Therapeutic Massage
Neuro Muscular Therapy addresses pain at its source. 80% of pain is soft tissue in nature.
Research on massage therapy, and its benefits, continues to show that it reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases endorphins, and increases the circulation of blood and lymph fluids. Research has also shown that therapeutic massage relaxes muscles and improves range of motion (ROM).
While massage does not increase muscle strength, massage can increase muscle tone. Therapeutic massage also helps the body’s homeostatic functions, thereby decreasing the amount of time needed to recover after exercise or injury, which is often caused by muscle stiffness (inflexibility). Massage helps in keeping the proper amount of fluid circulating between muscle fibers and in re-hydrating dehydrated fibers.
There is research showing that office workers felt less stress, experienced heightened alertness, and increased performance when getting regular massage sessions. Some of the other findings from research on the benefits of massage therapy are:
° University students in New Jersey, massaged before an exam, showed a significant decrease in anxiety and respiration rates. It was also found they had a measurable increase in their white blood cell count and in the production of T-cells so important to the immune system.
° After receiving therapeutic massage, a group of cancer patients experienced reduced pain and anxiety.
° A university study found that mothers who had recently suffered the death of a child experienced reduced levels of depression after receiving therapeutic massage.
° The National Institute of Health (NIH) conducted studies that found therapeutic massage was beneficial in improving weight gain in HIV infants.
° Researchers at the Touch Research Institute (University of Miami) found therapeutic massage helpful in reducing blood pressure. The same research has found that therapeutic massage helps in reducing pain in migraine sufferers.
Some of the other benefits of therapeutic massage are:
° The skin:
* Improves tone and elasticity
* Improves skin nourishment
* Aids in normalizing glandular functions
° Skeletal system (myofascial):
* Relieves stiff joints
* Assists in proper body alignment
° Muscular system:
* Reduces fibrosis and adhesions in fibers
* Assists in maintaining flexibility
* Can relax or stimulate fibers
* Relieves tension and stiffness
° Circulatory system:
* Improves cell nutrition
* Improves cell oxygen supply
* Decreases blood pressure
° Nervous system:
* Stimulates nerves
* Relieves insomnia
* Promotes a state of well-being
° Lymphatic system:
* Increases circulation
* Flushes out toxins and metabolic wastes
° Athletes:
* Improves flexibility and ROI
* Relieves tight and sore muscles
* Decreases recovery time after exercise or injury
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