Massage
Massage therapy provides relief to many people of all ages and activity levels. It addresses a variety of health conditions with the most prevalent being stress-related tension, which experts believe accounts for a great amount of disease. Massage has been proven beneficial in providing relief from muscular pain and stiffness, low back and neck pain, headaches, scar tissue formation, arm and leg pains, and many other ailments.
Massage offers a drug-free, non-invasive and humanistic approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Physiological effects may include:
- Increasing circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs
- Stimulating the lymph system, the body’s natural defense, against toxic invaders
- Relaxing and softening injured and overused muscles
- Reducing spasms and cramping
- Increasing joint flexibility
- Reducing recovery time for strenuous workouts and eliminating subsequent pains of the athlete at any level
- Releasing endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller
- Improving range of motion and decreasing discomfort for patients with low back and neck pain
- Relieving pain for migraine sufferers
- Providing exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reducing shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion
- Contributing to shorter labor and overall comfort for expectant mothers