3 Massage Treatments You Didn’t Know You Needed
When thinking about the benefits of massage therapy, what comes to mind? Relaxation, stress reduction, and injury management are probably the most obvious. If we dig a little deeper, there is much more than meets the eye (which, surprisingly enough, can be massaged as well!)
Opening up to your massage therapist about the complexities of your health may seem unnecessary at times, but with well over 600 muscles in the human body, you are capable of far more than kicking a ball or lifting weights. From the muscles responsible for making our hearts beat, to the ones that allow us to breathe, generally speaking, if it moves, there’s muscle involvement.
Here are three common conditions that you may not have associated with massage:
Digestion
No one enjoys the sounds of their own stomach rumbling, let alone sharing what their bowel movements are like. But did you know that massage is an effective way of treating constipation? Most parents may have some experience with rubbing their newborn’s tummy to help with indigestion or gas. The same theories still apply to our adult systems. Techniques such as cupping or compressions to the intestines help to stimulate the muscle contractions involved in peristalsis. This helps to release any excrement or gas due to pre-existing digestion issues (or the weird new dish you just had to try at that trendy food festival you went to).
Perineal Massage
Mamas to be! Does the idea of an episiotomy and the aftermath induce images that are best suited for horror movies and nightmares? Samesies. Yet through the darkness, there’s hope. “Perineal massage, which can be done by pregnant women or their partners, is simple and non-invasive. It seems to work best for women having their first baby, mostly by reducing their risk of an episiotomy.” By bringing more blood flow to the area, the chances of tearing is reduced by the tissue’s improved ability to stretch, helping to decrease healing time postpartum. This type of treatment is not offered by RMTs, but Foundation does offer pelvic health programs with our physiotherapists that are more than capable of helping.
Congestion
The struggle of mouth breathing due to clogged sinuses is real. Allergy sufferers and winter snifflers know the difficulties and literal headaches that come with congestion. Massage helps to clear the symptoms associated with sinus tension using cupping, lymphatic drainage, and Swedish massage to empty the sinuses and relieve built up pressure. Though the effects are not permanent, your therapist can equip you with the knowledge to apply these techniques on yourself to maintain results. Additional treatment of muscles involved with respiration such as the diaphragm or intercostals (muscles between your ribs), will help to restore optimal breathing patterns as well.
The benefits of massage therapy range from such a wide variety of ailments in the body, and these conditions are just the beginning. The next time you look at a health history form wondering why some questions seem invasive, remember that the functions of the musculoskeletal system goes beyond what you may have initially expected.
So, how many muscles does it take to book a massage? Give it some thought as you click on the link below.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1403252/