Whole Body Massage With a Massage Chair Recliner
Posted by on Dec 8, 2010
One of the most pleasurable and relaxing experiences is getting a whole body massage. All the built up tensions, anxieties and stresses start to melt away as the massage is performed. When people think of massages, they think of a massage therapist working them over little by little to calm and relaxing music. There is something very special about a massage from a trained specialist. Another effective alternative to a massage therapist is a massage chair.
Interestingly, most people think of a massage chair as a luxury. In some cases it certainly is a luxury. However, the impression people have is that massage chairs are expensive. And they are right if you only look at the price tag and not the lifetime value of the massage chair. A massage chair is actually the most cost effective massage treatment available. It can run as little as a dollar a day and no tip required. Now, most people think massage recliners just massage your back. In reality, massage chairs perform whole body massages.
Take for example, the Panasonic EP30004 Real Pro Ultra. This chair can massage your whole body and not just your back. Besides having hundreds of massage options for your back, it also can massage your arms, hands, hips, buttocks, calves and feet. The Real Pro Ultra uses an air compression massage system for the lower body which delivers a soothing and relieving lower body massage.
You do not have to go to the spa to relax, if you have the Omega Montage Premier Massage chair. The Montage Premier provides a thorough full body massage from your head to your toes. Additionally, the Montage comes with full body heat, where you can apply heat in the back, seat and the leg rest. The Montage Premier has a built in MP3 player so you can put on the included headphones and relax to your favorite music during the massage. This recliner also has a music synchronization function. This function will massage you to the rhythm of your music.
The features that are being added into massage chairs increases every year. The massage programs keep getting more varied and include many more techniques like Hawaiian, Swedish, deep tissue, shiatsu and many more. More complimentary functions are being added such as lower body traction which extends the muscles and ligaments of the lower body. The back massage rollers contain more finger-like mechanisms that replicate the movements of hands. The technology keeps advancing and coupled with software has produced a tremendous variety of massage therapies.
If you have never tried a massage chair, you definitely should. Most people are surprised at how effective it delivers massage therapy. Again, the technology keeps advancing rapidly and even chairs from a few years ago lack many of the new features that are available today. If you have not had a full body massage, then you are really in for a treat. Sometimes there is some discomfort as you start to relax your muscles that have not been touched in a long time. Let the massage penetrate deeply into the muscle tissue. This is always a good gage of your stress level to see if the massage makes squirm a little bit. This is especially true if you have not had one in a while. A whole body massage will help change your attitude and get your body reinvigorated. Let a massage chair deliver a whole body massage to you in your own home.
James is an accomplished massage therapist and understands human healing. You can visit his website at http://www.massagechairwarehouse.com and find many shiatsu massage chairs. Your health is your most important asset. Protect it with the Best Massage Chair for your holistic health. Research the premier massage chair brands from Panasonic, Omega and Sanyo. Peruse reviews, articles, massage therapy techniques and discover the best Massage Shiatsu Chair Recliner to meet your needs.
Author: James Knolan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Traditional Shiatsu Massage Transformed With Massage Chairs
Posted by on Dec 6, 2010
Shiatsu massage has been a tradition in Japan for centuries. The literal meaning is finger pressure. Using this finger pressure was found to help regulate and control energy flow throughout the body. The fine art and tradition of shiatsu has been passed to today’s massage therapists. This massage therapy relieves aches and pains while increasing alertness. Japan also gave rise to massage chairs which were developed along with Japan’s technological advancement. These massage chair recliners replicate many of the techniques and movements of a master masseuse.
A shiatsu massage induces deep relaxation. It also increases the energy flow. This massage technique employs rhythmic, gradual pressure and stretching. Also it applies pressure to specific points in the body. One of the principal foundations is believed to manipulate the flow of energy in the body, restoring balance and well being. Effective massage increases the energy flow while inducing deep relaxation to brings the natural balance back. This Japanese massage has been performed by skilled therapists to ease and relieve aches and pains throughout the body.
The evolution of technology includes robotic massage chairs capable to imitate a massage therapist. Many of the premier massage chair recliners read the pressure points of your back. The chair adjusts its program based on the reading of your pressure points. It will focus on your unique pressure points. These shiatsu massage chairs can deliver a full body shiatsu massage including the acupressure points.
