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Benefits of Routine Therapeutic Massage

massage therapist rubbing a clients back with forearm

Learn How Regular Massages Can Help You

Therapeutic massage offers many potential health benefits including increased blood flood and circulation, decreased tension in the muscles, and increased endorphin levels. These benefits are helpful in the healing process by bringing nutrition to muscles and easing anxiety to reduce pain and speed recovery. However, one session of therapeutic massage may not be enough. Routine therapeutic massages can have significant additional benefits.

Benefits Of Massage Therapy

Massage can combat the negative symptoms stress can cause in our lives. The physical changes massage brings to your body are not limited to increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety, lowering your blood pressure, increasing circulation, improving recovery from injury, helping you to sleep better, and increasing your ability to concentrate. Learn more about the benefits of massage on your mind, body, and soul.

Massage Is Great For Athletes & Surgery Patients

Prevent Injury

Massage can be a very powerful asset for preventive care. By seeing a massage therapist regularly, you can prevent minor skeletomuscular injuries from becoming major problems that could lead to loss of mobility or flexibility later in life. Therapeutic massage specifically works to lengthen muscles that are stuck in a pattern of chronic shortening. If you’re worried about the cost of regular massage sessions, consider how costly prescription drugs, doctor visits, and surgeries would be. The cost of prevention may be better than the cost of a cure.

Reduce Recovery Time

Massage helps recovery from soft tissue injuries such as sprains and strains. Tissue growth and repair are accelerated by efficient circulation and appropriate stimulation, making massage a great option for injury recovery and treatment.

Make Your Workouts More Effective

Massage can increase endurance, speed up recovery time, control fatigue, and help people feel better when used as part of a regular health program. By helping rid your body of waste, massage enables more productive training, with longer, more effective workouts. Massage helps prepare for strenuous workouts and eliminates subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.

Make Surgery Recovery Easier

Massage reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred. Massage can also improve range of motion and flexibility, aiding in the recovery process. For those with a restricted range of motion, massage provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces muscle shortening.

How Massage Can Improve Your Overall Health

Improve Posture

Poor posture often develops over time as a compensation related to joint and muscle discomfort. Routine therapeutic massage combats this by loosening muscles. Massage provides relaxation for joints, allowing the body to return to its natural position.

Promote Circulation & Lymphatic Flow

Massage increases lymph circulation. Lymph is a fluid that rids body tissues of impurities and waste, and is dependent on the squeezing effect of muscles. An active person has better lymph flow than an inactive person.

Therapeutic massages help blood, lymph, and other essential body fluids to flow throughout the body, affecting your largest organ: the skin! Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to organs and muscles within the body for optimal functioning. A regular massage routine could help lower blood pressure, potentially preventing chronic illnesses. Massage also stimulates the flow of lymph, the body’s natural defense system, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.

Naturally Strengthen Your Immune System

Therapeutic massages can help boost your immune system by increasing the activity level of the body’s defensive cells. Routine massage treatments promote the body’s ability to naturally fight bacteria and infection. If you are always getting sick, or just tend to feel “under the weather” more than most people, a regular massage routine might help you bounce back.

Treat Migraine With Massage

Endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller, is used in chronic illness, injury, and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain. Targeted massage techniques, including TMJ massage therapy, help alleviate muscle tension and reduce pressure associated with migraines. By focusing on the neck, shoulders, and jaw, targeted massage therapy can address common migraine triggers at the source.

Massage For Pregnant & Elderly Patients

Shorter, Easier Labor For Expecting Mothers

Massage can shorten labor for expectant mothers, as well as lessen the need for medication, reduce the chances for postpartum depression and anxiety, and shorten hospital stays. Targeting common discomforts like back pain, swelling, and fatigue, and promoting relaxation, pregnancy massages can help you feel more comfortable as your body adapts.

Massage Is Great For Older Adults

Massage knows no age limits. It works wonders on young, old, and in between. It can be helpful to the elderly who are looking for relief from the physical effects of aging which can include: thinner and drier skin, reduced tissue elasticity, loss of mobility, slower nervous system response, decreased bone mass, sleeplessness, constipation, and a less efficient immune system.

Can Massage Therapy Help Me?

