Therapeutic and Relaxation Massage

Therapeutic or Swedish Massage is the manipulation of the body’s soft tissue, the skin and muscles using the hands. The use of varying degrees of pressure and stretching movements help to promote health. It is a natural, safe and extremely effective therapy which has been practised for thousands of years.

The main effect of massage is to relax the body and balance the body systems. It can have an invigorating effect, can help drain away excess fluid and toxins from the muscle tissue and can ease painful muscles. The movements used help to relax the muscles and stimulate the body’s systems to work more efficiently. Massage eases and relaxes knotted muscles and help to clear away toxins that can crystallise in the tissues and can cause pain and stiffness; it affects the nervous system, stimulating it to release endorphins which reduce the sensations of the pain. Tense muscles constrict the blood vessels and inhibit circulation. Relaxing the muscles with massage takes pressure off the arteries and veins and allows the blood to flow more freely.

The lymphatic or immune system is also stimulated to work more efficiently in removing toxins from the tissues and fighting bacteria. Breathing and digestion can also improve.

Massage is not a cure for any specific condition, but by stimulating the body’s systems and helping them to work more efficiently, the symptoms of many conditions can be reduced or alleviated.

Massage can be extremely beneficial during pregnancy especially during the last few months, when the body can feel strained and very heavy. It can help to alleviate backache, improve skin tone and so reduce the chance of stretch marks, improve circulation, reduce fluid retention, tone the muscles, minimise fatigue and prepare the body for childbirth by keeping the whole system relaxed.

Benefits of Massage

Massage is perhaps the oldest and simplest of all therapies and in traditional cultures, such as in the East, it is accepted as natural that people of all ages can benefit from regular massage.

Regular massage:

• relaxes the body, relieving mental, emotional and physical tension



• reduces the effects of environmental stress and helps to protect against stress related conditions
  
• stimulates the circulation



• aids the lymphatic drainage system and removal of waste products



• helps the immune system to work more effectively



• helps you become more self-aware



• improves your self esteem

Massage can help: arthritis, rheumatism, tense aching muscles, stiff joints, mental and physical fatigue, back ache, headaches, migraine, constipation, PMT, menstrual and menopausal problems, discomfort during pregnancy, insomnia, anxiety, grief, ME, sports injuries, sinusitis.

You do not however have to have a problem to benefit from massage!

It is an excellent way to maintain good general health and induce wellbeing.

Please note: There can be contraindications to Massage, please ask your therapist for details.

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