Why I Quit Being A Massage Therapist
Because youre not habituated to the physical demands, the first five years of practice are the most tough, and many massage therapists departdue to burnout. Its also challenging to adjust to the emotional demands. Clients come to you with complaints and disappointments, and they often weep in the room.
Secret #11 Terrific For Tmj Pain
Temporomandibular joint pain is a problem for thousands of people. There is no cure, only treatment for symptoms such as mouth guards to prevent teeth grinding.
However, one case study found that massage increased the range of motion in the neck and jaw by relaxing tight muscles. Massage also reduced the pain and stress caused by teeth grinding.
Massages Can Dramatically Reduce Anxiety
Approximately 40 million Americans have some form of anxiety, and this can be borderline emotionally crippling at times. Anxiety is even responsible for almost one-third of the nations total mental health expenses. The good news is that massage can cut your bodys level of stress hormones in half, which will alleviate the symptoms of anxiety.
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Neuromuscular Massage Addresses Repetitive Movement Injuries
A staggering 86 percent of U.S. adults have a desk job, and the vast majority of them perform repetitive tasks that can injure their hands, wrists, arms, neck and back. Although a typical massage will help reduce this pain, neuromuscular techniques can actually address the root cause of the muscular problem to provide you with optimal results.
Secret #26 Assists With Depression Symptoms
Depression can be a devastating problem that is not easily solved. Most patients take prescription anti-depressants, but these come with their own terrible side effects.
Massage therapy can help! The emotional benefits of massage therapy have been proven beyond a doubt. Multiple studies, such as this one, have found massage can improve mood and reduce depression for a variety of people.
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The Art Of Truly Heavenly Head Massage
So what accounts for these reactions to head massage? Here are some observations of mine:
- Rubbing someones head feels good most of the time. But this effect can be increased tremendously by consciously working not just with your hands, but also with your energy.
- The pleasure of a head massage can be greatly enhanced by using a variety of techniques besides just rubbing. There is a real art to it, and it can be learned.
- Head Massage affects not just the body, but also your mind, your energy and your consciousness. It is the fastest way to improve someones state of mind through focused and conscious touch.
- Head massage is easy on the therapist. It doest require much physical effort and doesnt stress your thumbs, wrists or back like other types of massage. Without strenuous physical manipulations it is easier for the therapist to focus more on energetic aspects, and this in turn can make the treatment magical.
- Head massage training is a great way to develop a magic touch and learn how to listen with your hands.
- Some things in life cannot be explained completely. No scientific jargon will ever transmit the feeling of being deeply in love with someone, and no medical explanations will ever come close to the exquisite feeling of a great head massage.
- Good head massage is supremely relaxing and therefore puts the body into an ideal state to activate its own natural healing mechanisms.
A More Meticulous Massage Gun
Seo and her coauthors started exploring the effects of mechanotherapy on injured tissues in mice several years ago, and found that it doubled the rate of muscle regeneration and reduced tissue scarring over the course of two weeks. Excited by the idea that mechanical stimulation alone can foster regeneration and enhance muscle function, the team decided to probe more deeply into exactly how that process worked in the body, and to figure out what parameters would maximize healing.
They teamed up with soft robotics experts in the Harvard Biodesign Lab, led by Wyss Associate Faculty member Conor Walsh, Ph.D., to create a small device that used sensors and actuators to monitor and control the force applied to the limb of a mouse. The device we created allows us to precisely control parameters like the amount and frequency of force applied, enabling a much more systematic approach to understanding tissue healing than would be possible with a manual approach, said co-second author Christopher Payne, Ph.D., a former Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute and the Harvard Biodesign Lab who is now a Robotics Engineer at Viam, Inc.
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Secret #2 Better And More Beautiful Hair
Here is a secret about massage that virtually no one talks about! If your hair is thinning or if you would like your hair to have more natural volume, a twice-weekly scalp massage can improve your hair and make it grow longer and thicker.
When the scalp is massaged, it promotes blood flow. This allows the hair follicles to receive more oxygen and nutrients. It takes only 4 minutes worth of massaging the scalp to result in thicker hair within 24 weeks, according to this study.
What Is A Knot
Knots are nodules of tension, and are caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscle. When the muscle is working it needs energy, that energy comes from the blood which carries oxygen which the muscle needs to continue the activity. When there isnt adequate oxygen for the muscle it then works anaerobically , the body then produces lactic acid to continue the muscular activity but this creates an oxygen debt. When the activity ceases and oxygen levels increase this will oxidize the lactic acid turning it into carbon dioxide and water and will then be removed though the lymph. Occasionally tiny bits of lactic can remain in the muscle causing these knots. Over time this build up, into those clicky nodules that you feel when working on clients.
