Holistic therapy treats the body as a "whole", which means that not only will a massage treatment pamper your physical body but it will also establish internal and external problems and provide an effective method of rebalancing. Holistic massage is a therapeutic application of touch that is also a supportive, relaxing treatment that encourages the mind to slow down whilst energy is increased. This treatment also lifts the spirit on an emotional level.
How Holistic Massage Can Help You:
Holistic massage benefits the mind, body and spirit. Massage relaxes taut muscles, aids lympathic drainage, releases toxins and benefits the "whole" in many other positive ways. Physical and emotional stress can be reduced through therapeutic touch and a myriad of other restrictive problems can also be alleviated.
Daily life impacts on our body in many ways. Although we can easily become tired, stressed, anxious and exhausted we seldom create the space to explore the therapeutic form of beneficial relaxation. Holistic massage can create instant improvement in the quality of sleep and concentration, improve circulation and waste removal and encourage deeper, more relaxed breathing, and is an accessible treatment for all ages.
What is Holistic Massage?
One of the first questions I get asked about holistic massage is "What does holistic mean?" Holistic means 'whole' (it has Greek roots for those interested in the Etymology!). So this form of massage deals with you as a 'whole'. Like other therapies, it is not just looking to treat the symptoms, but to establish the cause, whether it be internal or external. The aim is to rebalance the body so it achieves homeostasis or balance. The training for the therapist is quite extensive, as it not only covers massage, but also anatomy and physiology, nutrition and general health.
What Happens When I Go For A Holistic Massage
At the first consultation with your therapist, you will be asked to complete a detailed health questionnaire. This will take about 45 minutes as it goes over every aspect of your health, family history and lifestyle, what goes in your body and yes, what comes out the other end! From this information the therapist can put together a profile for you and tailor the massage to suit. The therapist keeps a note of each treatment, which for you means that after a few visits you can come in, 'flop' down on the couch and the therapist knows what you need.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Holistic Massage Therapy
Massage benefits are both mind and body. It is rare that we take an hour to lie down, close our eyes and just 'be'. An hour's peace and quiet away from ringing phones and demanding children has a definite restorative effect.
For the body, the massage helps taut muscles learn to relax and this, combined with strokes to aid lymphatic drainage, helps to release toxins. The benefits can be felt by all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles. According to the Massage Association, research has verified that office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged. It is not just office workers who benefit. Stress affects different people in a myriad of ways, physically and emotionally. Stiffness and soreness in muscles can be due to a wide range of physical factors from an overly energetic session in the gym or carrying too much shopping home, to poor posture through being seated at a desk all day or excessive time behind the steering wheel. The causes are not always physical however. Emotional tension and the day to day stresses that life throws at us can manifest in headaches caused by a stiff neck and shoulders and the body generally tensing up in response to stress, especially if there is not the opportunity to release. Massage can help people to deal with emotional problems such as grief and depression. Some massage therapists specialise in pregnant women ('doula' massage), attending the birth to enable a drug free delivery. Young babies and children benefit from massage – stroking and touch are a great way for parent and child to bond. Children with autism have been shown to respond well to cranial massage.
Older people benefit too. For the elderly it can be difficult to get around, resulting in lack of exercise and muscle atrophy. Massage will stimulate blood flow and help the release of those feel-good endorphins that make us feel smiley inside.
Are There Any Reasons I Would Not Be Able To Have A Massage
There are a number of factors which preclude massage, for example if the you are ill and/or has a fever. You are also advised not to drink alcohol or take drugs (unless by prescription!) in the 24 hours before and after the massage. This could affect the liver and kidneys as in addition to the toxins released by the massage they will also be trying to cope with toxins from the drug. People with some conditions (such as cancer) may be treated only with consent from their GP. Your therapist will advise you, as the list is quite extensive.
What Happens At The End Of The Massage And Between Treatments
At the end of the session the therapist may give you advice about what you can do in between treatments to maintain or improve your body's equilibrium. This may be through gentle yoga or chi kung based exercises or dietary changes. For example, if you had the complaint of frequent headaches, it may be tension but one of the contributory factors may be too many caffeinated drinks (fizzy drinks, cups of tea, coffee, hot chocolate, for example) and a need to up their water intake. This is empowering as you are able to take responsibility for helping yourself 'get better' and this in turn really helps to boost self-esteem.
The medical benefits are very well documented with hundreds of books and websites devoted to the health benefits. You don't need a medical reason to enjoy massage though. A regular massage – weekly if you can manage it, will keep the body tuned. People groom daily, looking after their external appearance. Massage is like grooming for the inside, and if the inside is in good shape, it will shine through the outside too!
Massage therapists often gush about the therapeutic properties of massage therapy, saying it can lower levels of anxiety and stress, improve wellness, and even reduce pain. And for the most part, they’re right.
Indeed, many academic studies have demonstrated the therapeutic properties of massage therapy, but these studies are usually small in their number of participants, and often massage therapy is indicated as a complementary treatment, for example, as a non-invasive pain reliever for cancer patients. A study in the July 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine is therefore a breakthrough for massage therapists as it concludes that massage therapy isn’t just a good complementary therapy, rather, it is the best choice for treating lower back pain.
