Massage Springfield MO Archives | Precision Wellness

Benefits of Routine Therapeutic Massage

massage therapist rubbing a clients back with forearm

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.

Prevention of 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.

Improved Posture

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

Promotion of Circulation

Therapeutic massages help blood and other essential body fluids to flow throughout the body. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to organs and muscles within the body for optimal functioning. Lymph is a fluid that carries away toxins and impurities from tissues. A regular massage routine could help to lower blood pressure, potentially preventing chronic illnesses.

Strengthened 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.

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

Relaxation vs Deep Tissue – What is the difference?

With so many different types of massage out there, it can be difficult to choose which therapy is right for you. Some days you may want to unwind and relax while others you need targeted relief from tension and stiffness after a particularly stressful week.

To help you choose which therapy is most suitable for your needs, here is a look at two of the most popular therapies: Deep Tissue and Relaxation Massage.

Keep in mind that every client, therapist, and massage session may be different. This is just a basic outline. Treatments by our therapist as Precision Wellness will be tailored to you.

What is the difference?

The short answer: Pressure.

Soothing massage that is gentle enough to put you to sleep on the table? Relaxation massage can do the trick!

Do you crave that good-pain feeling that really works out the kinks? If you’re a fan of firmer pressure from the elbows and knuckles, a Deep Tissues massage would be great for you.

There is no set guideline for great massages. Your therapist will use differing pressures and parts of their hands and arms depending on the area of focus. If you are an office working, your neck may be stiff from long days at the desk. For construction workers, your shoulders may harbor a lot of tension from a labor-intensive day. Tell your massage therapist what is ailing you and they will work some magic!

Tell us what you want

Clear communication about what you want and don’t want is very important! Therapist may have magic hands, but they are not mind readers. If your therapist is doing something that feels great, let them know so they can do more of it! Just as importantly, if there is a technique, pressure, or area of focus that you are not enjoying, make sure you communicate that early on so they can adjust accordingly. Simply, clear communication results in you enjoying your massage experience from start to finish.

Deeper benefits

Deep Tissue Massage – This is a full-body massage that generally uses a bit more pressure. Your therapist can target more trigger points and aim to get those knots worked out while still making you feel like they have covered the entire body.

“Deep Tissue” implies a specific focus on dense layers of muscle and fascia, it does not always mean deep pressure – “deep” can also refer to the impact of the massage on your body as a restorative therapy.

With numerous benefits, and not just limited to pain reduction, consistent Deep Tissue massages can help break down scar tissue and “knots” and promote long-term muscle rehabilitation.

Some of the conditions that could benefit from a Deep Tissue massage include:

Lower back and neck pain
Repetitive strain injuries
Sciatica
Fibromyalgia
Chronic pain
Limited mobility
Injuries and muscle tension
Post-workout fatigue

Deep Tissue may also aid in lowering high blood pressure and cortisol levels, reducing stress and anxiety. If you are seeking relief from any of these things, book your next Deep Tissue massage online instantly!

Time to relax

Relaxation – the main goal of this massage is to fully relax. Therapists will typically use long soft strokes directed towards the heart to improve circulation and may target a few trigger points if you want that.

You can also enjoy an improvement in skin tone and appearance due to improved blood circulation. Some people have reported an increase in flexibility post-massage.

While reducing physical and emotional stress, a Relaxation Massage may also temporarily lower blood pressure and help manage stress-related affiliations. This massage also stimulates the release of positive brain chemicals that promote a feeling of well-being.

The ultimate goal for our massage therapists at Precision Wellness is to provide you with the most enjoyable massage experience possible. They will leave you feeling refreshed and renewed, whether that be through a Relaxation massage or a Deep Tissue massage. Book online today!

Benefits of Massage

We know that there are many benefits to massage therapy. One main benefit is relaxation but there is much more than that. Here are some ways massage therapy will help you stay fit.

1 – Counteract all that sitting – Most of us are dealing with postural stress. Often, this type of stress tends to settle in your shoulders and neck. You have a ‘desk job’, you may notice postural stress as pain or weakness in the low back and gluteal area caused by prolonged periods of sitting.

2 – Reduce pain – Sore muscles? Massage therapy can help with that! Massage increases and improves circulation. Just like when you knock your elbow on a table, you rub it to help relieve the pain. A professional massage therapist will be able to accurately target the source of your pain and help achieve the perfect massage regimen.

3 – Improve Circulation – Loosening muscles and tendons allow increased blood flow throughout the body. Improving your circulation can have several positive effects on the rest of your body, including reduced fatigue and pain management!

4 – Improve Flexibility – Massage therapy will loosen and relax your muscles, helping your body to achieve its full range of movement potential.

