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How Registered Massage Therapy Benefits Specific Conditions

Massage Therapy and Post-Fracture Recovery: Massage can help to reduce swelling, reduce muscle tightness, improve tissue health, maintain range of motion, and mobilize hypo-mobile joints following a fracture. With all of these benefits, massage can help you heal and gain back regular range of motion more quickly after a fracture.

Massage Therapy and Tendinitis: In the acute stages, massage can help reduce pain, swelling, and treat any compensatory structures that may be experiencing extra strain. Later on in the chronic stages, massage can help to maintain range of motion, reduce adhesions, and reduce muscle tightness. This helps in improving tissue health as well as allowing you to return to your normal activities of daily living more easily.

Massage Therapy and Stress: Massage can help to reduce the sympathetic nervous system firing (i.e. the system responsible for the "fight or flight" response.), and to create an overall sense of well-being. Many people find that having one hour to themselves in which they can completely relax, leaves them feeling rejuvenated and much more at ease.

Massage Therapy and TMJ Dysfunction: Massage can do a lot to help reduce the pain and tightness in the jaw muscles associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. Massage can work both extra-orally, and intra-orally (inside and outside the mouth), to greatly reduce pain in the jaw, and even resolve it completely. A recent study showed that massage therapy was effective for pain in the masseter muscle (the muscle used for chewing). Massage treats the muscles of the jaw and neck, and also reduces stress which can be a contributing factor in TMJ dysfunction.

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Massage Therapy and Pregnancy and Post-pregnancy (Post-natal): Many women find that massage during pregnancy helps greatly in reducing discomforts that sometimes result from their changing bodies. As well, massage is a great way to maintain and increase circulation during pregnancy, and it is helpful simply for its relaxation benefits as well. After pregnancy, massage can help to stimulate muscles (like the abdominals) that have been stretched out, and to relax muscles that have become very tight (like the low-back muscles). Many new Moms also find that massage is a wonderful way to relax and have a little time to themselves.

Massage Therapy and Infants: Infant massage can be a fantastic way for parents to bond with their babies! It's a wonderful way to introduce healthy touch to your child. Infant massage also benefits your baby by: stimulating all the physiological systems of the body, relieving stress through increased relaxation (both for the baby and the parents), increasing healthy parent-infant interaction, heightening awareness of your baby's cues, and helping to relieve colic, gas and reduce constipation.

Massage Therapy and Edema/Water Retention: Massage is known to help increase circulation, which can reduce edema (swelling). But also, Massage Therapists use lymphatic drainage techniques to help improve this condition. Following injury or surgery, this can allow you to heal more quickly.

Massage Therapy and Sprains and Strains: With these injuries, massage is able to reduce swelling (if present), treat the muscles that surround the injury and those that are compensating for the injury. This means that you have less risk of the injury resulting in long-terms problems. And you will be able to return to your normal daily activities more quickly.

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Massage Therapy and Cancer Management: For those fighting cancer, massage offers help in pain reduction/pain management, relaxation and stress reduction, improved mobility and lessening of secondary musculoskeletal effects, and more efficient circulation along with improved skin condition.
*A Study done with cancer patients demonstrated statistically significant post massage reductions in heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressures. This effect continued 5 minutes after massage (which was as long as the measurement was taken). Cited in this study are other studies that demonstrate that massage induces relaxation, and that, in turn, relaxation can reduce the need for medications in pain control. (Meek SS, Effects of Slow Stroke Back Massage on Relaxation in Hospice Clients, IMAGE: Journal of Nursing Scholarship, Volume 25, Number 1, Spring 1993, pp. 17-21)

Massage Therapy and Insomnia: Massage is extremely effective at promoting relaxation. Often, clients find that they get to sleep more easily following a massage treatment because their stress levels are reduced and they are more easily able to let go of the things that keep their minds awake when their body needs rest.

Massage Therapy and Stroke Recovery: Massage can help to bring circulation to tissues that are paralyzed following stroke, allowing tissues to be healthier. As well, massage can help to reduce pain associated with muscles compensating for the loss of use, or reduced, use of others. Whether there is permanent paralysis, or the client is recovering, massage can help manage or reduce pain, and improve tissue health.

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Massage Therapy and Asthma/ Emphysema/Chronic Bronchitis
These are respiratory conditions commonly referred to as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder(COPD). Specific stimulating massage techniques can loosen phlegm in the lungs enabling a productive cough. Massage can also work to release tension in the muscles that facilitate breathing in your neck, ribcage and diaphragm. Loosening these muscles often increases lung function.

Massage Therapy and Scar Tissue
Frictioning is a common massage technique used to remove adhesions that occur as a result of an injury, surgery or repetitive motion. Removal of scar tissue can lead to improved range of motion, and elevate chronic pain where the scar tissue was once present.

Massage Therapy and Neurological conditions like MS & Parkinson’s
These central nervous system disorders can cause severe muscle tension, spasticity or rigidity. Many massage techniques reduce abnormal muscle tone, relieve pain, and increase circulation and muscle length to reduce spasm. Massage works to relax the sympathetic nervous system sedating the “fight or flight” reflex. Although massage cannot cure these two CNS disorders, it can have very beneficial effects in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life.

Massage Therapy and Headaches
Trigger Points in the neck and shoulder muscles are often the source of chronic tension headaches and migraines. Regular massage therapy can act to prevent headaches by maintaining muscle metabolic balance, and improving tissue health by means of increased blood circulation.

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Massage Therapy and Whiplash
Massage is an effective treatment for those suffering from whiplash in both the acute and chronic stages of recovery. After the impact of an auto accident, whiplash can cause pain and restricted movement of the head, neck, and even arms. Your peripheral nerves are highly sensitive and massage can help to sedate this agitated nervous system response. Massage during all stages of recovery is very effective in decreasing pain and swelling. Results can be noticed as early as the first treatment.

Massage Therapy and Constipation
Abdominal massage is very effective in reducing blockages and can facilitate clearance of the large intestine. Massage for constipation can stimulate peristalsis waves in the colon to start the stagnant matter moving again promoting a bowl movement.

Massage Therapy and Low Back Pain
Many people suffer from low back pain which frequently arise from lifting heavy objects, sporting injuries, or frequent and prolonged sitting in an awkward position. A Cochrane Collaboration study found that massage is likely to be effective for sub-acute and chronic low back pain. It was all the more effective if combined with exercise and patient education (advice on lifting and posture). The beneficial effects of massage seemed to be evident a year after treatment.

Massage Therapy and Fibromyalgia
Massage therapy is one of the most beneficial treatments for fibromyalgia because it reduces pain, swelling and stiffness, deceases stress and anxiety, and improves sleep. Many of these conditions are associated with Fibromyalgia. If treatments are received regularly, massage is a great preventative treatment.

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Massage Therapy and Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
After surgery, your body has been through a large amount of stress. Massage therapy reduces a tremendous amount of pain and post surgical swelling. It also reduces atrophy. Clients which have benefited from these treatments include shoulder rotator-cuff surgeries, breast reconstruction post-mastectomy, knee re-construction, hip replacement.

Massage Therapy and Inflammatory conditions like Arthritis and Bursitis
When hydrotherapy and massage therapy are used together, they can combat the pain and swelling associated with these two conditions. Joint stiffness is diminished and range of motion is often improved therefore creating a better quality of life.

Come see one of our Registered Massage Therapists today to see how they can help with these or many other conditions.