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Massage therapy is the systematized manipulation of soft tissues for the purpose of normalizing them. The word massage is derived from the Greek word 'massier' which means to knead. If correctly done on a bare body, it can be highly stimulating and invigorating. The term 'bodywork' is often used to refer to therapies that are combined or confused with massage, e.g. Shiatsu, Trager, Rolfing, Polarity and Reflexology.
Many people find a massage beneficial enough to have one on a regular basis, scheduling them as frequently as needed or as often as finances will allow.
History
Massage has been used for thousands of years as a treatment for many ailments.
Function; Reasons For Use
The basic goal of massage therapy is to help the body heal itself and to increase health and well-being. Based on anecdotal data, massage therapists have said for years that massage relaxes people, reduces blood pressure and heart rate, relaxes muscles, increases range of motion, and increases the flow of blood and lymph, thereby cleansing the system. Therapeutic massage can be used to promote general well-being, enhance self-esteem and help restore a sense of body awareness - important for realizing when you are becoming tense and where you tend to hold your tension.
Practitioners use a variety of physical methods including stroking, rubbing, kneading, percussion and vibration. Therapists primarily use their hands, but may also use their forearms, elbows or feet.
A general body massage may last for 40-90 minutes and local body massages for 10-15 minutes. A little moderate kneading and percussion cause muscles to contract and become stronger. Deep circular kneading and vibration loosens the muscles. Kneading under and round the muscles can help break up adhesions. Practitioners generally treat the whole body, using oil to help their hands move over the patient's body.
To date, most of the clinical trials of massage have focused on psychological outcomes of treatment. Good evidence from randomized trials indicates that massage reduces anxiety scores in the short term. There is more limited evidence that these anxiety reductions are cumulative over time. Practitioners claim that giving patients a concrete experience of relaxation through massage can facilitate their use of self help relaxation techniques. The evidence that massage can lead to improved sleep and reduce pain remains anecdotal. There are some small studies indicating immune stimulation by increasing white blood cell quantity and natural killer-cell activity.
Counter-Indicators and Warnings
In case of acute inflammation of the nerves, massage should be done carefully. Deep pressure should not be used on swollen nerves for it will increase the inflammation. Abdominal massage should not be done in cases of general, femoral, inguinal and umbilical hernia; inflammation of the uterus, bladder, ovaries or fallopian tubes; kidney stones; bladder or gall bladder problems; ulcers of the stomach or intestines; and pregnancy. Abdominal massage should not be performed after a heavy meal, but at least two hours later. The bladder should be emptied before a massage.
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Massage can help with the following: | | | | | Aging |  Premature/Signs of Aging | Massage can reduce the chronic stress on the body that interferes with normal functioning and contributes to premature aging. |
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Allergy |
Allergic Rhinitis / Hay Fever| | Therapeutic massage can assist drainage of lymphatic fluid. |
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Circulation |
Varicose Veins| | Regular massage from a trained massage therapist can significantly alleviate the discomfort associated with varicose veins. |
Arrhythmias/Dysrhythmias| | In cases of supraventricular tachycardia, stimulation of the vagus nerve is a commonly employed technique to help return the heart rate to normal. This can be done in several ways:- Perform the Valsalva maneuver (briefly strain or bear down as though having a bowel movement)
- Using one hand, pinch the nose closed with index finger and thumb, while covering your mouth (to provide resistance) and blow out with vigor
- Pressing/massaging one side of the neck on the carotid artery. Only press on one side of the neck at a time, not both at once
- Make yourself gag
All of these techniques serve to stimulate the vagus nerve which slows the heart rate. |
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Metabolic |
Migraine/Tension Headaches| | In a study of tension headaches, individuals were treated with either a combination of spinal manipulation and massage, or massage and a placebo laser treatment. Both groups experienced an improvement in symptoms suggesting that massage alone provides benefits for the treatment of tension headaches. |
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KEY | | May do some good |
GLOSSARY
Abdomen (Abdominal)
That part of the body between the chest and the hips that contains the stomach, intestines, liver, bladder, pancreas and other organs.
Acute
An illness or symptom of sudden onset, which generally has a short duration.
Anxiety
Apprehension of danger, or dread, accompanied by nervous restlessness, tension, increased heart rate, and shortness of breath unrelated to a clearly identifiable stimulus.
Arterial (Arteries, Artery)
Blood that leaves the heart. When it leaves the right ventricle, it is venous blood; and when it leaves the left ventricle, through the aorta, it is fresh and oxygenated. After it has passed out to the capillaries and started to return, it is venous blood.
Chronic (Chronicity)
Usually referring to chronic illness: Illness extending over a long period of time.
Gallbladder (Gall Bladder)
A small, digestive organ positioned under the liver, which concentrates and stores bile. Problems with the gallbladder often lead to gallbladder attacks, which usually occur after a fatty meal and at night. The following are the most common symptoms: steady, severe pain in the middle-upper abdomen or below the ribs on the right; pain in the back between the shoulder blades; pain under the right shoulder; nausea; vomiting; fever; chills; jaundice; abdominal bloating; intolerance of fatty foods; belching or gas; indigestion.
