Tag: Massage Therapy

THE ZEN MASSAGE

There are very many massage techniques in existence today; some of them stemming from the far Eastern World of antiquity while others originated in the more recent years of the Western world. Although they were born out of very different philosophical and cultural persuasions, each of these obtainable massage techniques provides some aspects of relaxation but none does it as thoroughly as does the one which was born in Austin, Texas and christened as the Zen Massage. Zen, by the way, is an ancient Chinese discipline which means meditation and it focuses on the meditative portion of the dharma practice and the experiential wisdom which is also called the zazen or the path of enlightenment. It, therefore, steers away from theoretical knowledge and theology.

By reaching into the very heart of hearts of every cell of the body, the Zen Massage epitomizes what utter and unequivocal calm, peace and a relaxed state of being feels. Combining an assortment of highly sophisticated and time tested and proven techniques, the Zen Massage affords its subjects a spontaneous soothing and an energy balanced experience of picture perfect enormity. The various features which are part and parcel of the entirely therapeutic Zen Massage treatment are as follows:

* The Heated Stones. This is a curative procedure which makes use of hot stones which are moved along the subjects muscles in smooth gliding motions and well calculated pressure.

* The Hot Towel Pore Cleanse. This purifying treatment involves the use of freshly steamed towels applied to the entire body. The heat of the towels opens the pores to cleanse and revitalize the outer skin (epidermis) while also reaching into the lower layers, the dermis and the hypodermis.

* The Bio Mat. The Bio Mat calms down and relaxes tight and sore muscles while it quiets and soothes irritated nerves. The Bio Mat transports the subject into the realm of a complete state of wellbeing on the physical as well as on the psychological levels.

* The Aromatherapy. Pure essential oils are used for this aromatherapy treatment to help the subject relax as stress is melted away and complete balance and wellness overcome him or her.

* The Peppermint Bliss Foot Massage. The peppermint bliss foot massage smoothes and softens tired and aching feet for a feeling of harmony and peace which radiate from the tips of the toes to the crown of the head.

The Zen Massage therapy is a noninvasive and natural massage treatment which has been clinically proven to be completely safe while being highly effective in relieving stress which has also been proven to be the leading cause of countless physiological and mental health problems. Some of the most significant benefits that have been attributed to the effectiveness of the Zen Massage therapy are:

* The lowering of high blood pressure which in medical terms is referred to as hypertension and has been often spoken about as the silent killer.

* The improvement of the REM sleep. The REM stands for rapid eye movement and it is characterized by, you guessed it, rapid eye movements. It also includes rapid low voltage EEG which is commonly spoken of as brain waves. On the average, a healthy adult spends approximately 20 to 25 percent of a total nights sleep in the REM phase and it is essential to good health.

* The decrease of fatigue of the body and the mind which naturally leads to enhanced concentration and improved motor skills.

In conclusion, the Zen Massage therapy helps its subjects to release their worries, unwind their bodies, relax their tensions, quiet their minds and ease their senses.

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THE HOT STONE MASSAGE

The Hot Stone massage is a therapeutic massage technique in which a heated stone is held by the massage therapist who uses it to apply the customary and traditional Swedish massage strokes. Because they have the tendency to absorb heat and retain it for extended periods of time, the stones which are used are usual smooth, black volcanic basalt rocks of various sizes and shapes. For the most part, these rocks are heated in water at 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Native Americans are known to also have used hot stones for medicinal purposes but those were heated by direct fire. This technique of fire-heated stones was restored by Mary Nelson, a native of Tucson, Arizona and she trademarked it as LaStone Therapy.

Primarily due to the effects of the heat from the stones, the Hot Stone massage is profoundly calming and delightfully relaxing as it rapidly releases the tension out of every soft tissue, be it muscle, tendon or ligament, which is included in this treatment while gentle and comforting peace washes over the client almost immediately. The hot stones are used throughout the entire session to massage, to stroke, to press, to manipulate and to knead the clients soft tissues. On occasion, heated stones are laid out to rest at strategic spots along the spine as well as in the palms of the clients hands and between the toes. This maneuver promotes the optimal flow of energy throughout the entire body. As soon as the stones cool down, the massage therapist will replace them with newly heated ones but areas that are inflamed, injured or swollen, will often be treated with cold stones instead of the hot ones.

