Massage Benefits Whole Body Health

By Joshua Bart, LMT

Though many first trips to see a massage therapist are motivated by a desire for relaxation, massage has a wide range of health and whole body benefits beyond what one may expect. Scheduling a regularly occurring massage appointment can save you trips to the doctor in the long run.

In addition to relieving stress, studies have shown massage also aids digestion, improves circulation, relieves tight and sore muscles, aids detoxification of the body's organs and tissues, and improves range of motion.

Did you know that each square inch of your skin contains over 50 nerve endings? When you are touched, millions of receptors relay a message to your brain encouraging the body to de-stimulate. This chemical reaction in the body and brain causes blood pressure to lower and reduces a racing heart rate. Then your body begins to produce endorphins, the body's natural pain reliever.

In addition to these benefits, massage improves your body's overall functioning by improving the strength and suppleness of the muscles. In addition to improving muscular functioning, massage helps to increase the flexibility of the joints. Major joints in the body such as the knees, hips, shoulder and spine are thoroughfares of nerves, veins and arteries. Keeping these joints moving is essential to assuring proper blood flow and nervous system functioning in the body.

Massage helps to improve circulation and allows the muscle to release stored toxins such as lactic acid, and those toxins are then removed from your body through the lymph system. The lymphatic system not only eliminates the waste products of your muscles during a massage, but brings nourishment to healthy cells so that they can repair and regenerate.

So though you may just be seeking a massage for relaxation, a well-trained massage therapist can also help you to restore whole-body health. Isn't it great to know that receiving a massage on a regular schedule isn't just for the decadent, but helps you to maintain good health? When you see all the benefits, you can't help but want to make massage a regular part of your health care routine.