About Massage
Physical Benefits of Massage
Relieves stress & aids relaxation Relieves muscle tension & stiffness Alleviates discomfort during pregnancy Faster healing after injury or operation Reduces muscle spasms Provides greater joint flexibility & range of motion Enhances athletic performance Increased muscle & skin tone Improves blood & lymph circulation Reduces blood pressure Helps relieve tension-related headaches & effects of eye-strain Enhances skin health & nourishment Flushing out metabolic wastes & toxins Improves posture Strengthens the immune system Treats musculoskeletal problems
Mental Benefits of Massage Therapy
Promotes a relaxed state of mental alertness Helps relieve mental stress Enhances capacity for calm thinking & creativity Fosters a feeling of well-being Reduces levels of anxiety Increases awareness of mind-body connection
Contraindications
Inflammatory conditions (sprains, strains, bursitis, synovitis, tenosynovitis, arthritis) Varicose veins (veins that are enlarged & twisted) Blood clots Cardiac conditions (severe high blood arteriosclerosis) Hemophilia (inability of the blood to coagulate or abnormal bleeding) Advanced diabetes (loss of feeling & circulation in extremities, edema) First trimester of pregnancy Local or systemic infections (examples - chicken pox, measles, influenza, scarlet fever, nephritis, hepatitis) Infectious Skin Diseases (bacterial infections such as staph, impetigo, tuberculosis; viral infections such as herpes, warts, chicken pox; parasites such as scabies, fleas, lice, ticks; fungal infections such as athletes foot, ringworm, yeast)
