Massage Therapy Benefits

There are several benefits of massage therapy; it improves not just the physical functioning but also benefits the mind.

Massage therapy is really an ancient way of treating different conditions. From ancient Greece to China, its use has been spread and preserved over time. It consists on the manipulation of soft tissues of the body including skin, tendons, muscles and connective tissue by applying pressure on specific parts of the body.

Many massage therapy benefits have been claimed over time, those claims have made it possible for this therapy to survive and grow. Both eastern and western cultures recognize the benefits of massage therapy.

Some people give scientific or pseudo-scientific explanations and others provide a more holistic point of view, but they all agree that there are many benefits that a person can obtain through massage therapy.
Common Benefits of Massage Therapy

Relaxation of rigid muscles is one of the most known benefits of this therapy. Professional athletes and sports practitioners use this therapy as part of their workout or after a hard performance to relieve pain and stiffness.

Improvement of blood and lymphatic system is another of the most recognized massage therapy benefits. This also helps the nutrients to reach the cells and eliminate toxins. It has also been mentioned among the many benefits of massage therapy that it stimulates the glands located at the skin level and therefore keeps skin fresh and hydrated.

Stimulation of immunologic system is one of the many advantages of massage, for this reason it is applied - as a complementary therapy - in many medical conditions that imply a depressed immunology.

It fastens the process of cellular oxygenation, for this reason it helps a prompt recovery from injuries and burns. Back pain and strong headaches are treated with massage sessions too.

Mental benefits can be obtained too, as it induces a state of mental relaxation and reduces stress. It also helps to liberate endorphins, a substance that is released by the brain and gives a sense of well being and alleviates pain. The connection between physical and mental benefits is so tight that one leads to the other, bearing in mind the human being as a whole where mind and body are inter-connected. There is no doubt that one affects the other therefore, benefits of massage therapy can be noticed in both. In some cases, massage therapy has been useful to improve psychological conditions as anxiety and depression with good results.

Even aesthetic aspects can take advantage of this therapy, since blood circulation improvement leads to elimination of toxins and certain massage therapy techniques contribute to fat melting and amelioration of cellulite and skin appearance.

Since reducing stress is one of the most noticed benefit of massage therapy, we cannot deny that it implies an overall health improvement as stress affects us both mentally and physically and that is what we must bear in mind, beyond specific conditions, our general wellbeing will improve if we regularly receive massage therapy.