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

How Does Lymphatic Drainage Massage Work?

A person’s calves are rubbed during a lymph drainage massage in Springfield, Missouri, at Precision Wellness.

Understanding Lymphatic Drain Massage

Unlike Swedish and deep tissue massage, lymphatic drainage (LD) massage focuses on using feather-light pressure and circular movements no greater than the pressure it would take for your finger to move skin. Most massages focus on the skin, muscles, and joints while LD massages focus in a concentrated manner to one area or quadrant of the body to clear the body’s lymphatic system. For the lymphatic system to run smoothly it is important that cells, proteins and fluid move through the body’s network of lymph vessels, nodes, glands and organs. Since the lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like our heart does for blood, you need to help it move by your movements in order for it to function properly. This technique assists the movement of muscle fluids back into circulation where they are filtered through the lungs or kidneys before returning to general body circulation.

The lymphatic system transports waste materials out of tissues back into the bloodstream so that they can be eliminated when we urinate or defecate. A healthy lymphatic system also provides defense against infections because white blood cells migrate throughout the tissues in the body. Learn more about the benefits of MLD therapy from the American Massage Therapy Association.

Call Precision Wellness today to schedule your Lymphatic Drainage Massage today and experience the benefits of MLD massage therapy.

Massage & Allergies

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If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you are not alone – Research shows that over 50 million Americans battle seasonal allergies.

Allergies have many symptoms – from nasal congestion, sneezing, ear congestion, postnasal drainage, sore throat, urticaria (Hives) and itchiness, headache, coughing and wheezing can also occur. Your immune system feels threatened by a specific environmental substance, as a result, your immune system will react by releasing Immunoglobin antibodies to ward off the observed offender. The release of these antibodies tells the body to produce chemicals like histamines, which causes an allergic reaction.

Massage is one of the best natural remedies for relieving allergies and asthma symptoms. Reflexology has been used to battle seasonal allergies for centuries in Chinese medicine, and recent medical research measuring massage effectiveness showed that massage therapy has a significantly positive effect on asthma patients, improving their pulmonary function.

Relieve Sneezing:

If you are sneezing and coughing, you may consider requesting a lymphatic drainage massage. Manual lymphatic drainage massage is especially effective in relieving nasal congestion, one of the most unpleasant allergy symptoms. If you have hay fever, your immune system goes into overdrive. Causing your body to react to harmless environmental factors like pollen, mold, and pet dander. If you opt for a massage, your therapist will concentrate on opening your nasal passages – expect to get your face and neck massaged. This will improve your lungs’ oxygenation.

Alleviate Headaches:

Massage improves your blood circulation. Good blood circulation gives immediate relief for migraines, sinus headaches, and rhinitis (hay fever-induced headache). Lymphatic drainage massage can help boost the circulation fluids (lymph) in the body. This massage technique helps empty the sinus cavity and help you recover fully.

Ease Stress:

Stress triggers allergies and can also worsen the symptoms. Massages stimulate the release of hormones that help calm the body and decrease body tension. Reducing stress and anxiety with massage, allows your immune system to function normally due to a decrease in blood cortisol (a stress hormone) levels. This can aid in programming the body’s response to allergens and ease the related symptoms.

Muscle Relief:

Every sneeze or cough is similar to a mini whiplash, causing tension, even pain, in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. By relieving this muscle tension and helping you relax, your sinuses will relax and encourage drainage.

Essential Oils:

Essential oils can be used along with massage to create long-lasting pain relief. Your massage therapist can recommend the best essential oils that you can apply to congested nasal areas. These oils boost energy and help relieve allergy symptoms.

Massage should be seen only as a complementary therapy for allergy symptoms and is in no way a replacement for required medical attention. It’s a combination of all the good things that will get you through the spring. Schedule your massage today with Precision Wellness and start to feel that sweet relief!

Book Your Massage ASAP!

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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.