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Therapeutic Massage Springfield MO

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?

Hands-massaging-a-back

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 Massage

Therapist-giving-foot-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!

Why Thai Massage?

woman lying on a mat doing thai massage with therapist

The technique of Thai massage differs from traditional massage by its use of the body’s energy line system, known as Sen lines.  The massage involves deep massage and stretching, and it happens on the floor on a firm mattress or a mat. 

It is a therapeutic procedure that provides relaxation and restores healthy blood circulation.  It can also treat energy blockages, weak, dysfunctional organs, aches and pains, stress and tension, flexibility, paralysis, nerve problems, and postural alignments.

Thai massage is more rigorous than other forms of massage, you may walk away from your massage session feeling more energized.  It can also be referred to as Thai yoga massage because your massage therapist may use his or her arms, knees, and feet in addition to hands to manipulate the muscles through yoga-like movements.

Now you are probably wondering, ‘what is an energy line”.  Energy lines are invisible and cannot be verified anatomically – they are perceived to circulate throughout the body to maintain health and vitality.  

There are said to be 72,000 lines.  Thais believe 10 main lines are sufficient to treat the whole body and its internal organs.  When this energy flow is blocked or restricted, it creates sickness or disease.  To clear these blockages, Thai massage combines the application of pressure with manipulation, adjustment, and muscle stretching in full-body work, which improves overall health and well-being.

Don’t shy away from the unknown, rather learn some of the benefits of a Thai Massage.

Benefits of Thai Massage

Mindful Rest

Lying in a dimly-lit room, surrendering to the here and now, allowing your body and mind to flow as slow, methodical movements lull you into a restful, centered state, disengaging from the hubbub around you and sensory overload of life, gives you the space and time to let go of stresses and strains.

Eases Muscle & Joint Pain

When it comes to affecting your emotional and physical wellbeing, the power of human touch is extraordinary.  One instant result of relaxing into a Thai massage is how the kneading, rocking, and static pressure can work its therapeutic magic on tired and aching muscles and alleviate tension in joints and fascia. 

Release Energy

Movements that manipulate, massage, stretch, and create pressure are a way of maintaining internal balance and connecting the body, mind, and beyond in harmony, releasing energy along the way.

Customized Therapy

A well-trained massage therapist will focus on areas of the body that need more work as well as vary the strength from light touches to deeper tissue massage and more demanding stretches.  The key is to feel relaxed and comfortable even if Thai Massage is challenging your body at times.

Circulatory & Lymphatic Boost

More oxygen and greater detoxification promote greater mental clarity, enhances energy levels, and bring about a raft of health advantages.

Positive Emotions

You may experience a feeling of letting go of negative thoughts and as your cortisol levels reduce and your serotonin neurotransmitters increase your body is flooded with feel-good hormones as stress dissipates.  You may even feel the tension in your muscles begin to dissolve adding to your sense of wellbeing.

If you are looking to relax, relieve stress, and improve your flexibility and energy levels, Thai massage may just be the answer for you!

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.

Massage & Working at a Desk

Man-sitting-at-a-desk

Desk workers are notorious for sharing some of the worst aches and pains because they are confined to a chair for 8 hours a day. Not only does the affect your body physically but can also take a toll on your mental health as well. Many office workers experience back pain, headaches, stiff joints, and more ailments. Massage can help realign your spine to fix your posture from bending over a computer all day and help to relieve the pains associated with desk work.

Massages can counteract the bad postures your body is put through during the day. That means our deep tissue massage will work past the first layer of muscle tissue to relieve chronic pain and increase joint mobility. Not to mention, our relaxation massage is great to engage the sympathetic nervous system and relax the mind and body. This is especially great for people that have very high-stress jobs or tend to get anxious during job projects. What better way to unwind than with a massage?

The strain of looking at a computer all day tends to give us headaches and migraines that just don’t seem to go away. Massages increase blood flow circulation and smooth out those tense muscles in order for them to heal. This gives your body a chance to relax and enjoy the break away from the desk.

It’s not just your back and shoulders that feel the pressure – You can develop knots in your forearms and stiffness in your wrists from typing. With a full-body massage, we’ll be able to work out the kinks so you can keep pounding that keyboard.

Massage is a great natural way to improve productivity, alleviate stress, and heal your body’s aches without the use of chemicals or drugs. While each situation is different, your body can greatly benefit from a professional massage tailored to your unique needs.

With many different massage techniques available, Precision Wellness is your go-to for any and all treatments. Let us know your specific ailments when you come to see us, and we’ll help you decide the perfect massage for you! We offer deep tissue, neuromuscular, relaxation, Thai, and herbal oil-infused massage at our location right here in Springfield, Missouri!

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! 

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