What Is Therapeutic Massage?

Therapeutic massage can be defined as using the knowledge and scientific application of anatomy, physiology and pathology of the structures of the body to manipulate the soft tissue for therapeutic results.

Many experts in the profession argue that therapeutic massage is the oldest known healing art that seeks to unify the mind, body and spirit. And depending on the strokes used, rhythm, and depth of touch, this form of healing can be relaxing and calming or energizing and invigorating.

At Acupuncture HealthCare Clinic, we understand that it is very important for nearly everyone to keep their muscles and joints as flexible as they can be and we truly help you to achieve this goal resulting in relieving stress and tension and mental and physical fatigue, enhancing the functions of the joints and improving circulation and general body tone just to name a few.

Joan Borysenko wrote in the Massage Journal Interview, Fall 1999 that "often times people are highly stressed in our culture. Stress-related disorders make up between 80-and-90 percent of the ailments that bring people to family-practice physicians. What they require is someone to listen, someone to touch them, someone to care. That does not exist in modern medicine…”

Research in therapeutic massage which has been ongoing for more than 120 years has demonstrated that office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren't massaged; massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients; abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage; premature infants who were massaged gained more weight and fared better than those who weren't and autistic children showed less erratic behavior after massage therapy.

Research has also proved that therapeutic massage is a great solution to stress. It is also an outstanding means of enhancing overall feelings of well-being, and more importantly it helps to boost the immune system to prevent various illnesses. If used regularly it contributes significantly to the quality of life, and helps to maintain health and vitality. Therapeutic massage is used by many athletes as a fitness aid.

Other research studies show therapeutic massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, improves range of motion by relaxing the muscles, and increases endorphins (enhancing medical treatment). Though these same research studies found that therapeutic massage does not increase muscle strength, it can stimulate weak, inactive muscles and, thus, partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. It also can hasten and lead to a more complete recovery from exercise or injury.

Try Therapeutic Massage, It Works! Call us for an appointment today, you owe it to your mind, body and spirit.