To derive the most out of the Hot Stone massage therapy, clients are encouraged to:

* Indicate any discomforts such as those which might be created by stones which are too hot, by the massage therapist applying pressure with too much force, by the background music which may be too loud, by the room temperature which could be too hot or too cold and so on.

* Refrain from consuming a heavy meal and to abstain from ingesting any amount of alcohol shortly before the session.

* Arrive in plenty of time to check in and to relax before the treatment.

* Take a sauna, a steam bath or a hot tub before the session as it will relax and soften the muscles for better end results from the entire treatment. If the hot tub was treated with chlorine, the clients are asked to take hot showers in order to rinse off the chemical.

* Remove all their clothing and be assured that they will remain completely covered with a towel. This will give the massage therapist better access and direct contact with the skin.

* Take slow, deep breaths throughout the session as it helps to relax the body and release more toxins.

* To banish irrelevant thoughts from racing through their heads by concentrating on the feel of the therapists movements over their bare skins.

* Get off the massage table after the session very slowly as dizziness may set in otherwise.

* Absorb the full results of the massage treatment by allowing some quiet time in a peaceful place.

* Drink extra water after the massage to flush out and wash away the toxins released during the treatment.

The Hot Stone massage is beneficial in many ways as it promotes deep muscle and soft tissue relaxation, eases stress, releases toxins, alleviates pain, improves circulation and calms the mind. Quite appropriately, therefore, there is an impressive list of ailments which are treated with Hot Stone massages and they are:

* Muscle aches and pains due to over use, injury or stress.
* Back pain caused by injury, poor posture or misuse.
* Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
* Arthritis.
* Fibromyalgia.
* Stress, anxiety, nervousness and depression.
* Insomnia.
* Any number of circulatory problems.

The Hot Stone massage requires specialized training, it involved more preparation time for disinfecting and heating the stones, the session are often somewhat longer than usual and more time is spent cleaning up. As a consequence, the Hot Stone massage tends to be more costly than any other conventional and basic Swedish massage. But it is worth it and you are worthy of it!

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THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF MASSAGE THERAPY

In an attempt to understand how and why massage therapy is as effective as it seems to be, scientists and medical researchers from around the world have been studying it for decades. Some characteristics of massage therapy have been conclusively resolved with apparent consensus among the learned scholars, while other characteristics remain as inexplicably mysterious as ever. For instance, they all agree that when a certain amount of pressure is applied to a soft tissue such as a muscle, some changes occur within the affected muscles. They also all tend to agree that massage therapy promotes relaxation and reduces the stress which often leads to deterioration or worsening of certain physiological conditions.

Those characteristics of massage therapy which have not yet been explained by conventional science, gave rise to a number of theories and postulates. You will note that they are all prefaced with the word might to indicate uncertainty as they described possible health benefits of massage therapy:

* Might provide stimulation that may help block pain signals transmitted to the brain and this is called the gate control theory of decreasing or alleviating pain.

* Might promote better health by stimulating the lymphatic system to increase the flow of lymph, which is the secretion that carries disease fighting cells through the body.

* Might re-route the clients nervous system away from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic. In doing so, the fight-or-flight reaction of the sympathetic nervous system with its increased heart and breathing rates along with tightened muscles of distress are shunned in favor of the rest-and-digest reaction of the parasympathetic nervous system with its lowered heart rate, slowed breathing and relaxed muscles.

* Might be instrumental in effecting beneficial changes in the body by preventing fibrosis through the process of breaking up scar-like tissue

* Might arouse the body to discharge chemicals such as serotonin or endorphins which area known to give people the feelings of wellbeing.

* Might improve sleep patterns which is essential to pain control and healing processes.

* Might contribute to the overall mental and physiological health by the intimate interaction between the client and the therapist.

The following are specific cases and their reported benefits whether they are understood or merely observed with bewilderment:

* Students at a New Jersey Medical School who were given massage therapy before an exam displayed less anxiety, lower respiratory rates, a substantial increase in white blood cells and an enhanced immune system.

* Cancer patients at the James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio experienced less pain and decreased anxiety after receiving massage therapies than those who did not get such treatments.

* Studies at the University of South Carolina show that women who recently lost a child were less depressed after massage therapy.

* The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that massage therapy improved weight gain in infants who were premature or those who were exposed to HIV. They also determined that massage therapy expedites recovery in patients who had abdominal surgery.

* Researchers at the University of the Miami School of Medicines Touch Research Institute discovered that massage therapy decreases high blood pressure, relieves migraine headaches, and generally increases alertness and performance in the workforce.

