Gentle massage affects the nervous system through nerve endings in the skin, stimulating the release of endorphins (the body's natural 'feel good' chemicals) helping to induce relaxation and a sense of well-being, relieving pain and reducing levels of stress chemicals such as cortisol and noradrenaline. It helps reverse the damaging effects of stress by slowing heart rate, respiration and metabolism and lowering raised blood pressure.
Stronger massage stimulates blood circulation to improve the supply of oxygen and nutrients to body tissues and helps the lymphatic system to flush away waste products. It eases tense and knotted muscles and stiff joints, improving mobility and flexibility.
Touch is our first sensual experience and remains, along with smell, the most immediate and evocative link between mind and body. The skin is the body's largest sensory organ and thousands of specialised receptors in the dermis (the second layer of skin) react to external stimuli such as heat, cold and pressure by sending messages through the nervous system to the brain.
Massage is said to increase activity of the vagus nerve, one of ten cranial nerves, which affects the secretion of hormones as well as heart rate and respiration.
My customers use massage for a number of reasons; such as relaxation and well being. In some cases to address a specific complaint ranging from back pain, lack of natural movement, frozen shoulders and assistance with migraines. Further studies suggests that massage reduces anxiety and depression, relieves back pain and muscle pain, lowers high blood pressure, eases PMS symptoms, re-energises stressed office workers and boosts the immune system which fights infection. A recent multicentre study in the American Medical Association's Annals of Internal Medicine showed that therapeutic massage was an effective treatment for persistent low back pain, out-performing acupuncture.
Massage is also commonly used to help insomnia, headaches and other stress-related conditions, as well arthritis and digestive disorders like constipation.
Despite widespread use of massage techniques in ancient Greek and Roman civilisations, the Christian Church's ambivalence about intimate body contact and pleasure led to the practice acquiring a shady reputation linked with 'massage parlours.' But Per Henrik Ling, a Swedish gymnast in the early 19th century, based his 'Swedish movement treatment' on anatomy. His methods were developed into physiotherapy and put therapeutic massage on the road to medical respectability.
Massage is used more and more frequently in conventional healthcare to relieve anxiety and reduce pain in the elderly and patients with cancer, heart attacks, stroke and HIV. Over 90 per cent of UK hospices offer some form of touch-based therapy and it is often available in drug rehabilitation and pain clinics and increasingly through NHS GP practices. Family members are taught to give simple massage to seriously ill or dying friends and relatives.
The most common massage techniques include:
These techniques are used to different levels of degree in the following common types of massage that Well Body Massage can deliver.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage Therapy is a very gentle and effective massage that stimulates the lymphatic system (the body’s plumbing system). It is a rhythmical and deeply relaxing massage, where the skin is methodically stretched towards directions of lymphatic flow treating fluid retention and oedema while supporting the immune system and cellular detoxification.
The lymphatic system has a vital role in the body as part of the immune system, which protects the body against infection. It transports nutrients to cells and eliminates metabolic wastes, toxins and excess fluid from the body.
When the lymphatic system becomes blocked, lymphatic fluid builds up and stagnates, causing the entire system to become toxic. Manual Lymphatic Drainage massage helps clear the blockages; eliminates excess fluid, metabolic wastes and toxins from the body, transport nutrients to cells and increase metabolic efficiency. As an added bonus, it also has a calming effect on the nervous system and helps relieve stress and tension.
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Well Body Massage | Marks Tey, Colchester | Call 07941 888 946