Technology has seen advances in the features designed to perform these unique techniques incorporated into massage chairs. Since the beginning of time, massage has been performed by humans in traditional medicine. The mechanical systems integrated into current massage chair recliners realistically imitate hand and finger movements. Amazingly, the integration of electronics and software controls make theses mechanical fingers do many functions. Human contact has many subtle movements which are difficult to copy, but machines do not get tired.
A shiatsu massage induces deep relaxation, increases the energy flow and brings the body back into balance. This massage therapy technique employs rhythmic, gradual pressure and stretching. Pressure is also applied to specific points in the body. It is believed to manipulate the flow of energy in the body, restoring balance and well being. Effective shiatsu massage increases the energy flow while inducing deep relaxation to brings the natural balance back. This massage technique has been performed by skilled therapists to ease and relieve aches and pains throughout the body.
Applying gentle pressure to acupressure points throughout the body relaxes and brings tranquility to the body. Shiatsu massage chairs have effective functions capable of replicating the movement of a massage therapist. These mechanized fingers provide shiatsu therapy from gentle or firm and with low or high pressure to suite individual needs. Typical massage motions include rubbing, kneading, percussion and vibration.
Find relief for many of your issues and symptoms with a shiatsu massage chair. They have a wide variety of massage therapies to assist your needs. There are massage therapies used to treat some forms of arthritis to bring relief. It can help stimulate circulation and bring better color to the skin. Reduce muscular pain, or warm up muscles prior to exercise with an invigorating massage. A shiatsu massage assists to metabolize fat to increase stamina and nutrition flow throughout the body.
The human touch is difficult to replicate. It is a complex challenge. However, many of the subtle movements of the hand have been imitated. Many massage chairs can perform many of the same tasks. The flexibility of our hands is quite amazing, but massage chair designers keep finding more innovative ways to make them realistic. However, these robotic massage chairs do have advantages over massage therapists. You can use them anytime and they do not get exhausted. Many have features such as heat therapy, music, lower body stretching, and of course full body massage capabilities. A shiatsu massage chair is a compliment to the long tradition of the shiatsu massage technique.
The Best Massage Chair for back pain relief from Omega Massage, Sanyo, Panasonic, and Human Touch. Peruse the latest Massage Chair Reviews about the premier massage chair recliners on the market today.
Author: Steve M Taylor
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Shiatsu Massage Chairs Deliver a Full Body Massage at Home
Posted by on Dec 4, 2010
You come home after a long day at work. You are tired, maybe a little stressed. Relaxing would be nice option or even better yet, how about a massage? Unfortunately, my house did not come with masseuse service. However, there is another option: A shiatsu massage chair. There is no appointment necessary, all you have to do is sit down, get comfortable, lean back, put the footrest up and push the start button. Ah, that feels great!
Massage chairs have come a long way over the years. The advance of electronics and mechanical systems has combined with massage techniques into the massage chair of today. You can find a robotic chair that is capable of massaging almost all parts of your body. These chairs can reach your neck, shoulders, back, buttocks, thighs, calves, feet and even your arms and hands. The best massage chairs have great technology to simulate many of the most beneficial massage techniques. Massage techniques such as a Shiatsu massage, Swedish massage or a Deep Tissue massage. These massage techniques have specific applications for your overall health and wellness.
For a truly technological marvel, the Montage Elite massage chair by Omega Massage, Inc. is an amazing machine. The Montage Elite brings sophisticated luxury with advanced technology giving you the healing benefits of a full body massage. The Montage Elite is equipped with full body heat. One can individually control the heat for the chair back, the seat and the footrest. Music is a great way to relax and the Montage has an MP3 player and headphones. There is a massage synchronization button that synchronizes the massage movements to the tempo of your music. Need a great foot massage? Look no further, the Montage Elite has a reflexology foot massage built into the footrest. Need to get stretched out a bit? Omega even included a lower body traction function that will stretch and elongate your lower body from the hips down.
The massage chair field is highly competitive and has major players such as Panasonic and Sanyo. Sanyo for instance has incorporated a technology to find your stress points throughout your back with the HEC-DR7700K. Sanyo has equipped the DR7700K with its GK roller system, which can reach out and touch you. These rollers are contained in the chair back and can extend forward to reach out and massage your neck and shoulders. The Sanyo shiatsu massage chair certainly a delightful and invigorating massage.
