There isn’t much that tops the relaxation received from a nice massage after a stressful day at work. Most places utilize the benefits of aromatherapy in combination with their hand techniques to give you an experience that will seem to transfer you to a different world for awhile. This article is going to look at the history of massage and discuss some of the techniques used, along with some medical conditions that can benefit from regular massage therapy. The next time you are thinking “what’s a good place to get a massage near me?” you can keep these ideas in mind as you make your appointment.

What is massage therapy?

When broken down into the very basics, it is the use of pressure applied to various areas of your body in order to help relieve stress, tension, or pain. There are different techniques that your massage therapist may use depending on the reason you need a massage or what you are looking to gain from the experience. Massage services can also be used as an alternative treatment plan for many different disorders, which will be discussed later.

History and background

Massage as a form of medicine can be traced back as early as 2700-2500 with the Chinese and Egyptian cultures. It was included as a form of alternative medicine, listed under the same category as things like acupressure, acupuncture, and herbology. Massage services didn’t reach the Western hemisphere until around 1800 when the idea of the Swedish massage was being perfected. In today’s world, it is being used in all sorts of settings, such as hospitals, birthing centers, nursing homes, and in conjunction with physical therapy and rehabilitation programs.

What techniques are provided?

There are a few basic types of massage therapy that your massage therapist may use. These types include a Swedish massage, sports massage, deep tissue massage, trigger point massage, and prenatal massage. Let’s take a look at how they are different.

Swedish massages: This is the general full body massage that most think of.

Sports massage: In contrast to a full body massage, this focuses primarily on the areas of the body that are stressed during sports or exercise.

Deep tissue massage: This technique is great for those who suffer from chronic pain or muscle tension. It focuses on the deeper layers of muscle and can be either a full body massage or focus on a specific muscle group.

Trigger point massage: This is a targeted type of massage that specifically helps to eliminate areas that are tenser.

Prenatal massage: As the name implies, this is a massage done while a woman is pregnant. It can help with circulation issues and relieve body fatigue as the body grows and changes.

What medical conditions can benefit from massage therapy?

Massage therapy is great for a number of conditions related to stress and chronic pain. The relaxation that it provides can help with mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. It can also help those who struggle with lifelong pain conditions, such as from an autoimmune disease or an old injury. In addition, it can also help those who exercise frequently to provide their muscles with adequate circulation and a shortened recovery time. It’s always important to talk to your doctor prior to make sure you have nothing going on with your health that may be irritated with the pressure of a massage.

In general those are the health benefits that massage therapy can provide:

• Reduced muscle tension.
• Relieves of acute and chronic pain.
• Improves blood circulation.
• Induces better lymph movement.
• Results in increase mobility and range of motion of joints.
• Enhances skin condition.

Also the common medical conditions that can benefit from massage therapy:

• Chronic and acute pain.
• Depression.
• Headache, especially when due to muscle tension.
• Sports injuries.
• Insomnia.
• Circulatory problems.
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disfunction.
• Allergies.
• Arthritis.

Find a massage therapist near me

As you can see, there are more aspects to RMT massage than what initially meets the eye. They are a great resource to routinely include in your lifestyle, especially if things like improved mental state and decreased fatigue are important to you. Massages are no longer just something to splurge on during a girls day; they are a valuable source of alternative medicine that can help treat issues not relieved through other methods. Keep this advice in mind next time if you are looking for a place to get a “massage near me,” you could find Pro Fusion Rehab that has two Massage Therapy clinics conveniently located in Pickering and Milton, Ontario. Also you can use this link to find Registered Massage Therapist from the portal of College of Massage Therapists of Ontario.