5 – Reduce Fatigue – Stimulation of the lymph nodes re-charges the body’s natural defense system.

6 – Improves Sleep – Not only do the benefits of massage encourage a night of restful sleep, but it also helps those who cannot otherwise comfortably rest. Going to bed with relaxed and loosened muscles promotes more restful sleep, and you’ll feel less tired in the morning!

7 – Eliminate Toxins – Stimulating the soft tissues of your body will help to release toxins through your bloodstream and lymphatic system.

Now that you see the benefits of regular massage therapy, book your massage with Precision Wellness!

How To Build Healthy Self-Care Habits That Stick

Lightbox with motivation words for self care, positive thinking, mental health, emotional wellness

Self-care is all about the everyday habits that help you take care of and nurture your health and well-being. It means listening to your body, intentionally tuning in to the thoughts going on in your mind, and challenging your behaviors.

You may love the idea of self-care, and you may be on board with the benefits, but have you recognized the need for self-care? Actually adopting a self-care practice that can improve your life in more ways than you think.

Understand what self-care is and what is not

“The way I define self-care is the intentional, proactive pursuit of integrated wellness that balances mind, body, and spirit personally and professionally,” says Paula Gill Lopez, Ph.D., an associate professor and the chair of the department of psychological and educational consultation at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Self-care is about more than taking care of your physical health. Things are moving so fast around us that we need space to self-care and slow down to rest from all the busyness in our lives.

Ultimately, your self-care routine should make you a better version of yourself. You should get some enjoyment out of the activity. Rule of thumb, if the activities that you choose are adding to your well-being and are not detrimental to the other areas of your life, then there is a benefit. You are better suited to take care of others, foster strong relationships, be resilient, and balance personal and professional responsibilities.

To help you get some direction, I have rounded up some powerful, important tips on self-care. Please take these tips as guideposts rather than commands. Find a way to make them fit that feels comfortable.

Do not do things you hate: This seems obvious but sometimes it is not. When exercising you need to do an activity that you enjoy or it is not self-care. Each self-care habit you engage in must be customized especially for you, and the first step is to stop routines and actives that make you feel like you’re dying inside.
Find out what you love: This also seems obvious, however, when you are not doing what you love, you lose determination. When you lose determination, you are back to square one. Don’t settle for anything less than raw, pulsating passion.
Recover from “expert addiction”: There is a curious and toxic trend in our society to trust outside sources of advice and approval more than we trust our own selves. If you want to build lifetime habits, the ONLY approval you need is your own. Do not allow your path to be dictated by others. Find your own way. You are your own expert.
Develop a daily self-care routine: Speak kindly to yourself EVERY DAY! Move your body, connect with your spirit, eat mindfully. It is much easier to do something EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. When you do something every single day, you develop a habit more easily.
Play with your routine: Commit to structure of the routine while allowing yourself to play within it. Impose a rigid structure with rigid activities, soon you will feel suffocated. To feel free as well as fulfilled, you must allow for structure as well as play in your habits. Allow for your routine to have a basic structure and allow yourself to play with the activities within that structure.
Relax: Remember the feeling of peace. The purpose of caring for yourself is to do it in a way that is graceful, flowing, and kind to yourself. If you begin to get stressed, find a way to relax. A massage or facial can do wonders 😉
Know your worth: Self-care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself as it produces positive feelings and boosts your confidence and self-esteem.
A healthy work-life balance: Contrary to common belief, workaholism is not a virtue. Being overworked with excessive stress and exhaustion can make you less productive, disorganized, and emotionally depleted. I can also lead to all sorts of healthy problems. Professional self-care habits are just as important and personal self-care habits. Setting professional boundaries, avoiding overextending, etc. ensures that you stay sharp, motivated and healthy.
Stress Management: A little does of stress is a healthy way to give us a nudge on deadlines or to finish overdue tasks, constant stress and anxiety can have an adverse effect on your mental and physical health. Eating healthy, connecting with a loved one or practicing meditation cuts down the toxic effects of stress by improving your mood and boosting your energy and confidence levels.

Now, after we’ve decided on new self-care habits, how do we get them to stick?

Start small – if you’re increasing water intake, start by one extra glass. It’s baby steps that will lead to big accomplishments.
Know your excuses – What gets in the way of this habit? Is it because you’re tired? Or you run out of time? Whatever habit you’re failing to form, consider what is preventing your success. Once you nail down your usual excuses, you can address them!
Set yourself up for success – It’s time to nip the excuses in the bud and get to work. If you forget your gym clothes, have an extra pair in your car. If you have a tendency to forget appointments for yourself, schedule them and don’t back out!
You will fail, but try again – Whether you cheat on a diet, skip a work out, or forgot to journal this morning – it’s ok! Just try again tomorrow.
Keep track – What gets measured gets managed. Plus it’s a great way to set goals, smash those goals, and celebrate your successes!