Panasonic has the EP-3222 provides a full body massage. This chair also has a lower body air massage with airbags built into the seat and footrest. The rollers provide a realistic massage with the Panasonic Swede-Atsu massage. The Swede-Atsu massage uses a blend of Swedish and Shiatsu massage which feels tremendously realistic. The Panasonic EP-3222 shiatsu chair can even memorize the settings you like for up to 3 different users. I can get used to a chair knowing what I like in a massage therapy!
The premier massage chairs built today integrate a multitude of capacities to provide relief in the areas you need most. Each advance of technology enables more and more realistic functions to be added to the chair. The shiatsu massage chairs is getting closer to simulating a skilled masseuse. These advanced chairs come remote controls allowing both manual and automatic controls. Pinpoint the massage to a trouble area on your back or choose an automatic massage and let the chair give you a vigorous total body massage.
There is a wide variety of massage chairs with many different features. You should take your time and educate yourself. It is important to know what types of massage therapy would be good for you. If you can, get out and try some massage chairs. Be sure the chair is comfortable to sit in. Try chairs from different massage chair brands. Invest a little time upfront to really find what is suitable for your needs. A shiatsu massage chair is an investment in your health and relaxation. Find the right chair for your needs. Then you can enjoy a full body massage in the privacy and comfort of your home.
Steve has tremendous expertise with Massage Chairs and knows the top brands and the premier Massage Chair Comparison models on the market today. Steve’s Website Massage Unlimited carries the top brands on the market.
Author: Steve Esquire
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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History of Massage Therapy & the Benefits of it
Posted by on Oct 17, 2010
Massage has been an important part of medicine for over five
thousand years. It is also a major topic in the first medical
texts printed. The first medical texts were used by early
physicians who were primarily men. These men commonly practiced
the art of massage therapy when treating and caring for their
patients. I only mention this because I have spoke to many
people who find it surprising in today’s world, that there are
men who are professional Massage Therapists. Today Massage
therapy is primarily a career chosen by women. Whether your
therapist is male or female should not be of importance, unless
you have a specific reason that makes you uncomfortable getting
a massage from a female or male therapist. What is important is
that your therapist is licensed or certified in the type of
massage that will help you most.
The massage therapy profession has been severely abused by
prostitutes that use massage therapy as a cover up for illegal
sexual activities. The places where they work are often referred
to as “Massage Parlors”. That is why massage licensing and many
city ordinances were put into effect. Professional licensing
requires people who want to pursue a career as a massage
therapist to get a specified number training hours from a school
or college of massage. Most states also require that these
students pass a national certification exam that shows that that
person has the ability to identify specific pathologies and has
a good understanding of the human anatomy. This helps to make it
more difficult for illegal parlors to exist and helps to protect
you as a consumer. In recent history the profession has been
abused and still is in some places. If you are interested in
getting a professional, non-sexual massage you should not only
ask if that person is licensed or certified, but also be sure to
ask if they have had any specific training in the area you are
wanting massage for.
Hippocrates, who is considered “The Father of Medicine” was
highly respected in his findings. He is probably the most
respected man in medical history. That is why he is known as
“The Father of Medicine”. I have read many historical books that
stated that Hippocrates said, “The physician must be acquainted
with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (Massage Therapy).
Hippocrates had an oath for Medical Doctors to take. I
personally feel that this oath is ignored often when it comes to
the use of Massage Therapy and other fine sources of alternative
health. One version of the Hippocratic oath is printed below if
you are interested in reading it. The first few lines of the
oath seem to be conveniently avoided or forgotten by many of
todays Physicians. I have asked many of my clients if their
physician has ever recommended they get a massage without being
asked about it specifically. Very few of them have ever told me
yes. I have had a few clients that asked their physician
specifically about the benefits of getting a massage in order to
help them with their specific condition or problem. My
experiennce has been that less than half of these people report
that they were ever told by their Physician to pursue treatment
by a Professional Massage Therapist. On the other side of the
argument, I have several Physicians and Nurses that are clients
of mine and they have told me that they often refer patients to
get Massages. Most of these Physicians and Nurses have told me
they feel the reason that their patients do not always pursue
their recommendation is because massage is seldom covered by
medical insurance. Over the past years there have been many
studies providing an abundance of proof that certain kinds of
massage therapy are very effective for treating many conditions
when used as either a primary or secondary type of care. Many
insurance companies have put an end to paying for massage
therapy because of a few massage therapists that have billed the
insurance companies for massages that were not considered the
appropriate type of massage for that patient or clients
particular condition. Insurance companies expect hard evidence
from clinical studies that have shown that a particular massage
modality or technique has helped with a specific condition,
before they want to reimburse anyone for it. I can’t say that I
blame them for that because I would not want to pay for gasoline
if I was given a tank of water. Giving someone a simple
relaxation massage or Reiki treatment may be helpful, but isn’t
necessarily the best type of massage treatment for someone with
a specific condition such as low back pain, frozen shoulder,
carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, lymph drainage, migraines, sciatica
and many other conditions. Whereas a professional Massage
Therapist with proper training in one or more of these areas
would be much more effective in treating a specific condition
that they have been trained for.
