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MoonDragon's Alternative Health Information
Touch & Movement Therapy
MASSAGE
INTRODUCTION
Massage has been used for thousands of years as a simple and effective method of attaining and maintaining good health, and its benefits have long been recognized in many cultures throughout the world. Therapeutic massage can be used to promote general well-being and enhance self-esteem, while boosting the circulatory and immune systems to benefit blood pressure, circulation, muscle tone, digestion, and skin tone. It has been incorporated into many health systems, and different massage techniques have been developed and integrated into various complementary therapies.
MAIN USES OF MASSAGE Stress-related conditions, such as insomnia & headache. Muscle & joint disorders, such as arthritis & back pain. Pain relief. High blood pressure. Depression & anxiety. Digestive disorders, such as constipation.
HISTORY
Massage may be the oldest and simplest form of medical care. Egyptian tomb paintings show people being massaged, and ancient Chinese and Indian manuscripts refer to is use in treating diseases and injuries. Greek and Roman physicians valued it as a principal method of relieving pain. Julias Caesar was given a daily massage to treat neuralgia. Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," wrote in the 5th century B.C., "The physician must be experienced in many things, but assuredly in rubbing... for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that is too rigid."
Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine, places great emphasis on the therapeutic benefits of massage with aromatic oils and spices, but in the West religious ambivalence about potential links between sin and the stimulation of the senses gave massage a dubious image.
Doctors such as Ambrose Pare, a 16th century physician to the French court, praised massage as a treatment for various ailments, but it was a Swedish gymnist, Per Henrik Ling, who restored therapeutic massage to general favor throughout Europe at the end of the 19th century. Physiotherapy, originally based on Ling's methods, was established with the foundation in 1894 of the Society of Trained Masseurs.
During World War I patients suffering from nerve injury or shell shock were treated with massage. St. Thomas's Hospital, London, had a department of massage until 1934. However, later breakthroughs in medical technology and pharmacology eclipsed massage as physiotherapists began increasingly to favor electrical instruments over manual methods of stimulating the tissues.
At the same time, some brothels were masquerading as "massage parlors," and through this, massage acquired unsavory connotations of prostitution.
This image is fading as awareness of the value and therapeutic properties of massage grows. In both the U.S. and U.k. nurses are bringing massage therapy into conventional health care, and massage theory and practice are being included in nursing degree programs. Increasingly, massage is used in intensive care units, for children, elderly people, babies in incubators, and patients with cancer, AIDS, heart attacks, or strokes. Most American hospices have some kind of bodywork therapy available, and it is frequently offered in health centers, drug treatment clinics, and pain clinics.
A variety of massage techniques have also been incorporated into several other complementary therapies, such as aromatherapy, reflexology, Rolfing, Hellerwork, and osteopathy.
KEY PRINCIPLES
All forms of touch are perceived through the skin, which is the body's largest sensory organ. In the embryo, the sense of touch is the earliest to develop, and human babies, in common with primates andother mammals, thrive when in close contact with their mothers.
Thousands of specialized receptors in the dermis (the second layer of skin) react to external stimuli, such as heat, cold, and pressure, by sending messages through the nervous system to the brain. Gentle massage or stroking can trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain-killers, and induce a feeling of comfort and well-being. Stronger, more vigorous massage may help to stretch tense and uncomfortable muscles and ease stiff joints, improving mobility and flexibility.
Massage can aid relaxation, directly affecting the body systems that govern heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and digestion. While not a cure for specific complaints, the resulting sense of well-being from massage can lower the amount of circulating stress hormones, such as cortisol and norepinephrine, that can weaken the immune system.
Psychologically, massage releases tension and reduces anxiety so that people feel more serene and better equipped to cope with the stresses of life. Awareness of the way in which the mind and body interact can be heightened, thereby enabling people to take greater responsibility for their personal well-being.
THE THEORY OF MASSAGE
Per Henrik Ling's "Swedish Movement Therapy", grounded in anatomy, forms the basis for the technique used in the West today, which are often still referred to as Swedish massage. Ling laid great emphasis on therapeutic massage, or "medical gymnastics", to stimulate the functioning of the body.
THE BASIC TECHNIQUES
Stroking, or effleurage, is a gentle action for all parts of the body to aid circulation and relax tense muscles. Effleurage is often used in childbirth by laboring mothers, along with controlled and relaxed breathing techniques, to stay relaxed during labor. Kneading, or petrissage, stretches and relaxes muscles, and is particularly useful for fleshy areas such as thighs. Friction, or frottage is deep, direct pressure to release tension in the muscles around the spine and shoulders. Hacking, or tapotement, uses a brisk percussive action on fleshy, muscular areas.