The study, titled A Comparison of the Effects of 2 Types of Massage and Usual Care on Chronic Low Back Pain, is so newsworthy because it concludes that general massage therapy is more effective than standard medical treatment when dealing with back pain. This means that a weekly massage can do more to ease chronic back pain than painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs (think Advil) and physical therapy.
According to The USA Today, the study monitored 410 women with chronic lower back pain. The women were randomly assigned to three groups, with one group receiving standard medical care as outlined above, one receiving an hour-long, weekly structural massage therapy session, and the final group receiving a standard, hour-long Swedish massage.
The results showed that women who received either form of massage therapy were two times as likely to have spent less time in bed due to pain, used less pain medication, and generally were more active than the women who did not receive massage therapy. Stunningly, more than one-third of the women who received massage therapy reported their back pain as much improved or completely gone, while only four percent of women who received standard medical care could say the same thing.
What does this mean for massage therapy and its practitioners? First and foremost, it is thorough proof that massage therapy can do what therapists have been saying it can do all along: Provide effective pain management and improve people’s quality of life. Second, this claim can be made by all massage therapists – from the highest trained to the recently graduated – as almost all therapists are well versed in Swedish massage. Finally, this should motivate therapists to continue to promote massage therapy as an effective, non-invasive therapy to people in areas where lower back pain is common, providing therapists with another reason to market, for example, chair massage therapy to office employees.
More than an indulgent splurge, a good massage can help treat everything from anxiety and arthritis to insomnia and injury rehabilitation.
Booking a massage may seem decadent, but there are real health benefits to be gained beneath the hands of an experienced professional.
1. Massage can reduce anxiety, depression and stress
Massage therapy is a wonderful way to reduce anxiety and stress. "It stimulates the body's natural endorphins, which help to relieve nervous tension," says Whynacht.
And if stress has given way to a more serious case of the blues, seeing a massage therapist -- in addition to consulting with your medical doctor --could make a positive difference.
"Massage can help the body raise neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, which aid in reducing depression," Whynacht explains.
2. Massage can help you sleep better
Raising serotonin levels via massage therapy can also help people who suffer from sleep disorders, although the more immediate effects may be even simpler.
"Massage relaxes your body and your mind, which [is something] many people with insomnia need help with," says Whynacht. She goes on to explain that many clients report improved sleep after a massage, while many also find themselves involuntarily dozing off during their treatment.
3. Massage can weaken pain and frequency of headaches and migraines
"Many headaches, even migraines, are often the results of muscle tension," explains Whynacht.
However, while you might assume that the tension is in your head because that's where you feel pain, it can actually be caused by soreness somewhere else in your body. The terms you'll hear a therapist use are "referral pain," which is where you're feeling it, and "trigger point," which is the area that's causing the pain.
"Massage therapy can improve circulation to stiff, sore muscles, relaxing them and stopping the referral of muscle pain to the head," says Whynacht.
4. Massage can boost your immune system
In addition to getting plenty of fluid and rest when you're under the weather, clear a little time in your calendar for a massage.
"Massage therapy promotes the movement of lymphatic fluid in our bodies," says Whynacht. "This fluid removes toxins and waste, which is quite helpful when trying to fight an infection."
The benefits can last beyond a speedy recovery, too. "This is a natural way to help strengthen your immune system."
5. Massage can ease joint pain
Whynacht says that massage therapy can help ease most joint pains by increasing the range of motion and relieving compensating muscle pain.
"[It can] make a huge difference," she says. "Whether the joint pain is chronic or if you are recovering from an injury."
6. Massage can speed healing after surgery or injuries
"Massage therapy can stimulate weak muscles that have been affected by an injury," explains Whynacht. "It increases range of motion, improves blood circulation and reduces pain."
She also says that massage can decrease inflammation, promote lymphatic drainage and help reduce scar tissue formation -- all things that do your body good post trauma or injury. Whynacht goes on to note that massage therapy is especially helpful for carpal tunnel syndrome and both muscle and tendon sprains.
7. Massage helps with asthma and emphysema
Respiratory problems can decrease mobility in your rib cage, overtax your breathing muscles and strain neck muscles, all of which can be helped by massage.
Whynacht also cites diaphragmatic breathing, which is promoted by therapists, as beneficial. "[It] can improve lung function," she explains.
8. Massage provides arthritis relief
In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, in which joints become swollen, massage can help decrease inflammation. And with osteoarthritis, where the cartilage on the ends of bones wears away, massage therapy can help promote better overall posture. That, in turn, can prevent excessive or uneven pressure on your joints.
Whynacht adds, however, that massage therapy may not be a good idea for anyone suffering from severe osteoporosis. If that is the case, you should consult your doctor before receiving treatment.
9. Massage can relieve pregnancy aches and pains
Looking for a gift for a friend who is expecting? Give her the gift of a little relief.
"Massage therapy during pregnancy can help reduce low back pain and decrease fluid retention," says Whynacht. And if you're going to be heading into the delivery room yourself, bring a massage therapist along. According to Whynacht, massage during labour can help eliminate muscle spasms.