Most of todays society has been conditioned to believe that
drugs are the fastest and best way to get better. Our society
today wants and expects a drug or procedure that can be
prescribed and can quickly cure whatever is bothering them. I am
not against the use of medical drugs or Physicians. In fact I
highly recommend that you find a Physician who is knowledgeable
about the use of certain drugs and when it is appropriate to use
them. Find a Physician that will take the time to really listen
to you and explain what is wrong, what drugs or other treatment
or procedures you may need, and why it will be of benefit to
you. I say this because I have had several clients that have
come to see me about muscular pain that they have been having.
Muscular pain that they have often seen more than one Physician
or other professional about. These clients tell me that they
still have no idea what is wrong with them or why they have the
pain. Many of them come to see me as a last resort, because they
have exhausted all of their other options. I often ask what they
were told or how they were treated for the pain that they are
having. I often hear them reply that they were given a
prescription for some type of pain reliever and told to rest.
Most of these pain relievers will either help to relax the
muscles because of the effect on the central nervous system or
help to reduce inflammation. These pain relievers often help to
reduce pain and that is about it. What I have found with these
clients is that they have been taking pain relievers for a long
time and have tried many different therapies, rest, heat, cold,
traction, ultra sound, etc… without any lasting results. Many
of those treatments can be helpful for many people but do not
always solve the problem. Massage doesn’t always solve the
problem either, but it has been my personal experience that many
of my clients have told me that it did do the trick for them and
that they are very thankful that they gave massage a try.
Sometimes, regardless of all they have tried, the pain continues
because the injury may have an excess of painful scar tissue or
keeps getting re-injured because of their daily activities. It
can even be because of swelling or tension in the muscle that
has caused a lack of blood flow to the area that causes it to
become ischemic (lack of blood flow). Blood flow is needed to
carry the cells that help to heal an area. Without good blood
flow it is unlikely to heal properly. Ischemic tissue may
collect toxins from the slow moving blood around it. Many of
those toxins cause trigger points to develop and cause pain in
the muscle.
So what can a professional Massage Therapist do that is
different for this type of muscular pain? The proper massage
given by a professional with knowledge of how to treat your
specific type of muscular pain may use friction and compression
to help reduce the amount of scar tissue in that area. Scar
tissue is not very flexible, but with massage it can be made to
be more flexible, thus reducing the amount of pain you may have
in that area. A good Massage therapist will be able to tell you
what muscle or muscles are likely to be causing your pain. They
should also be able to tell you what actions or movements these
muscles are responsible for making. This is important to know if
you need to rest the area, so that you do not re-injur it by
doing the same activities or movements that may have caused the
pain or aggravated an old injury. Massage will also help to
increase the blood flow in the affected area, allowing your own
blood to circulate better in the area of injury. This increase
in blood flow will carry cells that your body already uses to
heal injuries. These cells can then get to work on helping you
heal faster. The increase in blood flow will also help to carry
away any toxins from the affected area and help your body to
naturally dispose of them. In almost every case massage will
result in more flexibility, less formation of scar tissue, and
also help the area to heal properly.