EVIDENCE & RESEARCH
An extensive body of research now exists to support the therapeutic claims of massage, much of it performed in the U.S. at the Touch Research Institute (TRI), University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida. A study at the TRI in 1986 revealed that premature babies who were stroked daily gained 47 percent more weight, were more active, and left the hospital on average 6 days earlier than non-stroked babies. In 1992 the Institute reported that teenages hospitalized with anorexiaand bulimia expressed a better body image and less anxiety and depression after massage. In 1993 TRI researchers found that when HIV-positive men were massaged daily, they produced more of the natural killer cells that destroy invading bacteria and viruses, that asthmatic children breathed more easily and suffered fewer attacks when massaged by their parents, that in diabetic children, glucose levels fell to normal after 4 weeks of massage, and that office workers who received a 15 minute midday back and shoulder massage reported heightened alertness and showed lower stress hormone levels.
In trials at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, in 1995, massage was shown to reduce anxiety and improve quality of life in cancer patients.
Massage has also been shown to benefit the giver. At the Touch Research Institute in 1993, foster grandparents who gave shoulder massages to young abused children reported improved self-esteem and less depression.
MEDICAL OPINION
Evidence of the therapeutic advantages of massage, both in clinical studies and from patient's reports, is so overwhelming that most health care providers would endorse it. While it may be seen as an adjunct to the usual medical methods, many health care providers do not think to recommend it routinely or to refer patients to a massage therapist.
CONSULTING A PRACTITIONER
At your initial treatment, you will be asked briefly about your medical history, lifestyle, and general state of health, including any current medication.
Western massage is usually given on a special table, but a futon mattress or thick blanket on the floor can be used. For a whole body massage it is usual to undress, though you may prefer to keep on your underwear. A towel is placed over you, as much for warmth as for dignity, exposing only the relevant part of the body to be massaged. At the end, you are covered up warmly and left to savor the experience for a few minutes.
According to the technique used and the degree and rhythm of the pressure, massage can make you more alert or calm you down. It may even put you to sleep. Sometimes massage can arouse temporary feelings of sadness or lightheadedness that may be signs of emotional release.
Western massage, shown here, is based on Ling's techniques, but over the years variations have been developed. Remedial massage, for instance, focuses on specific conditions such as muscle strains, while manual lymph drainage, a gentle, pumping massage, aims to speed the removal of waste products by stimulating the lymph system. Biodynamic massage concentrates on releasing emotions or "bioenergy" believed to be trapped within the body.
Eastern massage includes acupressure techniques such as shiatsu, tuina and do-in that emphasizes pressure rather than stroking, and aim to balance energy forces in the body according to Eastern philosophy.
Most therapists begin by massaging the back, followed by the neck and the back of the legs. However, there is no set order of procedure. The front of the legs, shoulders, arms, and hands, neck and face are usually massaged next. An abdominal massage is not obligatory, but can be very pleasant if gently done. For those who are ill, or short of time, the practitioner may limit the massage to hands and feet or neck and shoulders.
Many practitioners prefer to work in silence in order to concentrate on their movements. Often times the room lights may be dimmed, scented aromatherapy candles, scented oils, and/or classical music may be played quietly in the background to help relax the person receiving the massage.
This image shows the practitioner "knuckling" - the fingers ripple across the skin in small circling strokes.
USING OIL
Practitioners usually work with a light vegetable oil (almond oil works nicely and can be used as a base for aromatherapy oils) or cream so that their hands glide over the skin. Aromatic essential oils may be added. See the link below about using aromatherapy oils and tips.
MoonDragon's Aromatherapy Information Index
BACK MASSAGE
To begin a back massage, the practioner may relax the body with gentle strokes. She might then use soothing techniques, such as circular or fan-like strokes on the back and neck, followed by crisscrossing over the body with her hands to create figure eights up and down the back, pulling up at the sides of the body, and never pressing directly on the spine.
LEG MASSAGE
Keeping the rest of the body covered, the practitioner works on the legs and feet, massaging first one leg, then the other. Many of the movements can be applied to both the front and the back of the legs.
SHOULDER MASSAGE
To ease tension in the shoulders, the practitioner may begin with firming stokes over the collarbone and shoulders, then use slow strokes with the hands moving up the back of the neck. Circular pressure may be applied all over the back of the neck and at the base of the skull, followed by circular pressure and knuckling down the chest from the collarbone out over the pectorals and shoulders.