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Helps With Labor And Delivery
Deep tissue massage can help women control their pain during labor. Even prior to labor, prenatal massages are a great way for women to relax and ease tight muscles due to pregnancy. The increases in cortisol also help women minimize depression, anxiety, and leg and back pain.
Some research has even suggested that women who received regular massages prior to and during labor had less pain than those who did not receive regular massages and found that their labors were shorter than women who did not regularly receive massages.
Breaks Up Scar Tissue & Makes Movement Easier
In areas where people have scar tissue, they often report chronic pain and stiffness.
Getting regular deep tissue massages can help break up this scar tissue by improving lymphatic circulation and drainage to improve flexibility and range of motion in the area of the scar tissue.
Many people who are recovering from surgery are often encouraged to get deep tissue massages to minimize scar tissue.
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How To Relieve Muscle Soreness
Muscle soreness is a condition that causes discomfort and pain. To stay active, you have to find a way to deal with it, especially if its not due to exercise.
There are many ways to find relief from muscle soreness. You can use analgesic drugs, but they have side effects. Heat, cold baths, and massage are also useful to relieve muscle soreness. Let’s discuss how massage relieves muscle soreness.
Massage is a common therapy that has been used for thousands of years. Many physiotherapists suggest that patients receive massages to get rid of muscle soreness.
An article published in Exercise Physiology suggests that people who get massages within 24 hours of strenuous exercise develop less sore muscles compared to those who did not get massages. The study also reported a decline in serum level of creatine kinase, an enzyme associated with muscle soreness.
Why Feelings Can Matter More Than Rational Thought
We dont have to explain everything in a rational way. Some of the most beautiful things in life defy scientific explanations like falling in love, holding your baby, watching an incredible sunset or having an amazing dream. And yes, a wonderful massage as well.
Feeling great is your personal experience, and you dont always have to justify or explain the why.
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The One Secret That No One Ever Mentions
There might be numerous benefits to massage therapy but there is one thing that for some reason is truly kept secret and that no one ever seems to mention.
Do you know what it is?
Its the fact that, after any massage therapy session, you will feel so good that you are literally counting the days and minutes until your next appointment!
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Why Massage Feels So Good
Getting a massage feels amazing. In fact, you begin feeling better before the therapist even enters the room.
Youre in a dark, quiet space surrounded by calming music and soothing scents. The cool sheets feel smooth on your bare skin. And once your massage starts, all that tied up tension and stress begins to get released through the power of touch. Why does it feel so good? Find out whats happening inside your body and brain that makes this touch therapy so satisfying.
Your Awareness Shifts
As you settle onto the massage table, remaining still, you can focus on the rhythm of your own breath, quieting your mind and letting your thoughts pass by. Youre truly engaging in the momentotherwise known as mindfulness. Mindfulness is a state of awareness that brings your attention to the present situation and helps regulate emotions and boost body awareness. When youre practicing mindfulness, the areas of your brain associated with emotionsparticularly the insula and prefrontal cortexbecome less active, causing you to become less reactive. Youre able to detach your feelings and just observe your thought process as you remain engaged in the current experience.
Your Brain Releases Feel-Good Chemicals and Pain Diminishes
Your Brain Responds to Smells and Aromas
Try using essential oils at home by drizzling your favorite into a bath or adding it to your unscented body lotion. As the oil combines with the hot water or the heat of your skin, its scent intensifies.
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What Does A Massage Feel Like
What does a massage feel like? That all depends on the kind of massage you ask for — and how well you can communicate with your massage therapist. It’s important to have a little bit of knowledge about both of those aspects of massage so that you enjoy the experience. Ultimately, you are the one who has control over how much pressure the therapist delivers.
Swedish massage is a basic massage that is perfect for beginners or people who are concerned a massage will hurt. One of the primary goals of a Swedish massage is to relax the body, but it also oxygenates the blood, helps the lymph system remove toxins, improves circulation and increases muscle range and flexibility. If you have tighter areas where you want more focused attention, you can certainly ask for this in the context of a Swedish massage.
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Deep tissue massage is similar to Swedish, but you can expect stronger pressure and a greater focus on releasing chronically tight muscles. The therapist might employ techniques like trigger point therapy that can feel uncomfortable, but you are always in control of the amount of pressure and can let the therapist know if it is too much. Sometimes even moderate pressure on very tight muscles can generate pain, so it truly is important to communicate with your therapist.
