The Benefits of Massage Therapy

Everyone knows that a good massage feels great, but recent studies have indicated the health benefits may stretch beyond temporary feelings of pleasure. It has been shown that massages can help reduce muscle tension and pain but a new study found they also reduce inflammation within the muscle. It is the first to actually examine how massage affects the mechanics and functioning of muscles.

The study suggests that massages work on a cellular level in reducing inflammation, much like medication. The process works by triggering biochemical sensors that send inflammation-reducing signals to the muscle cells. It also works by signaling the muscles to construct additional mitochondria, the power centers of cells that play a central role in healing.
The study was conducted by a professor of pediatric medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and involved 11 men in their twenties. They were subjected to vigorous exercise on a stationary bike until the point of exhaustion, after which one leg would be massaged. According to muscle biopsies taken before and after, the muscle tissue of the massaged leg has a decreased amount of inflammatory cytokines and an increase in mitochondria. Typically, mitochondria are a sign of tissue recovery and inflammation is a sign of tissue damage.

The study’s findings are important because it could alter the way we treat muscle injuries. The typical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs tend to mask the pain but may also hinder actual repair. A massage on the other hand can reduce pain and actually assist in muscle and tissue repair. A professional massage is indeed costlier than taking an aspirin, but fortunately you can teach yourself or a family member the right technique for an in-home massage.

There are many websites offering advice and techniques on massage therapy. Massages will help speed the recovery of your muscles after working out, playing a sport or incurring an injury. Be sure to consult a physician if a sports-related injury persists.

Research Supports Healing Benefits of Massage

Finally, there is evidence that the massage industry can sink its teeth into regarding the efficacy of massage reported in the Feb 1, 2012 journal Science Translational Medicine. Antecdotally, massage has been said to help reduce muscle soreness, improve blood flow, and speed recovery of muscles following exercise. And now there is finally proof about what everybody has been saying all along.
The key is cytokines, a cellular substance present in the inflammatory process. Massage therapy has been found to inhibit cytokine production and increase the production of mitochondria in muscle cells. This is a huge finding involving the link between massage and pain reduction.

Does Massage really help alleviate low back pain?

 

In my experience, yes, massage can be a very effective way of managing and relieving back pain.  Massage, along with other forms of self care, will help get you there faster.

I’m a firm believer in that the more you can do for yourself, the better off you are. So incorporating yoga, tai chi, or other forms of movement and stretching in your daily routine will definitely help keep you on track.

Sometimes though, it just works better to have someone do the work for you! I like to incorporate range of motion moves in with my massages, especially when someone is dealing with decreased movement and pain. It is always done to the clients level of comfort.

Many people with back pain are surprised at how much better they feel after a massage session, and how much easier it is for them to move. My clients that see me on a regular basis are aware of how much massage helps them to maintain their flexibility.

Study Shows Massage Therapy Could Reduce Inflammation

Study Shows Massage Therapy Could Reduce Inflammation

 

While most people are aware of how beneficial massage therapy can be to relieve stress, the effects of massage on reducing inflammation isn’t as well known.
Why is it important to reduce inflammation? Because it is linked to contributing to most of the major diseases, including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s.
The following excerpt is from DoctorsHealthPress.com:

Need an excuse to get a massage? A new health breakthrough in the area of natural health news has proven that this alternative therapy could reduce inflammation in the body. Since inflammation is implicated in a wide swath of chronic diseases, it seems that seeing a massage therapist might not be just about stress relief.
On a cellular level, massage lessens inflammation and promotes the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle. Mitochondria are the energy center of every cell in the body. The research appears online in the journal “Science Translational Medicine.”
The potential benefits of massage are vast. Massage could be useful to a broad spectrum of individuals, including older adults, those suffering from musculoskeletal injuries, and patients with chronic inflammatory disease. Massage could be used as actual medical practice in these cases.
Read the full article here.