5 Most Important Benefits of Massage

Massage is an alternative therapy that provides relief from a host of physical and emotional ailments with the advantage of not using drugs or other forms of medical intervention. For example, massage can be offered to athletes to ease physical tensions, people suffering from depression to promote relaxation and stress release and arthritic sufferers to reduce painful symptoms. It is based upon the use of touch and pressure applied to certain parts of the body, which in turn, can help to ease a person's emotional or physical problems.

Aches and Pains

• One the of the most important benefits of massage, and indeed one of the leading reasons people seek out the treatment, is to soothe aching joints and muscles. According to Massage Therapy, massage can reduce lower-back pain, loosen tight and overworked muscles and also provide relief from cramps and spasms. Massage can also help loosen stiff joints and promote more free and easy movement.

Emotional Stress

• Another important benefit of massage is its ability to relieve emotional stress and induce a state of relaxation in a person, says NHS Foundation Trust Derby. People suffering from depression can benefit from receiving a massage because it can release endorphins in the body, hormones that promote a sense of well-being, while also combating insomnia. Furthermore, by relieving physical tension in parts of the body, this helps to simultaneously calm and soothe the mind, reducing stress and anxiety.

Immunity

• According to Brandon Raynor, a massage therapist and owner of Brandon Raynor's School of Therapeutic Massage and Natural Therapies, massage can boost a person's immunity by increasing the body's white blood cell count, the body's defense against infection. Studies carried out by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami suggest that when parents massaged their children every day it boosted the children's white blood cell count. A higher white blood cell count promotes a stronger and more resilient immune system, which in turn means an increased ability to fight infection and maintain good health.

Relief

• Massage can provide relief from certain medical conditions and can also complement particular medical treatments, says NHS Foundation Trust Derby. For example, a patient receiving chemotherapy for cancer can benefit from massage as it will reduce stress and tension, alleviate some of the treatments side effects and promote general feeling of well-being. Similarly, someone suffering from a burn injury can benefit from massage through its ability to reduce the pain and anxiety associated with the injury, according to Massage Therapy.

Restore Energy

• Massage can also reduce fatigue and restore a person's energy, says Massage Therapy. By reducing tension in the mind and body, massage enables people to sleep better while also improving their ability to concentrate and apply themselves. Massage boosts circulation by stimulating the flow of blood and oxygen to the vital organs in the body, which in turn helps to boost energy levels.