So you see, pain relievers more often help to relieve the
symptoms and do not always treat the cause. Very few medical
drugs made will help your body to heal. They mostly cover up the
symptoms you are having. Although I have been told there are a
handful of drugs today that are used for specific conditions,
and I’m told that they can help the body to heal. Mostly they
are newer drugs and not commonly prescribed for everyday
conditions due to the expense and newness of them. Maybe in the
future we will have more medicines that will help the body heal
and can also be used on everyday conditions. But for now I
suggest that you have both a good Physician and a good Licensed
or Certified Massage Therapist on your side. Both that are
willing to work together to help you recover from whatever
conditions you may have. Your Massage Therapist as well as your
Physician should be willing to let you know if you have a
condition that requires someone else’s expertise or a
combination of therapies and treatment. Massage is not always
appropriate for all conditions and Massage Therapists do not
diagnose or treat disease. Massage Therapists do not heal you
because they simply use their skills to help facilitate your own
bodies ability to heal itself. Massage therapists are not
Doctors, but a good Licensed or Certified Massage Therapist will
have the training and skills to know when it may be necessary to
refer you to see someone else.
Article by Dwayne Crandall, LMT Visit [http://www.massagevillage.com] for more original content like this. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.
Author: Dwayne Crandall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Hybrid and Electric Cars
History of Massage Therapy & the Benefits of it
Posted by on Oct 15, 2010
Massage has been an important part of medicine for over five
thousand years. It is also a major topic in the first medical
texts printed. The first medical texts were used by early
physicians who were primarily men. These men commonly practiced
the art of massage therapy when treating and caring for their
patients. I only mention this because I have spoke to many
people who find it surprising in today’s world, that there are
men who are professional Massage Therapists. Today Massage
therapy is primarily a career chosen by women. Whether your
therapist is male or female should not be of importance, unless
you have a specific reason that makes you uncomfortable getting
a massage from a female or male therapist. What is important is
that your therapist is licensed or certified in the type of
massage that will help you most.
The massage therapy profession has been severely abused by
prostitutes that use massage therapy as a cover up for illegal
sexual activities. The places where they work are often referred
to as “Massage Parlors”. That is why massage licensing and many
city ordinances were put into effect. Professional licensing
requires people who want to pursue a career as a massage
therapist to get a specified number training hours from a school
or college of massage. Most states also require that these
students pass a national certification exam that shows that that
person has the ability to identify specific pathologies and has
a good understanding of the human anatomy. This helps to make it
more difficult for illegal parlors to exist and helps to protect
you as a consumer. In recent history the profession has been
abused and still is in some places. If you are interested in
getting a professional, non-sexual massage you should not only
ask if that person is licensed or certified, but also be sure to
ask if they have had any specific training in the area you are
wanting massage for.
Hippocrates, who is considered “The Father of Medicine” was
highly respected in his findings. He is probably the most
respected man in medical history. That is why he is known as
“The Father of Medicine”. I have read many historical books that
stated that Hippocrates said, “The physician must be acquainted
with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (Massage Therapy).
Hippocrates had an oath for Medical Doctors to take. I
personally feel that this oath is ignored often when it comes to
the use of Massage Therapy and other fine sources of alternative
health. One version of the Hippocratic oath is printed below if
you are interested in reading it. The first few lines of the
oath seem to be conveniently avoided or forgotten by many of
todays Physicians. I have asked many of my clients if their
physician has ever recommended they get a massage without being
asked about it specifically. Very few of them have ever told me
yes. I have had a few clients that asked their physician
specifically about the benefits of getting a massage in order to
help them with their specific condition or problem. My
experiennce has been that less than half of these people report
that they were ever told by their Physician to pursue treatment
by a Professional Massage Therapist. On the other side of the
argument, I have several Physicians and Nurses that are clients
of mine and they have told me that they often refer patients to
get Massages. Most of these Physicians and Nurses have told me
they feel the reason that their patients do not always pursue
their recommendation is because massage is seldom covered by
medical insurance. Over the past years there have been many
studies providing an abundance of proof that certain kinds of
massage therapy are very effective for treating many conditions
when used as either a primary or secondary type of care. Many
insurance companies have put an end to paying for massage
therapy because of a few massage therapists that have billed the
insurance companies for massages that were not considered the
appropriate type of massage for that patient or clients
particular condition. Insurance companies expect hard evidence
from clinical studies that have shown that a particular massage
modality or technique has helped with a specific condition,
before they want to reimburse anyone for it. I can’t say that I
blame them for that because I would not want to pay for gasoline
if I was given a tank of water. Giving someone a simple
relaxation massage or Reiki treatment may be helpful, but isn’t
necessarily the best type of massage treatment for someone with
a specific condition such as low back pain, frozen shoulder,
carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, lymph drainage, migraines, sciatica
and many other conditions. Whereas a professional Massage
Therapist with proper training in one or more of these areas
would be much more effective in treating a specific condition
that they have been trained for.
