Massage Therapy is not just a luxury

Getting a massage is often thought of as a luxury however it also offers a wealth of mental & physical health benefits.

Today many of us have busier lives & regular self care such as Massage Therapy is even more important than ever to balance the affects our environment has on us.

While Massage Therapist’s differ in their approach & there are many types of Massage Therapy, the primary aim is supporting the body to return to its optimal functioning state.

Usually over a period of time Massage Therapy aims to reestablish the balance and stability your body & mind has lost due to trauma, overwork, injury, or poor alignment.

The following outlines how your Qualified Massage Therapist in Erina can support you & which type of Massage Therapy is suited to you.

Unlocking Past Trauma

We all have many years & layers of life experiences that have shaped & created who we are today & how our body & mind function.

Over the years, as we have adapted to our environment our body has handled the stress & trauma we face the best we can. Much of the pain & tension we experience in our body is a result of incidents from the past either one off or continuous emotional unease or overuse of specific muscles. Our body has a limit to the amount of stress & trauma it can handle so if it can not be processed by our nervous system with the necessary emotions then it is stored in our muscles, organs and connective tissue.

You may feel like you are holding emotional residue from your past. This may have developed into depression or anxiety. You may not feel fresh & light each day instead your body feels heavy & you’re unable to live to your full potential. You may feel a sense of disconnection from your body & emotions.

As a way to block out the experiences we can’t handle & go on, our brain disconnects from that part of the body the trauma is held in. Those parts of our body our brain is disconnected from won’t be able to function properly & are susceptible to degeneration and disease. Until you reconnect your awareness to those parts of your body you remain unable to heal.

Massage Therapy can provide an environment for your nervous system to balance so you can tune into your body to feel & release the held trauma & regain full function. Everyone responds differently. You may find benefits from just one treatment or you may require regular treatment to train your body to remain in a balanced state.  

Your Nervous System & Hormones

A relaxation massage has the opportunity to chemically support a healthier state of being.

Your nervous system is constantly moving between two main states of being – the sympathetic state and a parasympathetic state. The sympathetic mode is what we think of as fight-or-flight mode. It’s when the body triggers our stress hormones and increases our adrenal response. Mainly our cortisol levels are increased.

You may find you have a very short fuse, always feeling overwhelmed. You may have a weak immune system constantly picking up colds or you may be having trouble losing weight as your body is storing fat as it is worried where the next meal is coming from.

Today especially most of us are in this mode throughout the day. Massage has been shown to help the body shift from this state into a parasympathetic state of “rest and digest mode.” In this state serotonin & dopamine are increased. The feel good “yummy” calm, relaxing, focused hormones. This enables us to sleep better, think clearer & overall function better in our life.

Regular Massage can greatly support women to manage hormonal changes whether that be monthly cycles, changes during pregnancy or going through menopause.

Get Things Moving

If you’re body is feeling stagnant or blocked massage therapy can help get things flowing and release buildup of fluid in your body.

When you get a massage your blood’s oxygen capacity is being increased by 10-15% increasing blood circulation. Increasing circulation to injuries can greatly enhance healing results after an injury or operation.  

There is also an increase in production of gastric juices, saliva and urine as well as an increase in excretion of nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus, and sodium chloride (salt) increasing your metabolic rate.

The nerves that stimulate & supply your internal organs dilate the organs blood vessels, improving blood supply.

Your lymph fluid system (your body’s waste system) is stimulated removing waste & toxins from your system. Lymphatic drainage massage is performed to specifically treat blockages & build up in the Lymph System. This may include sinusitis or other immune disorders or lymphedema resulting from an injury.

A stomach massage (A chinese massage technique known as Qi Nei Zang) can be very powerful in releasing deep held tension and toxins in the digestive organs and supporting the detox process.

In Chinese Medicine & Thai Massage our body is seen as a network of interconnected channels and pathways called meridians with specifical points (acupressure points) along the meridians. Through massaging along specific Meridians & using acupressure you can treat many ailments by releasing blockages in the body or stimulating certain pathways & organs to heal.

Healing Injury & Managing Musculoskeletal Changes

Remedial Massage Therapy is designed to directly treat musculoskeletal damage with soft & deep tissue manipulation.

This may involve trigger point therapy, fascial release or deep tissue work to break up scar tissue & realign your body. It may involve increasing circulation to areas of injury or stimulating muscles that have been deactivated due to injury. Conditions such as sciatica, carpal tunnel, stiff necks, headaches, sports injuries and many more can be treated directly with remedial massage treatment.

As discussed earlier a Lymphatic Drainage Massage may be performed to treat lymphedema resulting from an musculoskeletal changes.

Remedial Massage Therapy can greatly support the journey pre and post pregnancy. During pregnancy your entire body changes. Your posture changes & your muscles have to work much harder. You often experience compression syndromes such as carpal tunnel & thoracic outlet syndrome which can cause allot of pain & discomfort.

Which Massage is for me ?

While the primary goal is to restore balance & enable healing as you can see Massage Therapy has a range of therapeutic benefits & there are a number of treatment options.

If you are suffering with anxiety, depression or trauma in your body, regular Massage Therapy can enable your nervous system to balance, increasing the bodies relaxed, focused hormones while decreasing stress hormones. This enables a state for you to process trauma on your mind & body.

If you are managing hormonal changes or going through pregnancy, a relaxation massage can be tailored to assist in balancing your hormones and managing the symptoms. Pregnancy Massage may incorporate Remedial Massage to treat musculo skeletal changes during pregnancy.

If you are feeling lethargic a more rhythmic Swedish Massage can increase your energy as can a Thai Massage opening & stretching your body while stimulating meridians.

If you are holding chronic tension in your body or have an acute or long term injury Remedial Massage can assist you to recovery & eliminate pain.  

If you have swelling from an injury or illness lymphatic drainage massage assists the body to flush out excess lymphatic fluid.

You may require a combination of treatment techniques incorporated in your treatment plan.  

In Summary

Massage Therapy with a Qualified Massage Therapist at Erina can do you a world of good. Regularly scheduled self-care can play a huge part in how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Budgeting time and money for Massage Therapy at consistent intervals is truly an investment in your health!

One of the other aspects of massage that can prove to be helpful, is that the more massage you receive, the more you gain from it’s benefits. Like the way you work up the endurance to run a marathon, the more your body receives massage, the deeper and more effective massage becomes.

Massage may feel like a luxury, however especially in today’s faster paced lifestyle, I would consider massage appointments a necessary part of your health and wellness plan.

I recommend finding a therapist that aligns to your specific needs & whom you can work to establish a treatment plan & schedule that best meets your needs