Benefits of Massage
Studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have found massage beneficial in improving weight gain in HIV-exposed infants and facilitating recovery in patients who underwent abdominal surgery. At the University of Miami School of Medicine's Touch Research Institute, researchers have found that massage is helpful in decreasing blood pressure in people with hypertension, alleviating pain in migraine sufferers and improving alertness and performance in office workers.
An increasing number of research studies show massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins (enhancing medical treatment). Although therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.
Research has verified that:
| Office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged. |
| Massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients. |
| Abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage. |
| Premature infants who were massaged gained more weight and fared better than those who weren't. |
| Autistic children showed less erratic behavior after massage therapy. |
According AMTA, massage helps both physically and mentally.
Physical Benefits of Therapeutic Massage
| Helps relieve stress and aids relaxation |
| Helps relieve muscle tension and stiffness |
| Alleviates discomfort during pregnancy |
| Fosters faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments; reduces pain and swelling; reduces formation of excessive scar tissue |
| Reduces muscle spasms |
| Provides greater joint flexibility and range of motion |
| Enhances athletic performance; Treats injuries caused during sport or work |
| Promotes deeper and easier breathing |
| Improves circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids |
| Reduces blood pressure |
| Helps relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain |
| Enhances the health and nourishment of skin |
| Improves posture |
| Strengthens the immune system |
| Treats musculoskeletal problems |
| Rehabilitation post operative |
| Rehabilitation after injury |
Mental Benefits of Massage Therapy
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