Generally, people use massage for either general relaxation and wellbeing, or to address a specific complaint, such as pain or limited range of motion. Research suggests massage therapy may contribute to both goals.

Some of the general benefits of massage therapy may include:

Physical relaxation
Improved circulation, which nourishes cells and improves waste elimination
Relief for tight muscles (knots) and other aches and pains
Release of nerve compression (carpel tunnel, sciatica)
Greater flexibility and range of motion
Enhanced energy and vitality
Some clinical styles may help heal scar tissue as well as tendon, ligament, and muscle tears

What specific conditions can massage therapy help?

Massage therapy may help the body in many ways. Massage can relax muscle tissue, which may lead to decreased nerve compression, increased joint space, and range of motion. This may lead to reduced pain and improved function.

Massage therapy may also improve circulation, which enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells and helps remove waste products. These circulatory effects of massage may have value in the treatment of some inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis or edema (an excessive accumulation of fluid in body tissues, which may be reduced using manual lymph drainage).

Massage therapy is also thought to induce a relaxation response, which lowers the heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure; boosts the immune system, and generally decreases the physical effects of stress.

These effects suggest that massage may be helpful for a wide range of conditions. Some of these are listed below.

Decreases pain and increases functioning in these conditions:	Helps treat and manage symptoms or complications of:	Other psychological, emotional, and physical benefits:
Carpal tunnel Sciatica Tension headaches Whiplash Scoliosis Torticollis Tendon and muscle tears Thoracic outlet syndrome Varicose veins Pregnancy-related back pain and other discomforts Myofascial pain Sore or overused muscles (prevents and treats) Muscle injury (offers rehabilitation)	Gout Rheumatoid arthritis Osteoarthritis Muscular dystrophies Raynaud’s Disease Diabetes Hypertension and congestive heart failure Reduces risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes autoimmune diseases	Improved mood Reduced anxiety Lower stress levels Lessening of depression Reduced anger and aggression Improved sleep patterns and decreased sleep disturbance Reduced fatigue Enhances immune system Improves athletic performance and enhances recovery

Benefits of Aromatherapy During Your Massage and Facial

esthetician-applying-essential-oils-to-client-during-facial

Before we can discuss the benefits of aromatherapy, you may be wondering “what is aromatherapy?”. Aromatherapy incorporates the use of scented essential oils.

The essential oils are 100% natural, highly concentrated plant essence, they will be diluted before use and are applied along with lotion during the massage or facial. The massage involves alternating between gentle and harder pressure while using essential oils.

Not only is your body benefiting from the direct contact with the essential oils, but the oils are alleged to have specific healing properties upon inhaling after exposure.

Aromatherapy can reduce stress, relieve anxiety, increase calmness and relaxation, increase contentment, decrease muscle tension, provide pain relief, and reduce the symptoms of depression.

Benefits of adding aromatherapy to your massage and facial

Essential Oils are Harmless

Your therapist will evaluate your skin type and discuss any issues you have or what you need to work on and use a selection of oils that will benefit your skin. If you do not have any healing requests such as nerves, muscles, or joints, you can ask for a more general essential oil such as energizing, uplifting, relaxing, or decongesting.

Stress-Relief

Receiving a massage or facial is a way to relax and ease your emotions, by adding essential oils to your massage or facial your experience and results will be enhanced because these oils have stress-relieving properties.

Detoxes Your Skin

Essential oils get down deep into your pores and work on the inner layers. Aromatherapy facial and massage literally purifies the skin from within and not just externally. This washes away all the impurities and hence, skin is detoxed.

Relieves Dryness

There is no better solution if you are suffering from dry skin, especially in the winter, when skin becomes extra dry, essential oils can be used as exfoliators in the form of a scrub or peel. You will soon feel your skin texture turn smooth.

Treats Poor Skin Conditions

Are you looking for that magic skin treatment to deal with blemishes, acne, dark spots, and similar problem? Aromatherapy helps to improve the texture of the skin as it has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Removing dirt and all other impurities from the skin.

Improves Blood Circulation

A natural and healthy glow is what we all want to see in our skin, right? This is mostly triggered by the betterment of blood flow to the skin cells. The movement of blood to the skin gives it a healthy glow and releases skin cells with necessary nutrients and water, which reduces the presence of wrinkled dry skin.

