Almost everyone is familiar with bodily aches and pains. They come from sleeping too long in one position, sitting in front of a computer for hours, 'weekend warrior' yard work or sports, or just from having a long day. A soothing massage can work wonders. Advanced massage and bodywork centers specialize in providing relaxation sessions and more in-depth help with injury and chronic pain.
Youth is usually a time of mindless enjoyment of flexibility, energy, and freedom from care. Later on, bodies that once were taken for granted cease to work so smoothly: joints creak, muscles get stiff, backs refuse to straighten up. Tasks that were easy become difficult or even impossible. People can accept this as inevitable or do something about it. Some choose medication, which carries its own risks. A more positive approach involves one or more of the many forms of manual therapy.
There are good reasons for this decline. One is limited circulation that comes from a sedentary lifestyle, another is too much stress on an on-going basis, and another is injury. Sometimes people can't pinpoint when the problem started. For example, a person might slip on an icy parking lot but save themselves from falling. In the process, a small muscle in the back that responds to the instinctive call for balance may fail to return to its proper position. After the incident has been forgotten, the person notices a new ache that doesn't go away and may worsen over time.
Massage therapists are trained to find such tight muscles and relieve the tension that holds the spine and rib cage out of alignment. Muscles are strong connective tissues which can pull bones out of position. Manual therapy uses pressure, stroking, stretching, and kneading to relax superficial muscles and deep-seated connective tissue to restore optimum balance and posture.
Manual therapy promotes relaxation, something many of us have forgotten. A simple relaxation session may help by increasing circulation, which promotes healing and reduces inflammation. Stress reduction is important, because every doctor knows that stress is a killer. Addressing this modern-day epidemic with a soothing touch - which has its own emotional and mental benefits - is a more positive approach than resorting to medication.
Advanced methods go beyond this initial stage, although relaxation is always a part of healing. Targeted sessions address one area of the body with a specific problem. Therapeutic Swedish massage can relieve chronic ills like arthritis, back pain, over-all loss of mobility, and sluggish circulation. Lymphatic drainage therapy helps restore the immune system to its proper function.
Serious injuries, like sports strains and sprains, benefit from these techniques by healing more quickly and completely. Seniors or the chronically ill who are unable to engage in physical exercise benefit from increased circulation. Babies who have colic or don't sleep well respond to gentle, educated touching. Trigger-point pressure instantly helps a stiff neck. Tired executives can return to the office energized and alert.
Fitness and flexibility training is part of bodywork. Stronger muscles support the skeletal system and internal organs and help all bodily systems to function. Often joint mobility depends on regular exercise suited to the physical needs and abilities of each individual. An marked increase in total well-being comes from the services massage and bodywork centers have to offer for stress relief, pain management, better circulation, and increased mobility. Once people realize how much better they can feel, they may be more willing to help themselves rather than depend on pharmaceutical drugs.
Youth is usually a time of mindless enjoyment of flexibility, energy, and freedom from care. Later on, bodies that once were taken for granted cease to work so smoothly: joints creak, muscles get stiff, backs refuse to straighten up. Tasks that were easy become difficult or even impossible. People can accept this as inevitable or do something about it. Some choose medication, which carries its own risks. A more positive approach involves one or more of the many forms of manual therapy.
There are good reasons for this decline. One is limited circulation that comes from a sedentary lifestyle, another is too much stress on an on-going basis, and another is injury. Sometimes people can't pinpoint when the problem started. For example, a person might slip on an icy parking lot but save themselves from falling. In the process, a small muscle in the back that responds to the instinctive call for balance may fail to return to its proper position. After the incident has been forgotten, the person notices a new ache that doesn't go away and may worsen over time.
Massage therapists are trained to find such tight muscles and relieve the tension that holds the spine and rib cage out of alignment. Muscles are strong connective tissues which can pull bones out of position. Manual therapy uses pressure, stroking, stretching, and kneading to relax superficial muscles and deep-seated connective tissue to restore optimum balance and posture.
Manual therapy promotes relaxation, something many of us have forgotten. A simple relaxation session may help by increasing circulation, which promotes healing and reduces inflammation. Stress reduction is important, because every doctor knows that stress is a killer. Addressing this modern-day epidemic with a soothing touch - which has its own emotional and mental benefits - is a more positive approach than resorting to medication.
Advanced methods go beyond this initial stage, although relaxation is always a part of healing. Targeted sessions address one area of the body with a specific problem. Therapeutic Swedish massage can relieve chronic ills like arthritis, back pain, over-all loss of mobility, and sluggish circulation. Lymphatic drainage therapy helps restore the immune system to its proper function.
Serious injuries, like sports strains and sprains, benefit from these techniques by healing more quickly and completely. Seniors or the chronically ill who are unable to engage in physical exercise benefit from increased circulation. Babies who have colic or don't sleep well respond to gentle, educated touching. Trigger-point pressure instantly helps a stiff neck. Tired executives can return to the office energized and alert.
Fitness and flexibility training is part of bodywork. Stronger muscles support the skeletal system and internal organs and help all bodily systems to function. Often joint mobility depends on regular exercise suited to the physical needs and abilities of each individual. An marked increase in total well-being comes from the services massage and bodywork centers have to offer for stress relief, pain management, better circulation, and increased mobility. Once people realize how much better they can feel, they may be more willing to help themselves rather than depend on pharmaceutical drugs.
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