You know how much better you feel after a massage. How does it work?
-Massage may stimulate release of natural pain-relievers such as endorphins.
-Massage stretches tight muscles and sends messages to the nervous system to relax.
-Massage increases circulation, which flushes irritating waste products and floods tight muscles with healing oxygen and nutrients. Combined with stress relief, improved circulation may be enough in itself to help you relax and allow the pain to recede as you let go.
-Massage releases trigger points, highly irritable spots that feel like lumps or knots, which send uncomfortable sensations to other parts of the body.
-Massage softens contracted muscles and their connective tissue coverings, called fascia. As a result, tension and spasms are often relieved.
-Specific massage techniques help heal recent injuries and minimize the discomforts of old, poorly-healed ones. Massage does this by: (1) relaxing tension in areas surrounding an injury, (2) reducing the painful buildup of fluids in swelling, and (3) helping to improve the condition of the tissues so that they are both stronger and more pliable.
-Massage helps you regain energy and restore normal movement. Feeling good will make you want to exercise, regaining your most important means for maintaining good circulation.
-Massage can improve your sleep, helping your body heal and rejuvenating you for each day’s challenges.
-Massage helps you perceive and “listen” to your pain, which is, after all, a vital signal from our nervous system that we sit up and pay attention.
-Sometimes the perception of pain is changed when receiving the skilled and focused touch of massage. Without even trying, you may find you allow the new, pleasurable input of massage to take precedence over the painful sensations, at least temporarily.
Follow-up massage in times of stress can help keep old pain from flaring up. Remember to schedule that next massage!
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Susan Clingman, RMT, A Healing Experience Massage, 5031 S. Federal Blvd., Suite 3, Englewood, CO 80110, (303) 726-2575; susanmclingman@comcast.net; www.ahealingexperiencemassage.com
To read articles and information about massage, modalities and health/medical issues, please visit: http://www.ahealingexperienceco.massagetherapy.com
Massage Therapy Englewood Colorado
