Why Massage?
You might have heard from several sources that massages perform wonders on the body. It is even possible that you might have not heard anything about massage and you would like to understand what the hype is all about. If you belong to the latter group, I would like to introduce you to the amazing world of massage therapy. Who knows, you might become a massage aficionado by the end of this article. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Before we go any further, a brief introduction. My name is Obomate Tobins. I am a licensed massage therapist with over 3 years of experience. I gained my knowledge of human anatomy in medical school and my knowledge of massage therapy while undertaking several courses both online and in-person, which has made me a proficient therapist. That’s enough about me, let us understand a bit of massage therapy.
First, a not-so-boring but a quick history of massage therapy. Just as you suspected, massage originated in India, as a sacred system of natural healing. Like all good things, it could not just be confined to just one geographical area. It took a not-so-long journey to China, and other Southeast Asian countries wherein it was incorporated into traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts, and the spiritual yoga training of Buddhists and Taoists. The Egyptians not wanting to be left out, adopted it into their medical practice and introduced what we now know as reflexology which involves applying pressure to specific points or zones on the feet and hands to effect healing. Japan was introduced to massage by Buddhist monks who were studying in China. They modified the technique which we now know as Shiatsu. It differs from other techniques in that it is designed to regulate and strengthen organs by rebalancing energy levels through the stimulation of pressure points in hopes of bringing natural resistance to illness. As time went on, the Egyptians influenced the Greeks and Romans such that they incorporated massage in treating their athletes. Even Hippocrates who is fondly referred to as the ‘Father of Medicine’ used some massage techniques such as friction as part of a retinue of treatment modalities to restore health. Finally, massage got a rebirth in the 1800s by Per Henrik Ling when he introduced Swedish Massage the help relieve chronic pain. Subsequently, massage therapy has been modified and is broadly accepted in health circles as a method of pain management as well as a more holistic approach to healthcare.
Walking down memory lane, we can identify that massage has been mostly used to treat and manage pain. But you are currently not dealing with pain, so why should you consider doing a massage? I am glad you asked.
Beyond pain management, massage has a few other benefits which might be relevant to you. Let’s take a look at the list below and I am sure you can identify with a few of these:
- It heightens mental alertness and reduces anxiety and depression.
- It improves the recovery of soft tissue injuries.
- As your massage therapist works to remove toxins from the body, they're also draining the lymph system, which carries away dead cells and other waste products. Doing so helps retain the body's fluid content
- Your bones benefit from a good massage session as it gets more minerals and calcium to the bones due to the increased blood flow during a massage session. This has the effect of supporting their strength and function.
- Vasodilation, which is a consequence of massage, increases the return of blood to the heart, which makes available more blood for oxygenation and supply to different organs. Your entire cardiovascular system relaxes and circulation throughout your body improves.
- The digestive system is not left out of the action. Massage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which regulates digestion. It stimulates the production of digestive juices such as saliva, gastric juice, and insulin which help digest food. It also stimulates the movement of food through the intestines. This is why you might go for a food hunt shortly after a massage session.
- Finally, the respiratory system benefits the most. Since so much tension accumulates in the shoulder, chest, and neck muscles, it’s no wonder that our breathing becomes restricted when we’re stressed. As you relax further into the massage and your breathing deepens and evens out, your massage therapist can work into tense muscles to reduce tightness in muscles that assist respiration.
I know what you are thinking. How can I get my book my massage and take advantage of these amazing benefits? You can do a quick google search to find the closest licensed massage therapist in your area. If you are fortunate to be in Nigeria, specifically in Abuja, you can contact me to book a session. I cannot wait to see you living your best life.
Written by,
Obomate Tobins.
References.
Florida Academy (2019). The History of Massage Therapy: 5,000 Years of Relaxation and Pain Relief. https://florida-academy.edu/history-of-massage-therapy/#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20massage%20therapy%20dates%20back%20to%203000%20BCE,and%20prevent%20and%20cure%20illnesses.
Robins Jillson (2020). 8 Surprising Benefits of a Full Body Massage. https://www.zeel.com/blog/massage/benefits-of-massage/the-benefits-of-full-body-massage/
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