Stimulate The Release Of Endorphins
Once your body feels the pressure from the massage, it automatically signals your brain to release endorphins. These are hormones that produce a feeling of euphoria. They have a significant impact on improving mood, lowering stress levels, and reducing anxiety. Thus, besides feeling good physically because your body is no longer in pain, massages can also make you feel happy.
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What Does A Massage Do To Make Tense Muscles Relax
By: Spa Solai|Published on: Mar 25, 2021|Categories: News|
Its common knowledge that massage relaxes tense muscles and triggers a relaxation response in the entire body. But how exactly does therapeutic massage achieve these effects? If youve ever found yourself wondering What does a massage do to make tense muscles relax?, continue reading to discover what exactly happens to the muscles during a massage.
With a basic understanding of how massage works to aid sore muscles, you can work more closely with your massage therapist to address different problem areas, such as a soreness in the lower back or an injured extremity.
What Is A Tension
Tension is the result of continual muscle activity. This can be from repetitive, strenuous, or overworked muscle. A mother with little children could suffer with tension in her back. When leaning over to pick up a child the tension would be felt in the lower back. By carrying the child on for example her hip throughout the day both the dominate side that she is carrying or the opposite side which is over compensating will feel tense. Likewise, a business person constantly on the lap top could suffer around the neck area if the screen is not at eye level. Just as whiplash is caused by the head jolting forward, continual leaning forward of the head pulls on the neck causing tension as well as rounding of the base of the neck. As this position is prolonged the spine is stretched and eventually causes tension to form in the lower back.
Driving, desk work, heavy lifting and bad posture can all result in tension.
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Can Massage Make You Superhuman
There are some unexpected benefits to massage that everyone should know about. For example, after a single, 15-minute chair massage, people were more alert. Some even likened it to a runners high. This all makes sense since we know that massage causes the release of endorphins.
Massage also helps improve blood flow which tightens up loose skin and stimulates lymphatic drainage. This improved circulation helps remove toxins and deliver oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the skin. This may help preserve a youthful appearance.
Lastly, some research shows that regular massage therapy may have antioxidant benefits. This means that processes associated with aging may be slowed down thanks to massage. So, if you want to keep alert and stay young, massage may be one of your best bets.
Breaking Down The Psychological Barriers To Awesome Sex
To help create a peaceful atmosphere, Andrew Perzigian, LAc, suggests beginning with a scalp massage, pressing the pads of your fingers in circular motions on the scalp and then moving down to the neck. Perzigian, an expert in acupuncture, acupressure, and Chinese herbal medicine, specializes in fertility which, as you can imagine, often involves helping couples with their sex drive.
Go to the highest and lowest pressure points on the body, the furthest points from the core, the furthest points from where balance derives, as a way of creating safe, nurturing, and calming energy, he says. And, from the acu-perspective, this is an effective way of balancing the yin and yang extremes in the body. When doing this, and any form of intimate touch, its important to approach without expectations, but with plenty of care and caution.
Here are the acupressure points and areas that you and your partner can test out to soothe your body, promote trust and potentially up your pleasure.
Location: Around the top of the head, above the ears.
Location: Bottom of the foot, about a third of the way down inside the foot, at the base of the toe .
Location: Inside the calves, two fingers above the ankle.
Location: Two finger spaces down from the belly button.
Location: Small spot, above the crotch where the hip hinges and meets the body.
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Evicting Neutrophils To Enhance Regeneration
To answer that question, the scientists performed a detailed biological assessment, analyzing a wide range of inflammation-related factors called cytokines and chemokines in untreated vs. treated muscles. A subset of cytokines was dramatically lower in treated muscles after three days of mechanotherapy, and these cytokines are associated with the attraction and activation of immune cells called neutrophils, which play many roles in the inflammation process. Treated muscles also had fewer neutrophils in their tissue than untreated muscles, suggesting that the reduction in cytokines that attract them had caused the decrease in neutrophil infiltration.
The team had a hunch that the force applied to the muscle by the mechanotherapy effectively squeezed the neutrophils and cytokines out of the injured tissue. They confirmed this theory by injecting fluorescent molecules into the muscles and observing that the movement of the molecules was more significant with force application, supporting the idea that it helped to flush out the muscle tissue.
The team is continuing to investigate this line of research with multiple projects in the lab. They plan to validate this mechanotherapeutic approach in larger animals, with the goal of being able to test its efficacy on humans. They also hope to test it on different types of injuries, age-related muscle loss, and muscle performance enhancement.
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Whether you are an athlete, suffering from arthritis, or are pregnant, there are benefits to deep tissue massage therapy that can help you.
Learn more about the benefits of massage and other techniques to reduce pain and inflammation on our blog and today to book your first appointment and get on the road to wellness.
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