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Manipulation, pressing and rubbing of the skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments is otherwise known as a massage. Almost all types of massages require the use of hands and fingers but the massage therapist can also use his or her elbows, forearms and sometimes even feet. The techniques of massaging range from deep pressure to light stroking, depending on the type of massage. A majority of massage techniques exist but some are used more often than others like Swedish massage, deep-tissue massage, sports massage and trigger point massage.

How can Massage Help your Body?

Massage is a part of lots of treatment plans for various kinds of ailments and conditions. Complementary and alternative medicines are the areas where massage falls under. The experts are still unsure about all the benefits of massage but almost all agree about certain benefits. This type of alternative medicine is considered to play an essential role in stress relief, having more control over anxiety and depression, pain, stiffness, blood pressure control, infant growth, sports-related injuries, enhancement of the immune system and even in treatment of cancer.

Health benefits are not the only purpose massages have. A majority of people prefer having massages due to the fact they provide caring, comfort and a sense of empowerment. Some people even create a deep connection with their massage therapist.

However, massage should not totally replace standard medical care. Massage should be looked at as an additional treatment option. The patient needs to inform his or her doctor if he or she is having massage along with the regular treatment.

Even though the health benefits of massage are plenty, there are certain risks as well. In almost all situations they are perfectly safe as long as they are performed by a trained massage therapist. The patient needs to consult his or her doctor whether massage is a good option if he or she is experiencing unexplained pain, burns or open wounds, cancer, blood clots, fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, serious osteoporosis and pregnancy, among other conditions.

Some patients experience soreness the day after the massage and that is considered to be not that uncommon. However, massages are not supposed to cause pain and discomfort and the patient needs to tell the therapist if he or she experiences any of these signs. Apart from pain and discomfort certain other problems may occur like internal bleeding, nerve damage, temporary paralysis and an allergic reaction to massage oils or lotions.

Deep Tissue Massage for Muscles

In situations when a person desires to get more energy or get the muscles to feel more relaxed, then he or she will benefit from a light massage. However, deep muscle knots and chronic pain in the muscles can only be relieved with deep tissue massage. Unlike light massage, this type of massage goes deep into the muscles and works on the muscles and any other area that causes problems.

The good thing is that several deep tissue massage techniques exist. These massages will focus on massaging the muscle fibers with the use of slow and deep strokes. Traditional massages do not use such deep and slow strokes but lighter ones. The purpose of deep massages is to stretch out the muscle fibers and get them back into their adequate balance.

Deep tissue massages are most needed for people who experience pain and stiffness in neck and shoulder areas. Pain in these areas occurred due to chronic tension that usually developed because of sitting for too long without changing the position. People who work in front of the computer are most likely to need a deep tissue massage. Shortening of the muscle fibers usually happens because of improper posture and stress. However, there are other ways muscle fibers can become shortened. One such way is an injury. A muscle that suffered a trauma tends to tense up. This happens because the muscle wants to protect itself from any additional damage. Adhesions are usually seen in these situations and that is the main reason for the lack of proper circulation. If the circulation is not normal, the movement of the muscles is limited and that leads to pain. The goal of deep tissue massage is to get rid of that tension and make the muscle functional again.

Lighter massage techniques mainly use palms in order to apply pressure while deep tissue massage uses fingertips and elbows in most situations. These massages work on smaller areas by applying more pressure in one particular spot. This way the knots are worked out and the area is realigned again. The clearing of the knots improves blood flow. Due to proper blood flow, the muscle tissue receives oxygen and nutrients and the toxins are getting destroyed as well. Pretty soon after the knots are cleared the person will feel relief.

Another difference between a classic massage and deep tissue massage is that the first one is supposed to relax a person while the second one is used in situations when chronic pain needs to be eased.

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