About Swedish/Holistic Massage and its Benefits
Swedish massage uses a combination of movements to manipulate the soft tissues of the body, particularly muscles. It can be used for relaxation, stimulation or rehabilitation of the whole body or part of it. It promotes suppleness of the muscles, improves circulation and reduces stress and is a natural and effective way to treat physical and psychological conditions.
The physiological effects of massage are:
- Improves the tone of the skin and colour
- Encourages better circulation thus a more efficient delivery of nutrients
- Encourages deeper breathing to a more relaxed breathing
- Reduces swelling by encouraging better lymph drainage
- Releives muscle fatigue to tired sore muscles
- Relieves stiff joints therefore more beneficial for arthritis sufferers
- Promotes general relaxation
- Can sedate or stimulate the nervous system (depending on the type of massage performed)
- Encourages sleep, therefore helps insomnia
- Encourages better waste removal
- Eases discomfort of aches and pains
Relaxing, thereby reducing tension and the effects of stress
Relaxes the mind thereby reducing anxiety and its effect
Promotes self esteem
Increases energy by invigorating all the body systems thereby reducing fatigue after the energy in the body is spent held in a state of tension and strain
Massage is one of the best known antidotes for stress. Reducing stress gives you more energy, improves your outlook on life, and in the process reduces your likelihood of injury and illness. Massage can also relieve symptoms of conditions that are aggravated by anxiety, such as asthma or insomnia.
Painful or Tight Muscles
Massage can relieve many types of muscle tightness, from a short-term muscle cramp to a habitually clenched jaw or tight shoulders. Some massage techniques release tension directly by stretching, kneading, and compressing your muscles. Other techniques work indirectly by affecting your nervous system to allow your muscles to relax.
Delayed Muscle Soreness
After vigorous exercise, a buildup of waste products in your muscles can leave you feeling tired and sore. Massage increases circulation, which removes waste products and brings in healing nutrients.
Pain or Tingling in Arms or Legs
Muscles can become so contracted that they press on nerves to
the arms, hands and legs, causing pain or tingling. If this happens, a
massage to release the contracted muscles can bring relief.
Injuries
Massage can help heal injuries that develop over time, such as
tendinitis, as well as ligament sprains or muscle strains caused by an
accident. Massage reduces inflammation by increasing circulation to the
affected area, which removes waste products and brings nutrients to
injured cells. Certain massage techniques can limit scar formation in
new injuries and can reduce or make more pliable the scar tissue
remaining around old injuries.
Prevention of New Injuries
Besides releasing tight muscles that restrict joint movement,
massage works directly on your joints too by improving circulation
around them and stimulating the production of natural lubrication
within them, relieving pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis.
By relieving chronic tension, massage can help prevent injuries that might result from putting stress on unbalanced muscle groups or from favoring or forcing a painful, restricted area.
Joint Pain or Restriction
Posture
As massage releases restrictions in muscles, joints, and
surrounding fascia, your body is freed to return to a more natural and
healthy posture. Massage can also relieve the contracted muscles and
pain caused by abnormal spinal curvatures such as scoliosis.
Please note:
If you regularly suffer from bouts of stress, tension, sore, tight muscles, aches and pains, I strongly recommend massage treatments on a regular weekly or fortnightly basis in order to gain a more efficient/effective beneficial releif of these symptoms mentioned above