The Power of Massage as an Alternative Therapy

For some three thousand years now, massage has been an essential constituent of the art of healing. Think of the pharaohs of Egypt and the ancient Chinese who all did it - as we now do it. Today, massage is classified as an alternative therapy. But inspite of its being categorized as such, its healing power, as well as its many benefits, are being recognized by an increasing number of health professionals in the prevailing current activities in the medical field. It used to be that massage was widely used as a standard form of treatment in sports medicine or as a therapeutic treatment of bodily disorder. But even other health conditions, such as stress, depression, and even juvenile diabetes, are now being helped treated with massage therapy.

Massage therapists manipulate the soft tissues and muscles of the body with the use of their hands. In some cases, they also use their forearms, elbows, or even their feet. Massage therapy involves different techniques: pressing, stroking, shaking, or tapping. While all of these are rather easy to perform, they are known to effectively alleviate sore muscles, advance relaxation, and make healing of certain health conditions a lot easier. Various studies reveal the many other useful aids of massage therapy, as follows:

- It relieves pain and eases feeling of weariness or exhaustion.

- It lessens muscle tautness and alleviates stress.

- It decreases swelling and accelerates the mending of damaged muscle tissues.

- It betters circulation and lowers blood pressure, albeit temporarily.

- It improves posture and joint pliantness.

There are certain conditions in which massage is not advised. If, for instance, you have been recently inflicted with an injury, verify with your doctor before having a massage. Also, massaging a skin infection, an open wound, or an area with obvious inflammation of the vein is not recommended. Massaging an area affected by cancer is a definite no-no.

When visiting a massage therapist, be prepared of certain things that may be asked of you. For example, the massage therapist will ask you to provide information about conditions relating to your health, or why you think or feel you need the treatment. Some conditions which necessitate the use of certain types of massage therapy may require you to remove any or even all of your clothings. Massage therapy is performed on a cushioned or matted table in restful surroundings. The experience should be both pain-free and pleasant; otherwise, do not hesitate to speak up. At first, you may feel some degree of discomfort. But as the pressure is applied, the feeling becomes moderately agreeable. To lessen friction, massage therapists often apply certain types of oil on the area to be massaged.

Apart from its many health benefits mentioned above, massage therapy may also help in the treatment of certain conditions, including migraine headaches, morning sickness, muscle spasms or injuries, pain in the lower back, depression, arthritis, job-related stress, and premenstrual syndrome.

Massage therapists should take advantage of the growing popularity of massage therapy to further their profession. And to succeed in this field, massage therapists should know how they can get more clients and keep them coming back for the rest of their massage careers. Fortunately, there is a certain program to ensure this.

Are you one of the many massage therapists who would like to further succeed in their chosen field of endeavor? Discover a program that will allow you to get more clients and keep them coming back for the rest of your massage career. [Read the Original Article]