5 Surprising Conditions That Can Be Helped by Massage Therapy

Not only is massage a pleasant way to relax and destress, but it's also actively good for your health. The benefits of massage are both, short-term and long-term, and they're likely to sneak up on you!

In terms of physical ailments, massage is great for chronic conditions—digestive issues, high blood pressure, chronic pain, headaches and osteoarthritis. But it's also a wonderful panacea for your mental health. So if you're suffering from depression and anxiety, regular massage can help you overcome these conditions in the long run.

If you search for "massage near me," you'll find the following five conditions that massage may help:

Insomnia

There are a variety of reasons why people may be unable to sleep, such as muscular tension, an overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol, low levels of serotonin in the brain and feelings of anxiety and depression. Fortunately, massage therapy can help those with insomnia get a great night's sleep.

• Muscular Tension: Massage therapy can help relieve muscular tension, and make you feel comfortable throughout the night.
• Cortisol: Getting regular massage can also help decrease the production of cortisol, which can lower your stress levels and help you get a good night's sleep.
• Serotonin: Massage can help increase the amount of serotonin in the brain which is directly connected to the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. When the body produces more serotonin and melatonin, you're much more likely to sleep well.
• Anxiety/Depression: Massage can reduce feelings of anxiety and depression which are likely to keep you awake in a spiral of "overthinking." With massage therapy, you'll find it much easier to fall asleep and stay asleep all night long.

Digestion

Digestion is a very important function of the body. It's through digestion that the body processes all the food we give it and converts it into a form that our cells can use for daily functioning. Digestive issues such as flatulence, constipation and diarrhea can interfere with our sense of wellbeing in the short term as well as the long run. Fortunately, if you search for "massage near me," you'll find that massage therapy can address many digestive issues.

• Stimulation/Peristalsis: A gentle abdominal massage can stimulate all the digestive organs, such as the stomach and the intestines. This can enhance digestion and improve peristalsis—the contractions through which food moves along the digestive tract—which in turn helps to prevent and treat constipation.
• Relaxation: Massage can also help to relax the muscles of the abdomen and the intestine. This, in turn, may help relieve problems such as bloating, cramps and pain.
• Blood Circulation: Massage generally improves blood circulation all throughout the body which means that the digestive organs also get more oxygen and nutrients, causing them to function better.
• Enzymes: Massage can also help in the production of digestive enzymes which help to break food down into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body.

Immunity

Immunity is the body's ability to fight off viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and cancer cells. Needless to say, immunity is really important, not only to fight off everyday infections such as the cold and the flu, but also to prevent long-term illnesses that can harm your quality of life. Fortunately, massage can help you to improve your body's ability to fight illness.

• White Blood Cells: As you may know, white blood cells help the body to fight off infections. Regular massage therapy increases the number as well as the activity of white blood cells, such as lymphocytes and natural killer (T) cells.
• Blood Circulation: By improving blood circulation, massage helps to move white blood cells throughout the body so that they are available wherever necessary to fight off infection.
• Lymphatic Drainage: A massage can also help to improve the function of the lymphatic system. Lymphatic drainage leads into the removal of metabolic waste from the body and thus improves immunity.
• Stress Hormones: Too much production of stress hormones such as cortisol and vasopressin can reduce immunity, but massage therapy can help regulate the production of these hormones and therefore increase immunity.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be an exciting time for expectant moms, but it can also cause stress and anxiety. All the changes that your body is undergoing, as well as the pressures of motherhood (or parenthood in general) can take a toll on your mental and physical wellbeing. 
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• Labor: For women undergoing labor, research shows that a 20-minute massage reduces pain when you're at 7 cm of cervical dilation. Plus, massage also decreases anxiety when performed at any stage of dilation.
• Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia is a condition in which pregnant women get high blood pressure and severe swelling. However, a foot massage has been shown to reduce insomnia and anxiety in women with this condition.
• Back, Neck and Joint Pain: Many pregnant women experience back, neck and joint pain due to the extra weight they end up carrying during pregnancy. Fortunately, massage can help alleviate these symptoms.
• Emotional Benefits: Massage therapy can help reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine, thus reducing stress during pregnancy. It can also help to increase the production of "feel good" hormones such as serotonin and dopamine. Happy hormones make for a happier pregnancy!

High Blood Pressure

When the force of the blood rushing through your arteries is higher than normal, you may get a diagnosis of high blood pressure. If you don't treat high blood pressure right away, you may eventually end up getting heart disease, stroke, kidney-related issues etc. Fortunately, massage can help alleviate high blood pressure.

• Sympathetic/Parasympathetic Nervous System: Massage decreases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system which controls the "fight or flight" response and increases the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system which controls the "rest and digest" functions. This, in turn, reduces blood pressure.
• Vasodilation: Massage leads into better blood flow and the release of nitric oxide which is a vasodilator i.e. it leads to a widening of blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure.
• Heart Rate: Massage can help to lower heart rate which is often high in people with high blood pressure.
• Systolic/Diastolic Blood Pressure: Systolic blood pressure is the pressure of blood in your arteries when your heart beats while diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in-between heartbeats. Research shows that massage can have a medium effect on systolic and a small effect on diastolic blood pressure.

Modern life has many benefits, but it also has its share of problems. Given that we all live hectic lives, it's normal for many of us to suffer from stress, insomnia, high blood pressure and a variety of other problems.

Fortunately, you don't only have to rely on medication alone to alleviate whatever health-related issues you may be having because massage therapy can also help. When used in conjunction with medical treatments, massage therapy at The Wellness Hub can improve your overall quality of life.



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We are pleased to serve the following Florida communities with massage therapy, chiropractic, organic skincare, acupuncture, red light therapy and more: Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Mandarin, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St Johns, Ponte Vedra and beyond.

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