Inguinal
Pertaining to the region of the groin. Generally, the lowest lateral regions of the abdomen just above either side of the genitals.
Kidney Stone (Kidney Gravel, Kidney Stones)
A stone (concretion) in the kidney. If the stone is large enough to block the tube (ureter) and stop the flow of urine from the kidney, it must be removed by surgery or other methods. Also called Renal Calculus. Symptoms usually begin with intense waves of pain as a stone moves in the urinary tract. Typically, a person feels a sharp, cramping pain in the back and side in the area of the kidney or in the lower abdomen. Sometimes nausea and vomiting occur. Later, pain may spread to the groin. The pain may continue if the stone is too large to pass; blood may appear in the urine and there may be the need to urinate more often or a burning sensation during urination. If fever and chills accompany any of these symptoms, an infection may be present and a doctor should be seen immediately.
Lymph
A clear fluid that flows through lymph vessels and is collected from the tissues throughout the body. Its function is to nourish tissue cells and return waste matter to the bloodstream. The lymph system eventually connects with and adds to venous circulation.
Lymph Nodes (Axillary Nodes, Inguinal Nodes, Lymph Gland, Lymph Glands, Lymph Node, Lymphatic)
Small, bean-shaped nodes at various points throughout the body that function to filter the lymph fluid and attempt to destroy the microorganisms and abnormal cells which collect there. The most common locations are the neck (both sides and front), armpit (axillary) and groin (inguinal), but also under the jaw and behind the ears. Swollen or painful lymph nodes generally result from localized or systemic infection, abscess formation, or malignancy. Other causes of enlarged lymph nodes are extremely rare. Physical examination for lymph nodes includes pressing on them to check for size, texture, warmth, tenderness and mobility. Most lymph nodes can not be felt until they become swollen, and then will only be tender when pressed or massaged. A lymph node that is painful even without touching indicates greater swelling. Lymph nodes can usually be distinguished from other growths because they generally feel small, smooth, round or oval-shaped and somewhat mobile when attempts are made to push them sideways. Because less fat covers the lymph nodes in children, they are easier to feel, even when they are not busy filtering germs or making antibodies. Childrens' nodes enlarge faster, get bigger in response to an infection and stay swollen longer than an adult's. Also known (incorrectly) as lymph glands.
Ovary (Ovaries)
Ovaries are about the size of an almond and lie on either side of the lower abdomen beside the uterus. They usually produce one egg each month and whether the egg is fertilized or not, the reproductive process follows a monthly cycle, with constant changes in various hormone levels, preparing another opportunity for conception. The ovary is responsible for most of the estrogen production in women. At menopause (sometime after middle-age), egg production ceases and hormone levels drop significantly.
Placebo (Placebos)
A pharmacologically inactive substance. Often used to compare clinical responses against the effects of pharmacologically active substances in experiments.
Self-Esteem
The extent to which and ways in which people view themselves. People who view themselves favorably have good self-esteems whereas people who view themselves negatively have poor self-esteems. Self-esteem affects a person's behavior dramatically.
Stomach
A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper part of the abdomen to the left of the midline. The upper end (fundus) is large and dome-shaped; the area just below the fundus is called the body of the stomach. The fundus and the body are often referred to as the cardiac portion of the stomach. The lower (pyloric) portion curves downward and to the right and includes the antrum and the pylorus. The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle fibers: circular, longitudinal and oblique. These fibers create structural elasticity and contractibility, both of which are needed for digestion. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin. To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach’s mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.
Tachycardia
Excessively rapid heart rate.
Tension Headache (Tension Headaches)
This type accounts for nearly 90% of all headaches and is probably experiences by most people at some time during their lifetime; frequently associated with fatigue and stress and generally responding to simple measures such as rest or over-the-counter pain medicine; pain usually occurs on both sides of head and consists of a dull, steady ache.
Ulcer (Ulceration, Ulcers)
Lesion on the skin or mucous membrane.
Uterus (Uterine)
The part of the female reproductive system specialized to allow the implantation, growth and nourishment of a fetus during pregnancy.
Vagus Nerve
Also called the pneumogastric nerve, this is the tenth cranial nerve, with many fibers leading to parasympathetic ganglia in internal organs, and can be considered the presynapse starter for the upper parts of the parasympathetic functions.
Varicose Veins
Twisted, widened veins with incompetent valves.
White Blood Cell (WBC, White Blood Cells)
A blood cell that does not contain hemoglobin: a blood corpuscle responsible for maintaining the body's immune surveillance system against invasion by foreign substances such as viruses or bacteria. White cells become specifically programmed against foreign invaders and work to inactivate and rid the body of a foreign substance. White blood cells are composed primarily of neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are either T-cells or B-cells. T-cells (CD3 cells) are divided into T-helper (CD4 cells) and T-suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8 cells) cells.
Last updated: Apr 13, 2008
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