Precision Wellness is here for you, no matter what part we take in your self-care journey. Remember, you’ve got this!

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!

What is Thai Massage?

massage-therapist-performing-thai-massage-on-client

Unlike a Swedish and deep tissue massage that take place on a table, Thai massage actually takes place on a floor mat. During a Thai massage, the masseuse moves all around and above the client to access a wider range of angles over each part of the body. The session may also include rhythmic pressing and stretching of your entire body. This could include pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking knuckles, walking on the recipient’s back.

What to expect from Thai Massage

During a Thai massage, you will keep your clothing on. It is ideal to wear loose-fitting, clean, and comfortable clothing (along the lines of active athletic wear). During the massage, you will be pulled, stretched, and rocked while the therapist uses many parts of their body including their thumbs, elbows, and knees.

Benefits of Thai Massage

Research has shown that the benefits of Thai massage can include improved circulation and lymph flow improvement, improved range of motion and flexibility, reduced levels of stress, deep relaxation, pain relief, and reduction of muscle tension, as well as increased energy level.

Remember, after any type of massage, you will need to drink plenty of water. Your muscle tissue will not be as pliable if you are dehydrated and will cause that day-after tenderness. Drinking plenty of water will also help flush out the waste after your massage. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol is a good idea as they are dehydrating.

We at Precision Wellness are here to Help you Feel Your Best!

How is a Deep Tissue Massage Different From Other Massages?

massage-therapist-giving-client-deep-tissue-massage

When it comes to massages, there are a lot of options to choose from. For those that are new to getting massages, this can be incredibly overwhelming! One of the most common, a deep tissue massage, is often the first one people hear about.

Here’s what you need to know about a deep tissue massage

With this massage, deep pressure is applied to any knotted muscles or aching areas of the body. Rather than doing this technique all over the body, a deep tissue massage is usually done in specific areas for the best results.

While people tend to think that this type of massage will be very relaxing, it often will make you feel very sore for the next few days. Not to say that this massage is incredibly painful – however, it may be uncomfortable to some as the muscles are worked on. (We promise though, in the end, it’s worth it!)

Here are some of the benefits of deep tissue massage:

-Boosts healing
-Recovery from injuries
-Release muscle tension
-Breaks down scar tissue and adhesions

This is different from other massages. For example, a Swedish massage is usually what people think of when they imagine a massage – muscles relaxing, calming motions, and barely any soreness the next day. This can be quite different from other massages like Thai or even pregnancy massages in terms of technique and motion.

For deep tissue massages, it’s always important to communicate with your massage therapist about any painful areas on your body. Speak up if the pressure is too much! Alternatively, you should also say something if you don’t feel that there is enough pressure. Each person is different in their level of tolerance, and your massage therapist can’t know yours unless you tell them.

To schedule your deep tissue massage (or any massage you’re interested in), please book online.

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.

What is Neuromuscular Therapy Massage?

massage-therapist-rubbing-a-clients-foot-with-both-hands

Neuromuscular massage is a specific deep tissue massage that utilizes friction and pressure to work out muscle strains. These areas are referred to as “trigger points,” and cause pain for a lot of people. Neuromuscular massages should be given by trained professionals that have had experience in this work.

This type of massage has a lot of benefits – typically, neuromuscular therapy massage helps with compressed nerves, muscle spasms, and poor blood flow. For many people, this massage will be painful at first as the muscles are worked on, but no one should feel an overwhelming amount of pain. Clients should always feel comfortable with communicating to their massage therapist how the pressure feels on them in order to get the most out of their massage.

Using slow, pressured strokes, massage therapists can penetrate the deeper layers of tissue to find the actual issues – the soft tissues, the muscles and ligaments, and the nervous system. When telling your massage therapist about how a certain area of your body that you experience pain, don’t be surprised if they don’t work that area very much. Often, there are specific points on other parts of the body that are the root of the pain that they must work on in order to smooth out the muscles. For example, for people complaining about back pain, a massage therapist might work on the upper glutes to release tension tying into the back.

Many people will feel sore after this massage the next day because of the amount of lactic acid that is released during the massage. Your massage therapist will probably recommend that you try a different movement during the day to lessen the amount of muscle pain you experience (like sitting straighter in chairs to lessen the strain on back muscles, etc).

Here at Precision Wellness, we have multiple massage therapists trained on how to perform neuromuscular massages. We would love to see how we can lessen your muscle pain with this type of massage – book online today!

+ Load More