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Health Benefits of Therapeutic Massage

There are 2 levels of health benefits when receiving a therapeutic massage: the mental, and the physical.

The physical benefits center on the massages ability to relieve stress and the way that it aids relaxation. It helps to relieve muscle tension and stiffness and can aid in relieving discomforts felt during pregnancy. It can also foster faster healing of strained muscles and ligaments that have been sprained. It can reduce pain and swelling of joints and muscles and also reduce the formation of excessive scar tissue from injuries. Massage can provide increased joint flexibility and better range of motion. It has been shown to improve or enhance the athletics performance level as well as to treat any sport injury. It promotes deeper and easier breathing and can improve circulation of blood and improve the lymphatic system. It does reduce your blood pressure and help to relieve tension-related headaches and the effects of eyestrain. It can aid in the nourishment of skin thus improving the condition of your skin. It can improve your posture and treat musculoskeletal problems you may be experiencing after surgery or after a sports related injury.

The mental health benefits of therapeutic massage are that it fosters a peace of mind, promotes a more relaxed state of alertness and can relieve mental stress. It can help you to improve your ability to monitor stress signals and aid you in responding to them more appropriately. You may be able to think more calmly and be more creative in your thinking patterns. There are emotional benefits to massage that are of a direct result of the mental improvements that it gives those who receive it. It can reduce your level of anxiety, give you a greater sense of body awareness and give you a keen-awareness of the connection between body and mind.

Research studies show that massage reduces heart rate, can lower your blood pressure and increase your blood circulation while improving your lymph flow affecting your body's ability to deal with toxins. It relaxes muscles and improves your range of motion. Endorphins that enhance how your body deals with pain are a benefit to those suffering from injury. Massage cannot increase your muscle strength; but it can stimulate weak or inactive muscles and therefore can partially compensate for the lack of muscle tone due to weak or inactive muscles. Persons suffering from weak muscle tone due to muscle injury or lack of exercise or inactivity due to injury or illness can realize some benefit from massage. It also has been found to improve or quicken recovery from illness or injury.

Your sports trainer or health care provider may recommend receiving therapeutic massage to either enhance your workout or reduce the pain, muscle or joint injury suffered from overextending during workouts or to prevent injury during a workout. Massage is often part of the treatment plan following surgery or a long illness. Your health care professional may give you a referral to a certified or licensed massage therapist.