse can lead to tense neck, shoulder and back muscles and sore wrists and arms. With regular massage, strains and sprains to muscles heal more rapidly.
Persistent tension causes the muscles to remain contracted. This leads to these muscles being soaked in their own waste, such as lactic acid, causing further pain, muscular fatigue and rigidity. Massage promotes the release of such waste material from the body through improved circulation and lymphatic drainage.
The build up of such toxins can lead to a range of illnesses such as arthritis. Good circulation also improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and this facilitates the positive growth, development and regeneration of the body’s cells and tissue. This is also important for internal organs such as the liver and kidneys.
Massage also improves the exfoliation of superficial dead skin cells, tones the skin and encourages its renewal process by maintaining collagen fibres, which are important in the skin’s elasticity and strength.
Research also shows that massage can be effective in inducing an improved sense of relaxation and this can improve one’s sleeping patterns and address insomnia where this exists.
Sleep is essential to optimal health as it is during sleep that our body is regenerating itself. Dr Bernie Siegel, a renowned American surgeon, found that deep relaxation has profound effects on people suffering from a range of illnesses including asthma, high blood pressure and depression.
Professional massage therapists offer a wide variety of techniques depending on your needs and their specialties. A separate article will address the differences between the different types of massage.
While massage conducted by a professional massage therapist should be safe and has enormous benefits to you, there are a number of situations where massage should be avoided or at least entered into with caution. A professional massage therapist should be able to advise you about this further.
Massage should be avoided where you have a contagious disease or infection or where you have a high temperature or fever. In cases where there are serious medical concerns, you should also check with your doctor before you have a massage. Always consult with a professional massage therapist to be sure of the right treatment for you.
In the following situations, massage should be conducted with care. At the very least, massage of the local area is best avoided.