Carlsbad Massage Reset techniques vary, but most involve some touch. Patients may keep their clothes on or take them off for the treatment, which can last from a few minutes to an hour. A therapeutic massage is thought to decrease cortisol and increase serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters, which can help alleviate stress and anxiety. It also may improve blood circulation.
Massage is physically manipulating your body’s soft tissues, using hands, fingers, elbows, forearms, knees, and feet. It increases blood flow to the tissues, which promotes relaxation and flexibility. It also helps to improve the elasticity of tissues and joints, which reduces pain and stiffness. The feeling of relaxation after a great massage directly results from the physiological changes in the body during and after the treatment.
A massage triggers the release of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. These hormones boost your mood and help you relax, counteracting the negative effects of stress. The calming effects of a massage can also help reduce cortisol levels in the body, which is the main stress hormone. Cortisol levels are high when you are stressed and can lead to a variety of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
A recent study published in Scientific Reports shows that even just ten minutes of downtime significantly boosts your psychological and physiological relaxation. This is the first indication that an easy-to-apply therapy can reliably activate the body’s principal engine for relaxation and reduce stress. Massage can do this by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
When your muscles are tense, they stay contracted, which can cause pain and discomfort. The tense muscles can also trigger the release of stress hormones that further increase your stress level. The physiologic effects of massage that increase relaxation and reduce stress include friction between the skin and the fingers, which leads to increased regional warmth, decreased heart rate, and blood pressure, and the release of hormones that increase tissue elasticity.
To maximize your massage, arrive at least 10 or 15 minutes early. This gives you the time to fill out your health history and give the therapist an idea of what areas need special attention. It’s a good idea to wear loose, comfortable clothing that you can move in easily. Also, avoid eating a heavy meal right before your appointment. A light snack, such as a fruit, is a better choice.
The squeezing and kneading motions of massage cause the muscles to increase circulation. This allows more oxygen and nutrients to reach the muscle tissue, easing tightness and reducing swelling. It also helps to reduce the build-up of waste products that can lead to pain and inflammation.
Whether you have an acute injury or chronic pain, increased circulation will help the body heal faster. It delivers nutrients and removes waste from damaged tissues and cells. It also promotes the movement of lymph fluid, which carries metabolic waste from the muscle tissue back towards the glands, where it can be eliminated.
Improved circulation can also help to alleviate stress and tension. It works by lowering cortisol levels and releasing serotonin. Both of these hormones are produced by the body when it is under stress, and they work to calm the nervous system’s fight-or-flight response.
Tight muscles can pull the bones out of alignment, causing poor posture. This can then strain other muscles and organs, causing them to work harder. Massage helps to alleviate stress by relaxing the muscles and re-aligning the spine, which can ease other aches and pains in the body.
Another way that massage decreases stress is by triggering the release of endorphins, which are natural chemicals that promote relaxation and decrease feelings of depression. They do this by calming the peripheral nervous system, the nerves that relay messages from the brain to the extremities. This then reduces the stress-related hormones in the body, such as adrenaline and cortisol, and therefore lowers overall stress levels. This is why many people feel relaxed and relieved of anxiety after a good massage.
Massage decreases pain by increasing healing and disturbing the pain signals sent to the brain. Pain occurs when receptors within the skin detect damaged tissues and send a message to the brain; this is then passed on to nerves, producing pain. Massage increases healing by increasing blood flow, which brings in essential nutrients and oxygen; this helps to reduce pain by reducing inflammation and encouraging the repair of muscle fibers. Massage also decreases pain by preventing the muscles from guarding or tightening around the area of damage. When this happens, the muscles restrict movement and increase stress, which keeps increasing the pain levels; a good massage will encourage the body to relax and release this cycle of pain.
Another way a massage decreases pain is by relieving the mental stress associated with it. When a person feels stressed, they will increase the levels of a hormone called cortisol, which increases the pain levels, and the vicious cycle continues. A good massage will stimulate the autonomic nervous system and increase blood flow; this stimulates the release of feel-good hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which help to relieve stress, depression, and anxiety, thus decreasing pain levels.
During a massage, the friction created between the skin and fingers also increases the temperature of the surrounding muscles; this increase in muscle temperature encourages muscle relaxation, which again decreases pain levels. A good massage will also improve posture by encouraging the muscles to relax and support the skeletal structure properly, preventing the bones from pulling out of alignment and causing further pain.
A good massage will also help prevent the development of pressure sores (also known as ischemic ulcers) by stimulating the lymphatic drainage system, which is responsible for moving waste products from the tissues, reducing pain levels. Finally, massage can also help to alleviate edema, which is swelling of the tissues; this is often caused by restricted movement or lack of exercise and can cause serious problems. A good massage will encourage the removal of accumulated waste products and speed up healing.
Anxiety and depression affect many people in our society, leading to a lack of sleep, which can further contribute to these disorders. Massage has been shown to improve the symptoms of anxiety and depression, so it is a good complement to any mental health treatment you may be receiving.
Researchers have found that a massage can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol and increase serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitters. These chemicals are responsible for regulating the mood. Massage also helps to ease the irritability, fatigue, restlessness, and lack of interest in daily activities that can accompany anxiety and depression.
In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), classic massage was compared to standard medical care for pain in patients with chronic back, neck, shoulder, and head/limb injuries. Pain rating, mood, anxiety, and depression were all improved with both treatments, but only the massage group maintained their improvements at follow-up.
The techniques performed during a therapeutic massage are geared at increasing the ability of the patient’s tissues to retain moisture, stimulating blood circulation, and increasing flexibility and range of motion. Therapeutic massage is best when done by a trained, experienced therapist skilled at applying gentle pressure to different muscle groups. During a Therapeutic massage, the therapist will most likely apply soft or firm pressure to the muscles being treated. The massage therapist will use their hands to work in a rhythmic pattern, stimulating each muscle group and helping to elongate and strengthen the muscles being worked on.
If you plan to take a Therapeutic or any other therapeutic massage, inform your doctor of your medical history to administer the appropriate treatment. You should also inform your doctor if you are pregnant, currently taking medications, or have any heart or lung conditions. Even though Therapeutic massage techniques have no medical side effects, some people may be sensitive to the preparation used during a Therapeutic massage, which may result in temporary soreness or itching.
Although there are many types of therapeutic massage therapies and therapists, a trained, experienced Therapeutic massage therapist will be able to provide you with a Therapeutic massage that will work effectively for you. The Therapeutic massage therapist will be well-trained and have experience in the correct application and techniques of Therapeutic massage therapy. Therapeutic massage has been recommended by health care providers as a safe and effective way to help relieve pain, improve range of motion, and promote blood circulation. By learning how to get a Therapeutic massage, you will learn how to relax better, be more physically active, and be able to reduce your anxiety levels.