Massage

5 Reasons to Get a Massage This Summer

While many people think of massage as a treat for special occasions, the truth is that regular massage can be extremely beneficial, especially during the summer months. Here are five reasons why you should consider getting a massage this summer:

  1. Aches, Pains, Sprains and Strains – Regular massage helps soften and relax injured or overused muscles. Muscles being used more frequently can lead to aches and pains. Regular massage increases circulation and oxygenation, which helps the muscles heal more quickly. Massage also releases endorphins from the brain that are natural painkillers.
  2. Improved Mood / Mental Attitude – The added stress of having the kids in the house, all day, every day, during the summer months can lead to anger and frustration. Getting a massage will help the mind and body relax. Studies confirm that regular massage can be beneficial for stress. Massages increase the feel good hormones known as serotonin and dopamine, while reducing the stress hormone known as cortisol. This leads to an improved mental state.
  3. Decreases Joint Swelling – The increased amount of heat and humidity can frequently cause swelling of the joints, particularly the knees and ankles. Massage helps to decrease the static accumulation of fluids in the joints by increasing circulation. Lymphatic massage is especially good at this because it pushes fluids through the body, releases toxins in the cells and keeps things flowing to reduce swelling.
  4. Increases Immunity – With all the added activity and fatigue from running around, summer colds can be common. Regular massage increases circulation in the body and oxygenation of the cells. This can help bolster the body’s immune system, allowing it to heal faster by increasing the amount of lymphocytes in the bloodstream. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that fight off disease and infection.
  5. Lowers Blood Pressure – Regular massages can be very beneficial to the circulatory system and a person’s blood pressure. Because massage is so relaxing, it can help lower blood pressure, while also decreasing the risk of stroke or a heart attack. When stress increases, so too does the blood pressure. As mentioned before, massage is a great way to decrease stress levels.

This list represents the tip of the iceberg when it comes to why massage can be beneficial to everybody during the summer months. So whether you’re suffering from aches and pains, high blood pressure, a summer cold or joint swelling, finding a massage therapist might be exactly what the doctor ordered. If nothing else, you get a few minutes of relaxation and no worries. Who can’t use that?

7 Ways to Improve Energy Using Massage

Massage therapy has been around for centuries. The ancient texts of many languages, including Chinese, Indian, Greek and Egyptian mention it. While the exact roots of massage therapy are unknown, it is known that getting regular massages is beneficial for the recipients. Massage can treat everything from aches and pains, digestive issues, insomnia and more.  continue reading »

Benefits of Using Sesame Seed Oil for Massage

When most people think of sesame seed oil, their mind drifts to things like Asian cuisine or cooking. But sesame seed oil has been used for thousands of years for more than just cooking. Sesame seed oil was first mentioned in the Vedas, which is a large body of texts originating in India. Sesame seed oil is a vegetable oil that is derived from sesame seeds and it is commonly used as a massage lubricant, like coconut oil. And just like coconut oil, sesame seed oil has many health benefits. Sesame seed oil is sometimes referred to as the Queen of Oils because of its many uses and health benefits. Here’s a small sampling of why sesame seed oil is so amazing. continue reading »

The Benefits of Massage for Arthritis

Arthritis is a word that is thrown around a lot these days. Arthritis is defined as a painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints. While arthritis is frequently thought of as an old age ailment, it can actually affect anybody, even children. This debilitating disease affects nearly 48 million Americans. It reduces a person’s ability to remain mobile, it reduces their quality of life and the health care costs are staggering. But there is hope for those who suffer from arthritis. continue reading »

How Massage Can Help With Postoperative Pain

A survey performed in 2009 showed that 48 million inpatient surgeries were performed that year. Everything from eye surgery to musculoskeletal surgeries were included. And this survey doesn’t even include the millions of outpatient surgeries that were performed. The numbers are staggering. What is even more staggering is that 80 percent of the people undergoing surgery reported that they had some form of postoperative pain. But the scariest statistic of all is that 10 to 50 percent of these patients then develop chronic pain from the surgery itself. That’s a whole lot of people who didn’t get relief from their pain, even after a surgery was performed that may have been deemed as a correction for the initial pain. continue reading »