SELF HELP MASSAGE
You can easily massage yourself, though it is not quite as relaxing as being massaged by someone else. If you work slowly and rhythmically, however, you should be able to release tension in your body and soothe away aches and pains.
THIGH MASSAGE
HAND MASSAGE
BIODYNAMIC MASSAGE
This form of massage aims to release energy bound up in the muscles and gut, causing physical and emotional pain. Discussion is encouraged and techniques can be soothing and soporific, or more vigorous.
HISTORY
This approach was developed in the 1960s by Gerda Boyesen, a Norwegian-born psychologist and physiotherapist. She subsequently discovered that her ideas were similar to those of Wilhelm Reich. According to his theory of "armoring," suppressed emotions can cause muscular tensions, trapping energy. This may be released by working simultaneously on the body and the mind. In 1975 Boyensen founded an institute in London to train practitioners and treat patients; centers later opened in Europe and in Australia. However, this therapy is not well known in the U.S.
MAIN USES OF BIODYNAMIC MASSAGE
A range of physical ailments, including stress-related conditions, such as backache, headaches and depression.
Digestive disorders.
CONSULTING A PRACTITIONER
Practitioners believe that the intestine digests not only food, but stress and trauma, a process known as "psychoperistalsis," which, they calim, can be improved with massage. You lie undressed on a massage table, Covered by a blanket. Swedish massage is combined with techniques such as "lifting" the limbs to detect and free trapped "bioenergy", which is released through the abdomen. A stethoscope is applied to the abdomen to monitor progress - the more gurgles the better. Talking is encouraged if the practitioner feels the massage is raising any issues.
MEDICAL OPINION
The idea that the gut reacts to emotions is familiar, but most psychotherapists and health care providers find the use of bowel noises to monitor psychological changes unusual.
YOUR QUESTIONS
How long does a treatment session last? A full body massage takes roughly 60 to 90 minutes if the face is included in the massage.
How many sessions will I need? As many as you like and can afford.
Will it be uncomfortable? Massage therapy should be a pleasant and soothing experience. Tell the practitioner if you feel any discomfort and he or she will ease the pressure.
Will there be any aftereffects? Right after treatments you may feel very sleepy. Drinking a glass of water is a good idea. You may ache a little the next day but this will soon wear off.
MASSAGE PRECAUTIONS Seek medical advice before having a massage if you suffer from phlebitis, thrombosis, varicose veins, severe acute back pain, or fever.
Swellings, fractures, skin infections, or bruises should not be massaged. Lumps and swellings should be checked out by your health care provider.
Massage of the abdomen, legs, and feet should not be given during the first three months of pregnancy.
Cancer patients are best treated by specially trained practitioners who know which areas to avoid and which kind of massage is appropriate.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPY PRECAUTIONS
Consult your health care provider before embarking on any non-conventional form of treatment if you have any medical condition or symptoms of illness.
Do not stope taking any prescribed medication without first consulting with your health care provider.
Tell your complementary practitioner about any prescribed medication you are taking, and any other complementary treatments you are receiving.
Tell your health care provider about any complementary treatments you are taking. This includes herbal remedies and nutritional supplements as well as treatments.
Do not embark on vigorous exercise without first consulting with a health care provider if you have any serious medical condition, such as back pain, high blood pressure, or heart disease, or if you are pregnant.
Do not begin a course of complementary therapy without first consulting with your health care provider (or midwife) if you are pregnant, or if you are trying to conceive.
Advise your practitioner if you have any sexually transmitted disease.
Consult your health care provider before allowing babies or infants to receive complementary treatments, since some treatments, such as enemas and certain herbal remedies, are unsuitable for small children.
See your health care provider if symptoms persist or worsen.
A PATIENT'S EXPERIENCE
Nancy, a newspaper reporter, used to spend hours on the telephone, cradling the receiver on her shoulder while she took notes: "I was getting headaches and generally feeling very stressed, with constant aches in my neck and shoulders. A friend suggested massage, through it seemed a little self-indulgent to me. The therapist said that years of strain were locked in my shoulders, and at first the massage was a little uncomfortable, particularly if she kneaded me strongly. After sessions every two weeks, the tension gradually left my muscles and the headaches lessened. I learned what real physicial and mental relaxation felt like, and my company gave me a phone headset that leaves my hands and shoulders free."
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