Massage and Healing Therapy

Libase Salon

20 April 2021

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Healing Therapy

Massage and Healing Therapy

A Hint of the Massage Culture Appears in Egypt and China
Started practicing massage between 3000 and 2500 BCE

 

The earliest written records of massage therapy were discovered in Egypt and China. Tomb paintings in Egypt depict individuals being kneaded by others. Furthermore, Egyptians are credited with creating reflexology in approximately 2500 BCE. In this system, the practitioner applies pressure to specific points or reflex zones on the feet and hands. In turn, the recipient experiences beneficial effects on the areas of the body that connect to those zones.

Massage has been practiced for thousands of years. In Rome, started practicing massage between 200 and 100 BCE, during the first century BCE, Galen, a physician to many emperors, began using massage therapy to treat different types of physical injuries and diseases. Then, between 1600 and 1800, numerous physicians and scientists observed and documented the benefits of massage. However, Western techniques made few advances until the 19th century. Through the early part of the 20th century, an increasing number of new and rediscovered massage techniques were documented and practiced. In particular, massage was used to treat
World War I patients who suffered from nerve injury or shell shock.

Today’s massage therapists practice a multitude of techniques originating from ancient methods. From those roots, they remain inspired by a goal cultivated centuries ago – to help others heal their physical and emotional well-being and experience a higher quality of life.

Here is information you can use to help you decide what types of massage will work best for you.

What Are the Health Benefits of Massage?

Many types of massage offer benefits beyond simple relaxation. Libase’ Spa Team of Professional Massage Therapists can help you to choose right massage for you.

Here are just a few of the health problems that may benefit from massage. Ask your doctor before using massage for any health condition.

Osteoarthritis: In the first clinical trial looking at the effectiveness of Swedish massage for knee osteoarthritis, participants who received a one-hour massage either one or two times a week had improvements in pain, stiffness, and function.

Back Pain: More than one study has shown the effectiveness of massage therapy for back pain. In fact, one 2002 study showed it worked better than acupuncture or spinal modification for persistent low back pain — reducing the need for painkillers by 40%

Migraine: Another type of pain — headache — also responds to massage therapy, as shown by more than one study. Massage therapy can reduce the number of migraines a person has and also improve sleep.

Depression: Cortisol is not the only chemical that plays a part in stress. Norepinephrine is another stress hormone. Dopamine helps regulate attention, learning, and emotional responses and plays a part in the reward system. Serotonin plays a part in regulating mood. They all play a role in stress. Massage helps to lower levels of anxiety and depressed mood, increase dopamine and serotonin levels, and decreased norepinephrine. Massage also helps memory and concentration problems, trouble sleeping, weight gain, heart disease, and more.

Cancer: Used as a complement to traditional, Western medicine, massage can promote relaxation and reduce cancer symptoms or side effects of treatment. It may help reduce pain, swelling, fatigue, nausea, or depression, for example, or improve the function of your immune system.

Anxiety: Massage helps relieve depression and anxiety. It lowered levels of cortisol by up to 50%. And massage increased levels of neurotransmitters that help reduce depression.

Which Massage Styles Are right for You?

You may have noticed that different massage styles are popular at different times. And you may have wondered whether each was just part of a passing fad or the latest, greatest massage technique? Even more important is how can you tell whether the latest style will actually help you?

 

Styles used in massage therapy range from long, smooth strokes to short, percussive strokes. Some massage therapists use oils and lotions. Massage can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

 

Before you can decide which massage style is best for you, you need to ask yourself a question. Do you simply want a massage for relaxation and stress control? Or do you need symptom relief or help with a certain health condition? Before booking a massage, let the therapist know what you’re looking for and ask which style the therapist uses. Many use more than one style. Or the therapist may customize your massage, depending on your age, condition, or any special needs or goals you have.

Here are some massages with particular strokes and styles of therapy which you can see the right fit for your needs.

