Getting a massage may sound like a luxury saved for only the wealthiest patrons, but that’s a common misconception. In fact, massage therapy is extremely effective in helping with a variety of mental and physical issues. Whether you’re seeking a massage to improve your mobility or want a facelift massage to turn back the hands of time, massage therapy has a variety of benefits.
Massage and Beauty
When we think of massage, we most often think of a beauty spa with cucumbers over our eyes and fluffy white bathrobes. While massages are used just as often as a way to treat mental fatigue and physical issues, they can also be used as a beauty treatment, smoothing away worries and cares.
Depending on the type of massage and how much time you have, a massage session may last from 15 to 90 minutes. Some massages, like a facelift massage, may focus on smoothing away crow’s feet and other wrinkles while deep tissue massage therapy uses pressure to relieve aches and pains from your joints. There’s no guarantee that you’ll stay young forever with a regular massage, but the 18th annual American Massage Therapy Association Consumer Survey from 2014 found that approximately 9 million people over the age of 55 had a total of 39 million massages in the previous 12 months. Perhaps there’s some restorative power in a massage after all!
Therapeutic Massage for Stress
Between 2013 and 2014, twenty-three percent of massage consumers had a massage to help them relax and reduce stress. While it may seem odd to some, many different types of treatments, from deep tissue massage to a facelift massage during a spa service, can be extremely relaxing and beneficial for your health.
The International Journal of Preventive Medicine stated in a recent study that massage therapy could possibly help control blood pressure in pre-hypertensive women. The study showed that the immediate results of lowered blood pressure lasted up to 72 hours after a massage. Those results alone are a great reason to give massage therapy a try if you’re struggling to manage your stress.
Medical Massage for Aches and Pains
Most people are most familiar with medical massages with regards to sports massage therapy, helping an athlete recover after an injury. While that is not inherently untrue, massage can also be used to treat a variety of medical issues. Fifty-four percent of adult Americans who received a massage between July 2013 and July 2014 received it to alleviate medical or health issues such as soreness/stiffness/spasms, injury rehabilitation, pain management or overall wellness.
Massage therapy is even becoming more commonly offered in hospitals because of its viability as an option for medical treatment. According to a recent American Hospital Association survey, nearly 82% of the 1,007 hospitals that participated in the survey reported offering CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) therapies included massage therapy among their health care options. So while a massage may sound like something that’s only for the rich and famous, you may find that massage therapy is making its way into the world of medicine and promises to be here for a very long time.