Most of todays society has been conditioned to believe that
drugs are the fastest and best way to get better. Our society
today wants and expects a drug or procedure that can be
prescribed and can quickly cure whatever is bothering them. I am
not against the use of medical drugs or Physicians. In fact I
highly recommend that you find a Physician who is knowledgeable
about the use of certain drugs and when it is appropriate to use
them. Find a Physician that will take the time to really listen
to you and explain what is wrong, what drugs or other treatment
or procedures you may need, and why it will be of benefit to
you. I say this because I have had several clients that have
come to see me about muscular pain that they have been having.
Muscular pain that they have often seen more than one Physician
or other professional about. These clients tell me that they
still have no idea what is wrong with them or why they have the
pain. Many of them come to see me as a last resort, because they
have exhausted all of their other options. I often ask what they
were told or how they were treated for the pain that they are
having. I often hear them reply that they were given a
prescription for some type of pain reliever and told to rest.
Most of these pain relievers will either help to relax the
muscles because of the effect on the central nervous system or
help to reduce inflammation. These pain relievers often help to
reduce pain and that is about it. What I have found with these
clients is that they have been taking pain relievers for a long
time and have tried many different therapies, rest, heat, cold,
traction, ultra sound, etc… without any lasting results. Many
of those treatments can be helpful for many people but do not
always solve the problem. Massage doesn’t always solve the
problem either, but it has been my personal experience that many
of my clients have told me that it did do the trick for them and
that they are very thankful that they gave massage a try.
Sometimes, regardless of all they have tried, the pain continues
because the injury may have an excess of painful scar tissue or
keeps getting re-injured because of their daily activities. It
can even be because of swelling or tension in the muscle that
has caused a lack of blood flow to the area that causes it to
become ischemic (lack of blood flow). Blood flow is needed to
carry the cells that help to heal an area. Without good blood
flow it is unlikely to heal properly. Ischemic tissue may
collect toxins from the slow moving blood around it. Many of
those toxins cause trigger points to develop and cause pain in
the muscle.
So what can a professional Massage Therapist do that is
different for this type of muscular pain? The proper massage
given by a professional with knowledge of how to treat your
specific type of muscular pain may use friction and compression
to help reduce the amount of scar tissue in that area. Scar
tissue is not very flexible, but with massage it can be made to
be more flexible, thus reducing the amount of pain you may have
in that area. A good Massage therapist will be able to tell you
what muscle or muscles are likely to be causing your pain. They
should also be able to tell you what actions or movements these
muscles are responsible for making. This is important to know if
you need to rest the area, so that you do not re-injur it by
doing the same activities or movements that may have caused the
pain or aggravated an old injury. Massage will also help to
increase the blood flow in the affected area, allowing your own
blood to circulate better in the area of injury. This increase
in blood flow will carry cells that your body already uses to
heal injuries. These cells can then get to work on helping you
heal faster. The increase in blood flow will also help to carry
away any toxins from the affected area and help your body to
naturally dispose of them. In almost every case massage will
result in more flexibility, less formation of scar tissue, and
also help the area to heal properly.
So you see, pain relievers more often help to relieve the
symptoms and do not always treat the cause. Very few medical
drugs made will help your body to heal. They mostly cover up the
symptoms you are having. Although I have been told there are a
handful of drugs today that are used for specific conditions,
and I’m told that they can help the body to heal. Mostly they
are newer drugs and not commonly prescribed for everyday
conditions due to the expense and newness of them. Maybe in the
future we will have more medicines that will help the body heal
and can also be used on everyday conditions. But for now I
suggest that you have both a good Physician and a good Licensed
or Certified Massage Therapist on your side. Both that are
willing to work together to help you recover from whatever
conditions you may have. Your Massage Therapist as well as your
Physician should be willing to let you know if you have a
condition that requires someone else’s expertise or a
combination of therapies and treatment. Massage is not always
appropriate for all conditions and Massage Therapists do not
diagnose or treat disease. Massage Therapists do not heal you
because they simply use their skills to help facilitate your own
bodies ability to heal itself. Massage therapists are not
Doctors, but a good Licensed or Certified Massage Therapist will
have the training and skills to know when it may be necessary to
refer you to see someone else.
