9 Reasons you need a massage

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.

FindAMasseur.com - The largest non adult gay male massage therapist database in the world

FindAMasseur – Male Massage, Gay Massage and Bodywork Directory

Borriz – Massage Therapist/Reflexologist in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

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Find A Masseur mission statement is to create a network of professional straight, bi and gay male massage therapists for potential clients as a referral directory for m4m (man) bodywork. With so many choices and various massage techniques offered, here, potential clients can find a massage tailored just for them with discretion amongst the (male) massage service community.

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Article: A Beginner's Guide to Sensual Male Massage - by James Newman

The words "sensual massage" can conjure all sorts of images -- some more steamy than others.

It's a loaded phrase, certainly, but not necessarily in a negative sense, according to a FindAMasseur.com masseur.

I like the site is open to self expression of sensual massage. Everyone has his own definition, so it is left open to the masseur," said a F.A.M. masseur.

It's important to do so, he said, because communication between the client and the masseur is vital.
In other words, the clients can communicate what they desire from a massage, and the masseur can relay back what kind of massages they do, so the client knows exactly to expect from the massage. If the client goes into the massage blindly, they could be disappointed, which neither party would want.

Sensual massage is, by definition, an extremely intimate act. Particularly when both the client and the masseur are gay, the massage can easily have sexual undertones. But a massage can also just be a massage.

"It can be arousing, either emotionally or physically, but there is more to sensual massage than just genital touching," the F.A.M. masseur said. "It's more of a caress, a caring touch -- a soft touch to the face or the body.

"I've had a lot of clients who have come to me expecting genital touching, and they left with a sense of release, even without a sexual component,"
the masseur continued. "Sexual massage is quick and easy, but clients come back because they enjoyed the caress so much."

Despite the feelings of some masseurs, those kinds of requests will happen. Many massage therapists who don't advertise a sensual component to their services still get inundated with requests for sexual release.

“It comes with being in an online business – masseurs are going to get requests for many different kinds of massages, and they have to handle each case individually and professionally,” the F.A.M. masseur said.

Some masseurs have stopped advertising because they got unwelcome requests for massages with sexual components, but the F.A.M. masseur said that’s an overreaction.

“You just have to filter out the ones you’re not interested in and focus on the ones you do want to work with,” the masseur said.

Clients can best find what they are looking for by looking at reviews on FindAMasseur.com. These F.A.M. Approved reviews can help bring the right clients and therapists together by offering detailed accounts of therapists' services.

Now, just because the phrase "sensual massage" can evoke sexual connotations, not all gay clients are looking for anything more than a strong rubdown.

"Plenty of guys don't seek a sexual massage," the masseur said. "A lot of gay guys just want a massage."

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James Newman is a freelance writer in Texas and currently a staff writer for Findamasseur.com - http://www.findamasseur.com

WHAT A TYPICAL MASSAGE TREATMENT IS LIKE....

A typical massage treatment is 40 to 90 minutes long. It begins with consultation and review of symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle. You will be asked to disrobe (most people keep their underwear on) while the therapist is out of the room, and lie face down on a special massage table. There is a sheet or towel draped over you at all times, so only the part of the body being treated at any one time is uncovered. Massage therapists use a light oil or cream on the skin.

Will it be uncomfortable?
It shouldn't be uncomfortable. Occasionally there is mild aching when the therapist applies pressure over "knots" and other areas of muscle tension. If the pressure is too strong for you, let the therapist know.

One type of massage, called deep tissue massage, uses more direct pressure and friction on muscles, especially those in the low back, between the shoulder blades, and around the neck. Clients usually feel sore after these treatments.

How will I feel after?
Most people feel calm and relaxed after a treatment. Occasionally, people experience mild temporary aching for a day.

Should I talk to the massage therapist during the treatment?
Your massage therapist may ask you questions related to your condition during your treatment. If you have any additional information you forgot to mention during the consultation, don't hesitate to bring it up. Don't feel like you have to make conversation during your treatment.

"I fell asleep during my massage!"
Don't be embarassed - it happens to many people. In fact, being in such as state of relaxation during the massage enhances the therapeutic effects.

INTRODUCTION

Massage is an Art form that has been around for centuries. Massage was used in the times of old to heal people physically and spiritually. Body work has various modalities of healing people at so many different levels. The human body has the natural ability to heal itself. Through the power of touch the body receives the tools it needs for healing advantage.

With the benefits like increased blood circulation, decreased muscle tension, and deep relaxation, the body has room to systematically begin relieving overall tension. Massage is truly a gift that should be taken advantage of and enjoyed to its fullest.

Being a Massage/Reflexology Therapist has dramatically change my life. I have been a massage/reflexology therapist for over two years and have discovered the secret to well-being. The secret includes being hydrated, exercising, receiving massage and simply loving your body. You have to consistently take care of your body if you want your body to take care of you. Your body is your temple so take care of it.