* Many additional studies confirm that massage therapy reduces heart rates, lowers blood pressure; increases blood circulation and lymph flow; relaxes stiffened and tense muscles while stimulating weak and inactive muscles to compensate for lack of movement due to an illness or an injury; speeds up the healing process after surgeries, disease and injuries; improves the range of vision; increases endorphins; reduces anxiety, tension, depression, pain and itching in burn patients; and Autistic children exhibit calmer and more predictable behavior.

So, is massage therapy beneficial? Yes! Massage therapy is beneficial on, oh, so many levels. The mechanics of the process may not be clear just yet, but the outcomes are undeniable by anyones standards.

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THE FOOT MASSAGE

Some 2,500 ago and during Lord Buddhas time in ancient India, a physician named Jivaka Komarabhacca developed a complex massage system which somehow ended up in Thailand where it was pass on by word of mouth from one generation to the next and is still practiced today in much the same way as it was so many centuries ago. When the Thai alphabet was developed under King Ramkamhaeng the Great, scholars began recording all aspect of Thai society, culture and healing practices which, of course, included massage therapy. Unfortunately, future generation had little left as almost all was destroyed when Thailands capital of Ayuthaya was captured by the Burmese invaders in 1776. All that remained of the recorded ancient traditions was that which, under the directives of King Rama III who wanted to preserve as much as possible, was engraved on the walls of Wat Poh, one of the most famous temples in Bangkok.

Based on the ancient teachings regarding massage therapies, many different kinds are practiced in modern day Thailand. The Foot massage is one of the most interesting of them all due to the fact that its principles are simple while its practice is quite a bit more complicated as the force which is applied to the foot by the massaging hands must be exceedingly accurate as it is directed toward particular nerves of the foot. The Thai believe that each part of the foot has a direct link to another remotely located part of the body such as a vital organ or a system. Therefore, applying pressure and massaging a certain area of the foot influences the soft tissues of that particular area of the foot as well as the other.

As a general rule, the Foot massage is much more effective when the foot is bare as opposed to being clad with socks or stockings. There are several basic techniques that are used by just about every Foot massage therapist and they are:

* Sweeping and Rubbing. Most Foot massages begin with bringing an increased supply of blood into the foot by rubbing its surface lightly but long enough to create the desired warmth and the rhythm of movement.

* Thumb Walking. The thumbs are used to apply more direct and firm pressure to various parts of the foot as well as to loosen the tense tendons which run along the its outside edge.

* Toe Rotation. The toes are very sensitive and care should be taken when manipulating them by either rotating each toe individually or by gently pulling them upwards and outwards while squeezing gently.

* Kneading. Kneading is accomplished by firmly but not harshly pressing and rotating the knuckles of a fisted hand back and forth across the sole of the foot, from its heel to its toes.

* Cupping. This is a simple squeezing of the entire foot with an up and down motion of one hand while cupping it with the other.

The benefits of a good Foot massage are many:

* Firmly pressing and massaging the base of the fourth toe heals an ailing heart.
* Pressing and massaging the base of the second toe stimulates the lungs and the bronchial system for improved breathing.
* Pressing and rolling the area between the first and second thumb relieves headaches.
* Massaging between the third and fourth toe relaxes tired eyes and improves vision.
* Stretching and pulling the big toe alleviates pain caused by sinusitis.
* Rotating pressure at the ball of the foot will ease stomachaches and heal the kidneys, the bladder and the entire excretory system.
* Applying pressure to the front of the heel delivers remedial effects to the male and female genital glands.
* Stretching the skin backwards and forwards under both sides of the anklebone is therapeutic to the reproductive tracts of men and women.
* Pulling the knuckle of any toe backwards along the instep eases spinal pain and improves posture.
* Holding the foot between two hands and rubbing the top of the foot between the first and second toe with one thumb which rubbing the top of the foot between the fourth and the fifth toe with the other, relieves pain of the inner ear and the chest.
* Massaging the inner and outer edges of the foot is beneficial to the diaphragm.
* Pushing and massaging the soft spot beneath the anklebone reduces the pain from the sciatic nerve and stimulates the lymphatic system to cleanse the body of bacteria and toxins.
* Enfolding and rotating the toes achieves overall relaxation and a sense of well-being.
* With so much pressing, massaging, rolling, gyrating, pulling, stretching and stroking; all the soft tissues of the foot itself become relaxed and invigorated.

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