Article by Dwayne Crandall, LMT Visit [http://www.massagevillage.com] for more original content like this. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.
Author: Dwayne Crandall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Solar panel, solar power
History of Massage Therapy & the Benefits of it
Posted by on Oct 13, 2010
Massage has been an important part of medicine for over five
thousand years. It is also a major topic in the first medical
texts printed. The first medical texts were used by early
physicians who were primarily men. These men commonly practiced
the art of massage therapy when treating and caring for their
patients. I only mention this because I have spoke to many
people who find it surprising in today’s world, that there are
men who are professional Massage Therapists. Today Massage
therapy is primarily a career chosen by women. Whether your
therapist is male or female should not be of importance, unless
you have a specific reason that makes you uncomfortable getting
a massage from a female or male therapist. What is important is
that your therapist is licensed or certified in the type of
massage that will help you most.
The massage therapy profession has been severely abused by
prostitutes that use massage therapy as a cover up for illegal
sexual activities. The places where they work are often referred
to as “Massage Parlors”. That is why massage licensing and many
city ordinances were put into effect. Professional licensing
requires people who want to pursue a career as a massage
therapist to get a specified number training hours from a school
or college of massage. Most states also require that these
students pass a national certification exam that shows that that
person has the ability to identify specific pathologies and has
a good understanding of the human anatomy. This helps to make it
more difficult for illegal parlors to exist and helps to protect
you as a consumer. In recent history the profession has been
abused and still is in some places. If you are interested in
getting a professional, non-sexual massage you should not only
ask if that person is licensed or certified, but also be sure to
ask if they have had any specific training in the area you are
wanting massage for.
Hippocrates, who is considered “The Father of Medicine” was
highly respected in his findings. He is probably the most
respected man in medical history. That is why he is known as
“The Father of Medicine”. I have read many historical books that
stated that Hippocrates said, “The physician must be acquainted
with many things and assuredly with rubbing” (Massage Therapy).
Hippocrates had an oath for Medical Doctors to take. I
personally feel that this oath is ignored often when it comes to
the use of Massage Therapy and other fine sources of alternative
health. One version of the Hippocratic oath is printed below if
you are interested in reading it. The first few lines of the
oath seem to be conveniently avoided or forgotten by many of
todays Physicians. I have asked many of my clients if their
physician has ever recommended they get a massage without being
asked about it specifically. Very few of them have ever told me
yes. I have had a few clients that asked their physician
specifically about the benefits of getting a massage in order to
help them with their specific condition or problem. My
experiennce has been that less than half of these people report
that they were ever told by their Physician to pursue treatment
by a Professional Massage Therapist. On the other side of the
argument, I have several Physicians and Nurses that are clients
of mine and they have told me that they often refer patients to
get Massages. Most of these Physicians and Nurses have told me
they feel the reason that their patients do not always pursue
their recommendation is because massage is seldom covered by
medical insurance. Over the past years there have been many
studies providing an abundance of proof that certain kinds of
massage therapy are very effective for treating many conditions
when used as either a primary or secondary type of care. Many
insurance companies have put an end to paying for massage
therapy because of a few massage therapists that have billed the
insurance companies for massages that were not considered the
appropriate type of massage for that patient or clients
particular condition. Insurance companies expect hard evidence
from clinical studies that have shown that a particular massage
modality or technique has helped with a specific condition,
before they want to reimburse anyone for it. I can’t say that I
blame them for that because I would not want to pay for gasoline
if I was given a tank of water. Giving someone a simple
relaxation massage or Reiki treatment may be helpful, but isn’t
necessarily the best type of massage treatment for someone with
a specific condition such as low back pain, frozen shoulder,
carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, lymph drainage, migraines, sciatica
and many other conditions. Whereas a professional Massage
Therapist with proper training in one or more of these areas
would be much more effective in treating a specific condition
that they have been trained for.
