For years, massage therapy was seen as simply a form of relaxation for those who could afford it. We know that massages can be therapeutic and come with various benefits.
Manipulating the body’s soft tissues manually has been shown to improve overall well-being. By applying pressure, stretching, and kneading the soft tissue, a massage can help you in ways you may not have thought of.
Join us today as we explore five often-overlooked benefits of massage therapy.
Stress Reduction
Though often depicted as a relaxing experience, the stress reduction it can provide is underestimated. Massage therapy can help you release tension stored in the muscles. The body’s physical response to stress is to tense the muscles. When the muscles are tense, it signals to the mind that you are stressed. This is a looping cycle that can result in a variety of issues, including heart conditions and mental health issues.
Stress is often referred to as the “silent killer.” This is because stress is linked to poor body functions. Stress can disrupt your ability and quality of sleep, cause headaches, and cause stomach and back pains. Stress is known to have a negative effect on your immune system as well. Massage therapy can break this cycle, reduce tension, alleviate built-up stress, and improve physical and mental health.
Helps to Manage Nerve Pain
Nerve pain can be some of the most debilitating pains a person can experience. Often causing sharp or burning pain whenever it triggers, this causes people to be bedridden even if they may be otherwise physically capable of moving.
Massage therapy can often release “knots” of muscle tension. This can reduce the amount of pressure on nerves. This type of massage therapy can feel intense for some patients as pressure is relieved from the nerves. However, most patients only report slight soreness and overall relief after it is done.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Accidents happen, and sometimes, they may result in soft tissue injuries. Massage therapy can help recover and heal the soft tissue, too. When an injury occurs, the muscles around the injury tense up. This is the body’s natural reaction to the injury. The muscles become tense to immobilize and stabilize the injured area to prevent further damage.
A massage can improve blood flow to the injured soft tissue, which promotes healing. It can also reduce the tension caused by the body’s reaction to the injury. This can enhance flexibility, improve recovery speed, reduce pain, and prevent scar tissue from forming. Scar tissue can reduce flexibility and strength because it is less flexible and elastic than the original tissue. If scar tissue has already developed, massage therapy can help to break down the scar tissue.
Improves Muscle Flexibility
When used frequently, muscles tend to build tension and tighten up. This can reduce flexibility and mobility. Even when we stretch before exercising, there are many muscles that we use that are deep within the soft tissue that we are unable to stretch.
Massage therapy can break down tension deep within the muscles. Deep tissue massage therapy can “loosen” muscles that rarely get stretched. This can promote elasticity and increase the range of motion in the muscles. With an increased range of motion in the muscles, some activities can become more accessible, and in older adults, it can even provide independence and balance.
Better Sleep Quality
The average amount of time an adult needs to sleep to feel well-rested is between 7 and 9 hours. However, it’s common for adults to claim not to feel rested even when sleeping for that long. This can be for various reasons, including physical discomfort and anxiety. Massage therapy can help with both of these issues. Physical discomfort is reduced after massage therapy. This is because of the release of tension in the muscles and improved blood circulation that promotes healing and recovery. The reduced tension can reduce stress, and the reduction of stress can reduce anxiety. This combination allows people to fall asleep sooner after going to bed and have higher quality sleep.
Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine
Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health.
Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.
We look forward to helping you take the next step to better health.