Want to add aromatherapy to your massage or facial? Book online or call Precision Wellness today!

Postpartum Massage

While we have already explained the benefits massage can have on pregnant women, it’s worth noting the importance of massage after having a baby as well. Carrying a child can be one of the most altering life events a woman will ever go through – especially physically.

Along with going through a large number of bodily changes in the past 9 months, a new mother also has a lot more responsibility and stress after her baby is born. That’s a lot of pressure on someone!

Massages are a key element in postpartum recovery because:

They’re great for relieving stress and anxiety.

What better what to relax than to get a massage? Massages are able to relax the otherwise high-strung muscles that were used heavily during pregnancy and labor, smoothing out knotted areas of the body. Don’t be afraid to truly pamper yourself during this session either – you just brought a baby into this world! – so why not add in an extra relaxing facial?

They help to balance out hormones.

Many women struggle with depression and hormone imbalances postpartum. Luckily, massages help to balance out hormones by the release of chemicals during the massage (especially when essential oils are used).

Massages can decrease pain.

For a long time, people have received massages to help with their chronic pain. A lot of people don’t know that the underlying cause of a hurting part of the body is usually caused by an entirely different area – but your massage therapist will be able to help pinpoint your troubles!

They can also improve sleep.

It’s no surprise that many new mothers are severely sleep-deprived. Speedy recovery is linked with getting good sleep, so it’s crucial that you make time for yourself. Let your mother-in-law watch the baby for an hour or two while you take time to rest and relax with a massage and take a nap afterward!

As soon as you feel comfortable enough to receive a massage, make an appointment! If you’re not sure your body is quite ready or have questions, always check with your doctor to ensure a postpartum massage is the right move for you.

Herbal Oil on a Molecular Level

massage-therapist-applying-herbal-oil-on-clients-foot

Herbal oil isn’t a magical cure-all potion, and it’s not something made to get you high; Cannabidiol (aka Herbal Oil) is a part of the cannabis plant that can leave a therapeutic, relaxing effect on people and truly impact your body in a positive way. With the recent interest in herbal oil, a lot of rumors have started to circulate. We hope that by explaining exactly how herbal oil affects your brain, many of the stereotypes and myths you have heard about will be dispelled.

Within your brain, the endocannabinoid system’s most important function is to maintain balance and homeostasis of almost everything going on in your body. CB1 and CB2 receptors make up the system, and these receptors are activated by anandamide and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol. Anandamide stimulates the CB1 receptors; while 2-AG stimulates both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 controls several physiological functions like sleeping, appetite, emotion, sensory perception, memory, and cognition; CB2 activation controls inflammation since these receptors are predominantly found in the immune system.

Now, THC binds to the CB1 receptors, altering your state of mind. Herbal oil, unlike THC, has a low binding affinity with the CB1 receptors which means it will not give you that ‘high’ feeling. Instead, CBD binds to different receptors and activates them to produce its therapeutic effects by getting transported by fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) to go through cell membranes.

One of the most common uses for herbal oil is for anxiety, as it directly activates a receptor called serotonin. As we know, serotonin creates a relaxing, calming effect on a person which can help with things like addiction, insomnia, and pain management (and so much more). Herbal oil also binds with TRPV1 receptors, which is known to mediate pain perception, inflammation, and body temperature making even more of an impact on your physical being. These are just a couple of the receptors that herbal oil influences, it’s been found that there are more than 65 molecular targets of Cannabidiol!

Remember how we mentioned Anandamide earlier? It is known as your ‘bliss molecule’ and is naturally found in the body. As mentioned, it stimulates your CB1 receptors which have a big impact on your emotions and sensory preception. Unfortunately anadamide gets transported by FABP to the enzymes that break it down, taking away its therapeutic effects. While herbal oil is in your system it is competing for FABP, leaving fewer for anadamide to bind with, thus leaving more of it in your body! Just another positive effect on your body by herbal oil!

Because of all these benefits, Precision Wellness offers massages and facials with a custom blend of herbal oil and your choice of aromatherapy. Whether you’re looking for deep tissue relaxation or are seeking relief from pain, this add-on is for you!

Herbal Oil and Self Care

Amendment 2 just passed in Missouri (whoop whoop) and you’re going to be hearing a lot about cannabis, or medical marijuana. This includes herbal oil which has been legal and used within the self-care industry for years. So, what is herbal oil?