Most of todays society has been conditioned to believe that
drugs are the fastest and best way to get better. Our society
today wants and expects a drug or procedure that can be
prescribed and can quickly cure whatever is bothering them. I am
not against the use of medical drugs or Physicians. In fact I
highly recommend that you find a Physician who is knowledgeable
about the use of certain drugs and when it is appropriate to use
them. Find a Physician that will take the time to really listen
to you and explain what is wrong, what drugs or other treatment
or procedures you may need, and why it will be of benefit to
you. I say this because I have had several clients that have
come to see me about muscular pain that they have been having.
Muscular pain that they have often seen more than one Physician
or other professional about. These clients tell me that they
still have no idea what is wrong with them or why they have the
pain. Many of them come to see me as a last resort, because they
have exhausted all of their other options. I often ask what they
were told or how they were treated for the pain that they are
having. I often hear them reply that they were given a
prescription for some type of pain reliever and told to rest.
Most of these pain relievers will either help to relax the
muscles because of the effect on the central nervous system or
help to reduce inflammation. These pain relievers often help to
reduce pain and that is about it. What I have found with these
clients is that they have been taking pain relievers for a long
time and have tried many different therapies, rest, heat, cold,
traction, ultra sound, etc… without any lasting results. Many
of those treatments can be helpful for many people but do not
always solve the problem. Massage doesn’t always solve the
problem either, but it has been my personal experience that many
of my clients have told me that it did do the trick for them and
that they are very thankful that they gave massage a try.
Sometimes, regardless of all they have tried, the pain continues
because the injury may have an excess of painful scar tissue or
keeps getting re-injured because of their daily activities. It
can even be because of swelling or tension in the muscle that
has caused a lack of blood flow to the area that causes it to
become ischemic (lack of blood flow). Blood flow is needed to
carry the cells that help to heal an area. Without good blood
flow it is unlikely to heal properly. Ischemic tissue may
collect toxins from the slow moving blood around it. Many of
those toxins cause trigger points to develop and cause pain in
the muscle.
So what can a professional Massage Therapist do that is
different for this type of muscular pain? The proper massage
given by a professional with knowledge of how to treat your
specific type of muscular pain may use friction and compression
to help reduce the amount of scar tissue in that area. Scar
tissue is not very flexible, but with massage it can be made to
be more flexible, thus reducing the amount of pain you may have
in that area. A good Massage therapist will be able to tell you
what muscle or muscles are likely to be causing your pain. They
should also be able to tell you what actions or movements these
muscles are responsible for making. This is important to know if
you need to rest the area, so that you do not re-injur it by
doing the same activities or movements that may have caused the
pain or aggravated an old injury. Massage will also help to
increase the blood flow in the affected area, allowing your own
blood to circulate better in the area of injury. This increase
in blood flow will carry cells that your body already uses to
heal injuries. These cells can then get to work on helping you
heal faster. The increase in blood flow will also help to carry
away any toxins from the affected area and help your body to
naturally dispose of them. In almost every case massage will
result in more flexibility, less formation of scar tissue, and
also help the area to heal properly.
So you see, pain relievers more often help to relieve the
symptoms and do not always treat the cause. Very few medical
drugs made will help your body to heal. They mostly cover up the
symptoms you are having. Although I have been told there are a
handful of drugs today that are used for specific conditions,
and I’m told that they can help the body to heal. Mostly they
are newer drugs and not commonly prescribed for everyday
conditions due to the expense and newness of them. Maybe in the
future we will have more medicines that will help the body heal
and can also be used on everyday conditions. But for now I
suggest that you have both a good Physician and a good Licensed
or Certified Massage Therapist on your side. Both that are
willing to work together to help you recover from whatever
conditions you may have. Your Massage Therapist as well as your
Physician should be willing to let you know if you have a
condition that requires someone else’s expertise or a
combination of therapies and treatment. Massage is not always
appropriate for all conditions and Massage Therapists do not
diagnose or treat disease. Massage Therapists do not heal you
because they simply use their skills to help facilitate your own
bodies ability to heal itself. Massage therapists are not
Doctors, but a good Licensed or Certified Massage Therapist will
have the training and skills to know when it may be necessary to
refer you to see someone else.
Article by Dwayne Crandall, LMT Visit [http://www.massagevillage.com] for more original content like this. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.
Author: Dwayne Crandall
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