Massage Therapy & Bodywork	Aromatherapy & Essential Oils	A-Z of Sports Injuries	Massage Article Archive

Massage Therapy and Bodywork

Relax your body, Calm your mind, Soothe your soul....

Massage therapy is recognized as one of the oldest methods of healing and can be traced back to the early Chinese medical manuscripts around 400BC.

Massage therapy spans a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, working to improve an individual's health and well-being through the hands-on manipulation of muscles and other soft tissues of the body. It is also an alternative health option to help alleviate the soft tissue discomfort associated with everyday and occupational stresses, muscular overuse and many chronic pain syndromes.

Massage therapy involves systematic stroking, rubbing and kneading of the soft tissues of the body including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints to relieve stress, relax, soothe aches and pain, and increase the general wellbeing of the body.

Massage Therapy is a dynamic and rapidly growing profession. Did you know…?

Consumers visit massage therapists 114 million times each year.

A total of 28% of adults say they had a massage in the past five years, compared with 17% in 1997.

The percentage of American adults receiving one or more massages from a massage therapist in the previous year (18%) more than doubled since 1997 (8%).

Among people who had experienced severe back, neck or shoulder pain, the rate of use of massage therapy increased from 14.6% in 1996 to 19.4% in 1999.

Doctors and consumers are turning more and more to massage as an adjunct to regular health practices.

Currently, there are well over 100,000 massage therapists practicing in the United States alone. The use of massage is spreading to many segments of the population. The massage boom can be attributed partly to the baby boomers, a growing population of aging and tired people who were frequently overworked and stressed out.

Researchers also propose that massage may serve as a kind of "touch therapy" fulfilling an emotional need for individuals who lack physical contact with others.

The benefits of a good massage can be numerous, from stress reduction and relief of fatigue to the promotion of circulation. It works on a physical, mental, and for some people, even a spiritual level, and can be a satisfying part of your health regimen or just a pleasurable way to end the day.

Types of Massage and Bodywork

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Trigger Point Therapy

Watsu

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