A cannabis plant contains both Cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol. Tetrahydrocannabinol is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana and is what makes a person feel ‘stoned’. Unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol, Cannabidiol (aka Herbal Oil) is not psychoactive which makes it an appealing option for those who are looking for pain relief.

Herbal Oil has been shown to be a more natural alternative to prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs for things like stiffness, chronic pain, epilepsy, fighting cancer, acne, and Alzheimer’s disease! Within your body, you have the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) which plays a crucial role in regulating our physiology, mood, and everyday experience. Herbal Oil stimulates the endocannabinoid system and helps promote homeostasis in the body, reducing the sensation of pain and inhibiting inflammation.

Herbal Oil has slowly been breaking into the health and beauty industries! Benefits of Herbal Oil in a massage include anti-inflammatory benefits, a boost to the immune system, reduction in anxiety, promotion of a sense of calmness and relaxation, and alleviation of chronic pains. Can you imagine being even more relaxed during a massage??

You already know that inflammation is the root cause of many skin troubles, from rosacea to acne. Herbal Oil’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties can reduce puffiness, soothe, and even tighten skin which makes it perfect for facials!

If you’d like to see how Herbal Oil can work for your body, book with one of our therapists today!

Can Massage Therapy Help My Low Back Pain?

For most of us, the answer is probably ‘yes’. Massage is non-invasive and very low risk for most people. In addition to physical benefits, certain types of massage can help psychologically through relaxation and increased production of ‘feel good’ chemicals. These chemicals (also known as endorphins) are naturally produced by the body and are helpful for people with both acute back problems and chronic back pain.

Types Of Back Problems Massage Can Help With

Back pain is a very broad statement. There are numerous types of back problems and many may benefit from massage therapy, including:

Treat Muscle strain in the lower back or upper back/neck

Most episodes of acute lower back pain are caused by muscle strain, such as from lifting a heavy object, a sudden movement or a fall. Low back pain can be very severe and last for several hours, several days or even a few weeks. When back muscles are strained or torn, the area around the muscles can become inflamed. The muscles in the back can spasm and cause both severe lower back pain and difficulty moving. The large upper back muscles are also prone to irritation, either because of lack of strength, or overuse injuries (such as repetitive motions). Upper back pain may also be due to a specific event, such as a muscle strain, sports injury, or auto accident. Therapeutic Massage can calm the spasm/irritation and improve range of motion.

Treatment For Spinal Osteoarthritis

Spinal arthritis is the breakdown of the cartilage between the aligning facet joints in the back portion of the spine. The facet joints become inflamed and progressive joint degeneration creates more frictional pain as bone rubs on bone. Muscles will tighten and become fatigued while trying to stabilize the spine. Massage therapy can help reduce osteoarthritis pain by improving circulation and reducing stress and muscle tension.

Fibromyalgia Relief

Fibromyalgia can affect people differently but is usually characterized by pain, stiffness, fatigue and/or non-restorative sleep. The patient typically feels both widespread pain and pain in specific “tender points” as evidenced by physical examination. Massage can target both the tender points and the more broadly distributed pain and stiffness. Relaxation massage goes a long way to helping reduce the symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

Book A Massage To Relieve Back Pain In Springfield, MO

Let the licensed massage therapists at Precision Wellness offer you relaxation and relief from back pain with our tailored, professional massages. With massage lengths ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours, you can find the massage that fits your schedule and pocketbook. Book relief today at Precision Wellness!

Alleviate Chronic Pain With Massage

man-rubbing-his-shoulder-with-a-look-of-pain-on-his-face

Massage therapy can help clients manage a variety of health conditions, from arthritis to chronic pain.

Dealing with these conditions, however, requires you not only to understand the health condition and its symptoms but also what information you might need to tell your therapist to make the massage session more effective.

Massage and Chronic Pain

More and more research is confirming the benefits massage therapy offers people dealing with chronic pain, whether because of injury or as a symptom of another condition. Some people who are looking to use massage to help manage pain can only come in once they’ve been cleared for massage therapy by their physician. It’s best to openly communicate any chronic pain issues with your therapist including fibromyalgia, chronic myofascial pain syndrome, and arthritis, to name just a few.

Fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain syndrome (CMPS)

According to the National Fibromyalgia Research Association, more than six million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia—90 percent of whom are women. Fibromyalgia is often characterized by numbness in the upper and lower body, joint stiffness in several areas of the body, and widespread musculoskeletal pain. The condition is diagnosed when 11 out of 18 tender points are painful to the touch, and some clients might also experience other symptoms, including headaches, anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to environmental stimulation such as bright lights, loud noises, and strong odors. Massage can help. It reduces stress, helps relieve pain, decreases feelings of anxiety, and increases general overall well-being, all of which are great for people with fibromyalgia

CMPS (Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome) typically occurs when a muscle has been contracted repetitively, often due to repetitive motions (usually from a job or hobby) or stress-related muscle tension. Those with CMPS tend to have a persistent, deep aching pain in their muscles and may have difficulty sleeping. Unlike fibromyalgia, CMPS tends to affect both genders equally. Neuromuscular therapy and Myofascial release are just some of the massage techniques that have been proven to be effective in treating CMPS.

Arthritis

Arthritis is characterized by an inflammation of one or more joints. The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, so understanding your client’s individual pain is essential. Massage can ease your arthritis symptoms. Recent studies on the effects of massage for arthritis symptoms have shown regular use of massage therapy led to improvements in pain, stiffness, range of motion, handgrip strength, and overall function of the joints.

Whatever your chronic pain issue may be massage can be a useful tool in helping manage and reduce the day-to-day symptoms that can stop you from doing the things you enjoy.

Pregnancy Massage

massage-therapist-massaging-pregnant-womans-side

Therapeutic massage has been used for centuries to improve overall health, reduce stress, and relieve muscle tension. Massage and pregnancy have often received ambivalent responses from the health community regarding the safety and purpose of massage during pregnancy. Modern investigation and research are proving that prenatal massage therapy can be a very instrumental ingredient in women’s prenatal care and should be given careful consideration.

Benefits Of Prenatal Massage

Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health. Massage therapy addresses different needs through varying techniques, one of which is called Swedish Massage, which aims to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body.

Swedish Massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.

Hormone regulation

Studies done in the past 10 years have shown that hormone levels associated with relaxation and stress are significantly altered, leading to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health, when massage therapy was introduced to women’s prenatal care. In women who received bi-weekly massages for only five weeks, hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol (“stress hormones”) were reduced and dopamine and serotonin levels were increased (low levels of these hormones are associated with depression).

These changes in hormone levels also led to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight. The evidence points strongly to maternal and newborn health benefits when therapeutic massage is incorporated into regular prenatal care.

Reduction of swelling

Edema, or swelling of the joints during pregnancy, is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage helps to stimulate soft tissues to reduce the collection of fluids in swollen joints, which also improves the removal of tissue waste, carried by the body’s lymph system.

Improvement of nerve pain

Sciatic nerve pain is experienced by many women in late pregnancy as the uterus rests on muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. The pressure of the uterus spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg, causing them to swell and put pressure on nearby nerves. Massage therapy addresses the inflamed nerves by helping to release the tension on nearby muscles. Many women have experienced a significant reduction in sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy through regular massage.

Other potential benefits of prenatal massage:

Reduced back pain
Reduced joint pain
Improved circulation
Reduced edema
Reduced muscle tension and headaches
Reduced stress and anxiety
Improved oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles
Better sleep

Precautions For Prenatal Massage?

As with any therapeutic approach to pregnancy wellness, women should discuss massage with their prenatal care provider. The best way to address the risks of prenatal massage is to be informed and to work together with knowledgeable professionals.

Body position during prenatal massage

Many professionals consider the best position for a pregnant woman during massage is side-lying. Tables that provide a hole in which the uterus can fit may not be reliable and can still apply pressure to the abdomen, or allow the abdomen to dangle, causing uncomfortable stretching of the uterine ligaments. Consult your massage therapist before your first appointment to verify what position they place their clients in during the massage.

Seek an appropriate massage therapist

It is important to seek care from a certified prenatal massage therapist. Certified therapists have received training beyond the national standards for massage therapists and know how to address specific pregnancy and massage needs and sensitive areas of the body.

