In case you missed Spa Week, not to worry — many spas across the nation extended some great deals on various treatments across the nation through April and beyond. Perhaps you should make an appointment this weekend? If you need more convincing, check out this list of the life-changing benefits of massages…
Massage Away Migraines
There are 36 million people in the United States who suffer from migraines. Tense muscles and stress can aggravate migraine headaches. Visiting a massage therapist for a massage while a migraine is in progress can reduce muscle pain and tension. This alone may not eliminate your headache, but it can lessen the intensity and increase relaxation.
Massage Can Kick Cancer Where It Hurts
When we asked massage therapists across the country what they love most about their job, many of them said that helping improve the lives of cancer patients topped their lists. Massage can be an effective complementary therapy and many health care professionals recognize massage as a useful, noninvasive addition to standard medical treatment. Massage can help with physical pain, and more importantly, the malaise cancer has on the mind.
“Oncology patients are usually stressed even before the treatment happens and most chemo drugs have many side effects like nausea and fatigue,” says Melissa Fell of Essenza Day Spa in Ambler, PA. “Using chair and/or bed-side massage before/during the time when treatments are being administered continually assists the patient to relax. Most are even able to then restfully sleep.”
Massages Can Help You Prepare and Recover from Surgery
The healing benefits of massage therapy are vast and massage is one of the most-used complementary therapies in the United States. In some cases, massage can even be used as an alternative treatment for conditions that are progressing down the road to surgery. Even if you do have to go under the knife, massage therapy can be particularly effective for preparing for and recovering from surgery. Before surgery, massage can relieve much of the anxiety associated with the anticipation of having surgery. Massage helps you feel less stressed and lowers the expectations for pain.
Massages Soothe Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is pain that lasts for more than 6 months and can be pain localized in the neck, shoulders, pelvis, back or joints. Other kinds of chronic pain include tendinitis, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. This kind of persistent pain takes a physical and emotional toll on a person. No one feels like themselves when all they can feel is the pain. Massage may be the answer to get your life back.
Massages Increase Mobility
A decrease in mobility can occur for reasons including age, injury or illness. Some conditions that can contribute to joint pain include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic, lupus and gout. Massage therapy has shown much success in relieving pain and increasing mobility. Massage can eliminate muscle tension and improve joint mobility by stimulating the flow of synovial fluid. Who knew laying on a table could get you up and moving?
Massages Can Improve Circulation
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. This nerve is also a source for a lot of discomfort in a lot of people. The nerve! Massage is both a natural and effective way to treat nervy pain. Massage can improve circulation and decrease inflammation in the body. Massage can help relax tense muscles that may be putting pressure on the nerve. A lot of treatments for sciatic include stretching and a massage may even serve the sole purpose of relaxing you muscles in order to stretch more efficiently.
“One of my clients came into the spa with pain in the palms of his hands. His doctor told him he had nerve damage, he was told there were nothing else that it could be done, and it will only get worse. He asked if I could help,” explains Dexter Cabasug of Rio Spa and Salon in Las Vegas. “One week after the first session he returned, held out his hands and said it helped a lot, because he can open his hand with little pain. After several sessions the pain was gone.”
Massages Can Help You Sleep
Millions of Americans suffer from the sleep disorder and desperately look for ways to get to snoozeville. Medication and lifestyle changes are used to treat insomnia, but massage is a natural method to consider. There is a simple correlation between sleep and massage: insomnia is associated with a lack of serotonin and massage increases serotonin levels.
“In the past I had worked with a client who had insomnia, neck and back pain and general tiredness for as long as he could remember,” says Leigh Olander of Elixir Mind Body Massage in Denver, CO. “After committing himself to bi-weekly massage we were able to work through the muscle tightness and eventually he was able to finally get some sleep.”
Massage Stress Away
And the #1 reason people worldwide visit the spa… STRESS. The emotional release from a massage can improve balance in body, mind and emotions, which reduces stress, increases energy and can even improve your outlook on life. Stress leads to heart disease, making massage a powerful tool for a healthy heart. Massage also relieves the symptoms of stress including reducing muscle tension, chronic fatigue, and strengthening the immune system.
“All clients have different needs and wants they seek from the massage,” Rebecca Scallan of Rejuv Massage Therapy Center in Metairie, LA. “Helping clients relax for an hour, sleep or just forget about their stress is rewarding on its own. We all need R&R time.”
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