Swedish Massage

A stress relief full body massage helps to relax your body and calm the nervous system. During Swedish massage, massage therapists use massage oils to facilitate smooth, gliding strokes called effleurage. Other classic Swedish massage moves include kneading, friction, stretching and (sometimes) taping. This is also combined with movement of the joints. By relieving muscle tension, Swedish therapy can be both relaxing and energizing. And it may even help after an injury.

Deep Tissue Massage

A great massage with intense pressure which works deep into the layers of the muscles. It is helpful for contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness and sore shoulders. Deep tissue massage is a type of massage aimed at the deeper tissue structures of the muscle and fascia. This massage is best for giving attention to certain painful, stiff “trouble spots” in your body. The massage therapist uses slow, deliberate strokes that focus pressure on layers of muscles, tendons, or other tissues deep under your skin. Though less rhythmic than other types of massage, deep tissue massage can be quite therapeutic — relieving chronic patterns of tension and helping with muscle injuries, such as back sprain.

Sports Massage

It’s a fast-paced full body massage, beneficial to increasing flexibility, potential energy and reducing muscle tension. Sports massage was originally developed to help athletes prepare their bodies for optimal performance. It emphasizes the prevention and healing of injuries to the muscles and tendons. This massage developed to help with muscle systems used for a particular sport, sports massage uses a variety of approaches to help athletes in training — before, during, or after sports events. You might use it to promote flexibility and help prevent injuries. Or, it may help muscle strains, aiding healing after a sports injury.

Hot Stone Massage

This massage provides complete relaxation and soothes the specific body points with heated stones which melt away knots, tension and stress. The heat from the stones relaxes muscles and increases the blood flow to the area being worked on which is said to further accelerates the healing process. This increase in circulation and the relaxation of the muscles is also claimed to aid in mental relaxation. This kind of massage, the therapist places warmed stones on certain areas of the body, such as acupressure points. The stones may be used as massage tools or be temporarily left in place. Used along with other massage techniques, hot stones can be quite soothing and relaxing as they transmit heat deep into the body.

Lymphatic Massage

Lymph Drainage Massage is a superficial and stimulating massage with light pressure and oil is applied to lubricate the skin. The massage technique involves stimulating and increasing the lymph circulation, as well as clearing blockages with lymph nodes and vessels throughout the whole body. Soft pumping wave-like strokes are used to stimulate the Lymph Drainage Massage is a superficial and stimulating fluid to flow in the direction of the lymph nodes where the lymph fluid is filtered and then returned to the blood.

Medical Massage

This massage is a systematic manual application of pressure and movement to the soft tissue of the body – skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia (the membrane surrounding muscle and muscle groups). Medical massage promotes the flow of blood and lymph, relieving tension, stimulating nerves, and stretching and loosening muscles. Our specialists in medical massage can provide a welcome relief from the symptoms of neck pain, tension, stress, back pain, headache, muscle pain, and some forms of chronic pain. Massage is also frequently recommended for the treatment of sports injuries and repetitive stress injuries.

Anti-Fatigued Legs and Feet Massage

Tired or stressed legs need intensive care. We now have a treatment to cater to just that. It relieves and invigorates aching feet and legs and reduces swelling of the calves. It allows heavy feeling tired legs to feel light and energized. Reflexology uses hand, thumb, and finger techniques to stimulate certain areas of the feet. These areas are believed to correspond to different parts of the body. The massage, then, is expected to promote health and well-being.

Prenatal Massage

Prenatal massage promotes relaxation, soothes nerves, and relieves strained back and leg muscles in expectant mothers. It is an ideal massage to provide relaxation to mother and child. It improves circulation and concentrates on the neck, back, arms and legs. During pregnancy, your body goes through major changes. Pregnancy massage can help with these changes by reducing stress, decreasing arm and leg swelling, and relieving muscle and joint pain. Massage may be particularly helpful during a time when medication and other medical options may be more limited.

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