|
THE THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF TOUCH
WHAT IS MASSAGE THERAPY? (Steve Cagalj, B. Ph.Ed., RMT) "Touch is one of the most essential elements of human development, a profound method of communication, a critical component of the health and growth. and a powerful healing force" (Zur, 2004). Massage possesses the richest and most ancient heritage of all the healing arts. The earliest historic records show people instinctively touching and rubbing the body to relieve pain and discomfort. Over the centuries, it has been referred to in literature, art, and medicine as one of the oldest forms of treatment for human ills. Modern day massage therapy can be described as the physical manipulation of the soft tissue and joints of the body to elicit a therapeutic response. The therapeutic value of touch should never be underestimated, touching can reassure us, relax us, comfort us, or arouse us, like nothing else. In a way, the importance of touch is so basic that we tend to take it for granted, just as we do breathing. Humans need to touch and be touched, just like we need food and water. The connection between touch and well being is far more than skin deep. Massage therapy is a unique therapy that uses touch to produce a therapeutic response. Scientists have shown that the amount of body contact in our lives plays a vital role in our mental and physical development as infants and in our happiness and vigor as adults. Touch influences our ability to deal with stress and pain, to form close relationships with other people, and even to fight off disease. How Does it Work? Massage is the manipulation of the soft-tissues of the body. It helps to ease stress and muscular tension, relieve pain from injuries, and speed healing from certain acute and chronic conditions. Today millions of people worldwide visit massage therapists as a form of regular health-care maintenance. Most types of massage affect the body in a similar way. When muscles are overworked, body waste products such as lactic acid can accumulate, causing soreness, stiffness, and even muscle spasms. Massage in general--and Swedish massage in particular--improves blood and lymph circulation and brings fresh oxygen and other nutrients to the affected tissues. This helps to flush out the toxins and enhance recovery. Tense muscles may also compress blood vessels and stretch nerves, restricting blood flow and causing pain. As the affected area is massaged, the muscles gradually release their strangle hold on the irritated nerves, and the pain eases. The same mechanisms also make massage helpful in the recovery process for an injured muscle. In addition, massage has been shown to increase the body's production of pain-killing endorphins and the mood-altering hormone serotonin. It can also slow the release of the stress hormone cortisol. For this reason, massage is often prescribed as an adjunctive therapy for people whose immune systems are compromised by stress. Massage therapy is commonly used to treat the following conditions
Maybe we should consider changing the thought of an apple to: a hug a day keeps the doctor away. Consider treating yourself to the wonderful benefits of massage! |