Massage therapy has been used in different cultures around the world. Today, people use numerous different forms of massage therapy for a range of health-related reasons. Massage therapy in the United States is frequently considered part of alternative and complementary medicine although it has some conventional uses.
Benefits of massage
People use massage for a range of health-related goals. They want to rehabilitate sports injuries, relieve pain, reduce stress, increase relaxation, anxiety, and depression, and be of great help in general well-being.
Scientific evidence for massage therapy is limited. Nevertheless, massage therapy appears to have few serious risks when used properly and provided by a trained massage St Louis professional.
The history of massage
Massage therapy dates back thousands of years. References to massage appear in writings from ancient China, Japan, India, the Arab nations, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
In Europe, massage became widely used during the Renaissance. Two American doctors who studied in Sweden in the 1850s presented massage therapy to the United States. It became popular and was promoted for a variety of medical purposes. With technological and scientific advances in medical treatment, massage fell out of favor in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. However, in the 1970s, it has been revived especially among sports individuals.
The term “massage therapy” includes several different techniques. Generally, therapists rub, press, and otherwise work on the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. They most often use their fingers and hands but may use their elbows, forearms, or feet.
In Swedish massage, therapists use long, kneading movements, deep circular movements, vibrations, and self-threading. Sports massage is the same as Swedish massage, tailored specifically to the needs of athletes.
Scientific research
Although scientific research into massage therapy, whether it works and, if so, how, is limited. There is not enough evidence, in general, no conclusions can yet be drawn about its effectiveness for specific illnesses.
According to an analysis, the general conclusion is that massage therapy is effective. The studies included in the review suggest that a single massage therapy session can reduce blood pressure, and anxiety, and stabilize heart rate. Multiple sessions can decrease depression, “trait anxiety,” and pain.
There are many theories about how massage therapy can affect the body. For example, one theory suggests that massage can provide stimulation, which helps block pain signals sent to the brain. Other theories suggest that massage may motivate the release of certain chemicals in the body or may cause beneficial mechanical changes in the body.