| Massage is the practice of touching or of applying | | | | targeted to affect. All of the massage techniques are |
| structured or unstructured pressure, tension, motion, or | | | | used for the benefit of the musculoskeletal, |
| vibration - manually or with mechanical aids - to the | | | | circulatory-lymphatic, nervous, and other systems of |
| soft tissues of the body, including muscles, connective | | | | the body. Swedish massage is also one of the less |
| tissue, tendons, ligaments, joints, lymphatic vessels, | | | | demanding techniques for massage therapists to |
| organs of the gastrointestinal system to achieve a | | | | practice as it usually does not involve deep-tissue |
| beneficial response. Massage is an increasingly popular | | | | work. There are several techniques such as Chakra |
| technique for relaxation and reduction of stress. | | | | and Reik massage that focus on different areas of |
| Massage is a manual therapy that manipulates the soft | | | | the body and have varying benefits. |
| tissues and decreases muscle tension, pain, stress and | | | | Benefits of massage include improved circulation and |
| depression. Massage is one way to lessen and relieve | | | | blood flow, as well as pain management. Benefits |
| these stresses that dull our minds and weaken our | | | | include increased flexibility, injury prevention, pain relief, |
| bodies. Massage is good to pamper yourself and feel | | | | and improved performance, among others. Benefits |
| more relaxed. Massage is also good for general well | | | | include pain reduction, tension relief, improved mobility |
| being of your health. | | | | and stress reduction. The emotional balance bodywork |
| Massage therapy is recognized as one of the oldest | | | | provides can often be just as vital and valuable as the |
| methods of healing, with references in medical texts | | | | more tangible physical benefits. The increase of |
| nearly 4,000 years old. Using light touch, practitioners | | | | endorphin levels is actually one of the greatest benefits |
| work with a client's energy to help restore balance, | | | | of massage therapy. |
| emotional clarity, and promote relaxation and healing. | | | | Massage is one of the easiest ways of attaining and |
| Massage can be applied to parts of the body or | | | | maintaining good health and well being. Massage is |
| successively to the whole body, to aid the process of | | | | often used for specific reasons, such as relief from |
| injury healing, relieve psychological stress, manage pain, | | | | pain, stress reduction, or enhancement of athletic |
| and improve circulation. The potential for healing is as | | | | performance. Massage is used to relieve stress, |
| great as our consciousness allows. But did you know | | | | increase blood flow, soothe aches and pain, relax |
| that massage, when combined with traditional medical | | | | tense muscles, and increase the general well being of |
| treatments, can reduce stress and promote healing in | | | | the body. Massage is not just for the rich, nor is it a |
| people with certain health conditions. | | | | treat reserved just for a special occasion. Massage is |
| Techniques employing breath and movement are also | | | | fast becoming a growing field enjoying a new found |
| used for releasing muscular congestion. Techniques | | | | popularity in our ever increasing health and fitness |
| can vary according to the system the massage is | | | | culture. |