Benefits of Massage
While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some researchers have found that massage is helpful in decreasing blood pressure in people with hypertension, alleviating pain in migraine sufferers and improving alertness and performance in office workers.
More reasons to receive massage:
• Anxiety. Massage reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression It also reduced anxiety and withdrawal symptoms in adults trying to quit smoking. In general, many of the studies conducted by The Touch Research Institute on the effects of massage therapy demonstrate: decrease in depressed moods, anxiety levels and stress hormones.
• Fibromyalgia, Massage therapy can help address most of the symptoms of fibromyalgia:
* increase blood circulation
* increase flexibility
* increase range of motion
* decrease stress and anxiety
* reduce pain, swelling and stiffness
* improve sleep
• Labor pain. Massage during labor appears to lessen stress and anxiety, relax muscles and reduce pain.
• Infant growth. Massage encouraged weight gain in premature babies and reduced the number of days they stayed in the hospital.
• Children with diabetes. Children who were massaged every day by their parents were more likely to stick to their medication and diet regimens, which helped reduce their blood glucose levels.
• Sports-related soreness. Some athletes receive massages after exercise, especially to the muscles they use most in their sport or activity. A massage might help increase blood flow to your muscles and may reduce muscle soreness after you exercise.
• Alcohol withdrawal. Massage during withdrawal from alcohol has shown benefits when combined with traditional medical treatment by increasing feelings of support, safety and engagement in the therapy.
• Immune system. People with HIV who participated in massage studies showed an increased number of natural killer cells, which are thought to defend the body from viral and cancer cells.
• Cancer treatment. People with cancer who received regularly scheduled massage therapy during treatment reported less anxiety, pain and fatigue.
• Self-esteem. Because massage involves direct contact with another person through touch, it can make you feel cared for. That special attention can improve self-image in people with physical disabilities and terminal illnesses. And using touch to convey caring can help children with severe physical disabilities