MEDICAL NEWS

Therapy for Body, Mind and Spirit

Massage might have been one of mankind’s first methods of healing. In our part of the world, massage went in the parlor, so to speak, but in many places, it was still used extensively for relieving pain and healing in many forms and was considered a natural part of wellness, along with a healthy diet, exercise and rest. In the past couple of decades, massage therapy has made a tremendous comeback as an integral part of maintaining good health, as well as healing from injuries, surgery and stresses and strains in and on the body from years of poor posture, incorrect body mechanics, heavy labor and the pressures of life.

Some still think of massage as a luxurious experience, but massage therapy has come a long, long way from such indulgence. Numerous specialized techniques have been developed over the years, affecting healing on many levels and enhancing wellness. In addition to these benefits, the mere touch of one human being to another is communication of loving care and is healing in and of itself.

Massage is the systematic and scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, mainly to release tension and induce a state of relaxation of particular tissues, as well as the whole body, to relieve pain, increase range of motion, assist circulation, induce emotional release and cleanse the body. It actually induces a number of mechanical, physiological, reflexive, psychological and epidermal effects.

Massage assists the venous flow of blood; encourages lymphatic flow; provides gentle stretching of tissues, increases the range of motion of the joints and muscles; loosens subcutaneous scar tissue; prevents scarring to some degree; and relieves muscle tension, melts trigger points and unwinds the connective tissue, reducing or freeing one from pain.

Physiologically, massage produces a milking effect to release toxic acid accumulation from exercise or tension being held in the muscles and moves them into the lymphatic and venous flow to be excreted from the body. It improves venostasis caused by muscular inactivity; reduces edema caused by inactivity or injury; increases hemoglobin; lowers blood pressure; and assists soft tissues toward normal metabolic balance.

Reflexively, massage can produce a stimulus upon one tissue or organ, which in turn can be conducted to another tissue or organ to create a remote response.

Psychologically, massage encourages the confidence of the client and assists the release of emotional tension.

It increases sebaceous excretions; assists perspiration and respiration of the skin, thus removing excretory products; removes dry, scaly skin following casting of dead cells; and improves internal and external nutrition through application of special lubricants. Massage could also ready athletes’ muscles for strenuous activity, aid in recovery from the aftereffects of such activity and is an excellent means to effectively facilitate rehabilitation and healing in many forms.

With the relatively recent comeback of massage in the therapeutic realm, many new types and styles of massage have been developed. The ageold standard Swedish massage is still popular, but others also are gaining ground, including deep muscle massage, neuromuscular and trigger point therapy, fascial therapy, sports massage, craniosacral therapy, myoskeletal massage, lymphatic drainage, oncology massage, positional release, prenatal and infant massage, Trager therapy, Lomi Lomi massage, hot or warm stone massage and more. Every individual is different; and therefore, his or her needs are likewise different. The best massage is an integration of several different types of therapies designed and individualized to best suit the needs of each client. Therapeutic massage is beneficial to most all individuals as an integral part of one’s healthcare program for the purpose of stress reduction, because, as we are now

aware, stress is a primary contributor to the cause of disease. Stress presents itself in many forms: dietary, physical, environmental, mental and emotional. Stress causes muscular tension, and when there is tension in the muscles, there is constriction of the blood and lymph vessels. When there is constriction on these vessels, the flow of the fluids within is constricted, and it only takes a constriction of one quarter of the diameter of the vessel to constrict the flow by one half.

Blood carries oxygen and other nutrients to every cell of the body. It carries hormones that tell the cells what to do. It carries antibodies from the immune system, which protects the body from disease, and it carries away normal metabolic and physiological waste products. The lymphatic system lubricates the muscles and transports antibodies of the immune system, as well as metabolic and physiological wastes out of the tissues.

So if half of the blood and lymphatic flow is constricted, half of the necessary oxygen and nutrients are not being supplied to the cells; half of the hormones and antibodies are not being delivered; and half of the wastes are still present, poisoning the cells. When a person exercises too strenuously or exercises without proper stretching, lactic acid produced as a waste product becomes trapped in the muscles. Therapeutic massage induces a milking action upon the muscles, causing these toxic wastes to drain, whether they were derived from normal metabolic or physiological activity, overexertion or pollutants in food.

For this reason, massage therapists often recommend drinking large quantities of water to flush these stirred toxins out of the body. Massage also stimulates the circulation of blood and lymph, providing a fresh supply of both.

Therapeutic massage also could be an excellent alternative or complementary modality to conventional medicine, such as in relieving headaches and other bodily aches and pains, relaxing muscles and relieving constipation. It is complementary to chiropractic adjustments because tight muscles could pull the adjustment out, as well as an out-of-place bone could tense a muscle. It complements orthodontic care in alignment of the jaw and is complementary to geriatric care through promotion of the physiological and psychological well being of the patient. MEDICAL Therapeutic massage for the release of tension is an integral part of health care,

NEWS but it alone is not enough. Individuals take responsibility for their own health in preventive modes by eating nutritiously; incorporating properly executed cardiovascular, bone stress and stretching types of exercise at regular intervals; obtaining sufficient rest, relaxation and sleep; avoiding pollutants to the extent possible; taking saunas or utilizing other means to induce sweat, which helps cleanse the body; and reducing mental and emotional stress through deep Susan Ledbetter breathing, appropriate emoting, positive thinking and taking time to enjoy life. Along with health-promoting proactivity in your life, give yourself an added gift of health – therapeutic massage – and relieve those aches and pains and increase your overall sense of well being. ~ Susan Ledbetter s a licensed massage therapist (Alabama License No. 248) and is a certified neuromuscular, craniosacral and fascial therapist. She practices at Lake Martin Wellness Center.