One of the oldest and simplest forms of therapy, the massage can be very beneficial in many ways. A form of stroking, rubbing, kneading and pressing the body in different areas, massage therapy is also a very safe way to treat many problems. The biggest benefit from having massage therapy is probably the multitude of ailments that can be treated. When a massage is performed, the pressure placed on the body helps to relieve pain, relax, stimulate and tone the. Massages have also been known to assist in the lymphatic system and circulation of blood throughout the body.
Greg Smith is the Director of Information and Outreach at the Colorado Institute of Massage Therapy. Smith has been practicing massage therapy for the last seven years and also serves as a fitness therapist and personal trainer. Smith said that while there are several reasons why many people take visits to the massage therapist, the number one reason is very common among many clients.
"The number one reason people come for massage therapy is to treat pain," Smith said. "We are not a scientific field in the sense that we can say we absolutely do these five things. But what we can say is that through a systematic manual application of either pressure or movement on the tissues of body, we encourage and promote blood flow, lymph drainage, stimulation of the nervous system, stretching and loosening muscles, and in some cases releasing dopamine and duraphen. Dopamine is the chemical which gives sense of well being. It is ten times more powerful than morphine."
Massage therapy deals with pain by applying pressure to the body. A great detail about massage therapy is that it allows the client to key in on the part of the body that is ailing them. But when it comes to dealing with issues of the mind, such as stress. Massage therapy works by releasing dopamine into the body.
"Someone who is dealing with stress will typically have high stress levels in their body," Smith said. "They are stress hormones, if you want to put it that way. Massage therapy with dopamine release (and just touch in general) leaves you feeling like you are cared for."
"Usually people are under stress because their expectations are not being met emotionally, spiritually, or physically," he added. "So massage therapy is more or less a profession that's customized to the client. They can tell you what's too deep or what's too light. They get to say, 'hey, I just want some work on my shoulder.' Or, 'my neck is really tight, could you just spend the whole hour on that?' And as massage therapist, we can do that. It's a very unique type of health care."
