Studies have shown that massage can relax the body, decrease blood pressure and heart rate, and reduce stress and depression. It may also provide symptomatic relief for many chronic diseases.
A body massage done in the Swedish style.
The usefulness of Russian and other forms of massage therapy is acknowledged by most medical professionals, some of whom have undertaken massage training themselves.
Knowledge of therapeutic benefits comes from anecdotal evidence rather than research in the Western scientific mode.
Well designed studies have documented the benefits of massage therapy for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, acute and chronic inflammation
Geriatric massage is gaining acceptance in the medical community. It is being prescribed to elderly patients to improve blood circulation and relieve arthritic symptoms.
There are so many different types of massage. The most basic type of massage is a Swedish massage. Swedish massage is a light pressure relaxation massage using wide, flat strokes. This will help with stress, circulation, blood pressure and immune response. Deep Tissue massage works out those pesky knots and tight spots in muscles with deeper pressure. This can sometimes be uncomfortable, but should not be painful and you should make sure your therapist knows if you are in pain. Ashiatsu massage is massage done with the feet and goes a step beyond deep tissue massage. Aromatherapy massage is a Swedish massage that is done with scented oils. Sports massage is done on athletes to keep them in top shape for their sporting events. This is just a very small sample of the most common types of massage. If you are interested in a complete list, Massagetherapy.com has an excellent page for you to read over that has descriptions. http://www.massagetherapy.com/glossary/
Studies show that when women receive nurturing touch during later pregnancy, they touch their babies more frequently and lovingly.
Not necessarily. It depends on the modality. Massage can be done through clothing or directly on the skin, Asian massages are typically done fully clothed, whereas Western styles, such as Swedish massage, involve disrobing and covering the body with a drape. A professional massage therapist will know how to drape you with the sheet or towel so that only the part of the body being worked on is exposed.
Leg Massage is typically given with long flowing strokes, (as with Swedish massage), however long upward strokes are also common to help improve proper lymph flow. It starts at the thigh and moves to the calf, usually ending with massage of the foot. It can be performed as part of a full body massage, as part of a foot massage treatment, for leg cramps/muscle spasms, or to improve proper lymph flow.
I haven't actually done any research, but I have worked as an independent massage therapist for 5 years, and have made between $40,000 and $60,000 every year.
"Some places where the genome sequencing has been done is cancer research, alzheimers research and other medical findings. It also has been used in DNA research."
little controlled research has been done on its effectiveness. However, lomilomi has been an accepted part of native Hawaiian culture for hundreds of years.