Be aware of sensitive pressure points

Trained prenatal massage therapists are aware of pressure points on the ankles and wrists that can gently stimulate pelvic muscles, including the uterus. Certified prenatal massage therapists are trained to avoid very specific and intentional pressure to these areas during pregnancy. Any woman who has experienced pre-term contractions or consistent Braxton-Hicks contractions should alert her therapist to that fact so that pressure points can be avoided completely.

Women with the following conditions should speak with a health care provider prior to receiving a massage:

High risk pregnancy
Pregnancy Induced Hypertension
Preeclampsia
Previous pre-term labor
Experiencing severe swelling, high blood pressure, or sudden, severe headaches
Recently gave birth

Is Prenatal Massage Safe Throughout The Entire Pregnancy?

Women can begin massage therapy at any point in their pregnancy – during the first, second, or third trimester. Many facilities will refuse to offer massage to a woman who is still in her first trimester because of the increased statistics for miscarriage associated with the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Prenatal Massage As Part Of Prenatal Care

The benefits of massage can improve overall prenatal health for many pregnant women. Along with the guidance and advice of a prenatal care provider, massage therapy can be incorporated into routine prenatal care as an emotional and physical health supplement proven to improve pregnancy outcomes and maternal health. Consult with your midwife or obstetrician before beginning any new therapeutic practice.

Book Your Massage ASAP!

Woman-looking-at-camera-lying-on-a-massage-table-with-candle

There’s no denying a massage is calming — until you start feeling guilty for indulging in a little special treatment.

A small new study excuses us all from the guilt: Massage therapy isn’t just a way to relax, it’s also a way to alleviate muscle soreness and improve blood flow, according to recent research.

Other benefits of massage have long been touted, but research is usually limited. Still, we think there are some pretty good reasons to book an appointment ASAP.

Massage can reduce pain.

A 2011 study found that massage helped people with lower back pain to feel and function better, compared to people who didn’t get a rubdown. That’s good news for the eight in ten Americans who experience debilitating back pain at least once in their lives, Time.com reported.

“We found the benefits of massage are about as strong as those reported for other effective treatments: medications, acupuncture, exercise, and yoga,” Dan Cherkin, Ph.D., lead author of the study, said in a press release.

Massage also seems to lessen pain among people with osteoarthritis.

It can help you sleep.

The calming treatment can also help you spend more time asleep, according to research from Miami University’s Touch Research Institute. In one study of people with fibromyalgia, 30-minute massages three times a week for five weeks resulted in nearly an hour more of sleep, plus deeper sleep, she said.

Massage may ward off colds.

There’s a small body of research that suggests massage boosts immune function. A 2010 study, believed to be the largest study on massage’s effects on the immune system, found that 45 minutes of Swedish massage resulted in significant changes in white blood cells and lymphocytes, which help protect the body from bugs and germs.

It could make you more alert.

At least one study has linked massage to better brainpower. In a 1996 study, a group of adults completed a series of math problems faster and with more accuracy after a 15-minute chair massage than a group of adults who were told to just sit in a chair and relax during those 15 minutes.

Massage may ease cancer treatment.

Among patients receiving care for cancer, studies have noted multiple benefits of massage, including improved relaxation, sleep, and immune system function as well as decreased fatigue, pain, anxiety, and nausea.

It may alleviate depression symptoms.

A 2010 review of the existing studies examining massage in people with depression found that all 17 pieces of research noted positive effects. However, the authors recommend additional research into standardizing massage as a treatment and the populations who would most benefit from it.

Massage could help with headaches.

The power of touch seems to help limit headache pain. A 2002 study found that massage therapy reduced the frequency of chronic tension headaches. And in a very small 2012 study, 10 male patients with migraine headaches noted significant pain reduction after neck and upper back massage and manipulation. You may even be able to reap the benefits without seeing a professional: Start by applying gentle pressure with your fingertips to your temples, then move them in a circular motion along the hairline until they meet in the middle of your forehead, WebMD reported.

Stress reduction is scientific.

Between the dim lights, soothing music, and healing touch, it certainly feels like stress melts away during a massage, but research suggests a very literal reduction of cortisol, a major stress hormone. Chronically high levels of cortisol can contribute to serious health issues, like high blood pressure and blood sugar, suppressed immune system function, and obesity.

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