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Can Massage Help Your Back Problem? For most of us, the answer is probably 'yes', since massage is non-invasive and considered very low risk for most people. In addition to physical benefits, certain types of massage have been shown to help psychologically via relaxation and increased production of 'feel good' chemicals that the body naturally produces (endorphins)--helpful for people with both acute back problems and chronic back pain. This newsletter describes why massage may be right for you. Benefits of Massage Massage therapy is becoming more widely accepted in the medical community as a credible treatment for many types of back pain and/or as an adjunct to other medical treatments. Research shows that massage therapy has several potential health benefits for back pain sufferers, including: Increased blood flow and circulation,…

Stress is an inevitable part of life. It is almost impossible to take away all the stress and anxiety we may feel on a day-to-day basis. Research suggests that more than 90 percent of illness results from stress alone. Decreasing physical and emotional stress is optimal to improving overall health and well-being. A 60-minute massage can lower cortisol, a hormone that’s produced in response to stress, by an average of 30 percent. And when cortisol levels decline, serotonin — one of the body’s anti-pain mechanisms — increases by an average of 28 percent after receiving a massage. By lowering cortisol and increasing serotonin, you’re boosting your body’s ability to fight off pain, anxiety and feelings of sadness. The emotional balance massage provides can be just as vital and valuable as…

Luckily, massage can counteract the imbalance caused from sitting, which means you can keep your desk job-as long as you schedule a regular massage. Desk workers, beware. More advanced forms of postural stress “show up as pain or weakness in the low back and gluteals caused by prolonged periods of sitting.” It eases muscle pain Got sore muscles? Massage therapy can help. “Massage increases and improves circulation. Just like rubbing your elbow when you knock it on a table helps to relieve the pain,” says Tanason. A 2011 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that massage therapy is as effective as other methods of treatment for chronic back pain. It soothes anxiety and depression Women diagnosed with breast cancer who received massage therapy three times a week…

Arthritis Relief They say that arthritis can strike you at any time especially if it is in the genes, limited calcium, and no exercise. Obesity and random dieting with incorrect foods have also been known to strike at the bones resulting in arthritic problems. Psoriatic arthritis is another problem where dealing with skin ailments and painful joints is a deadly combination. As is the case, there is no sure cure for the illness (arthritis), but with the right approach in terms of lifestyle choices, and massage, it can be kept in check. Reflexology to the Rescue A professional LMT uses simple methods to ease away the pain and stiffness. Reflexology as a science deals with the problem at the core where the applications of pressure to the trigger points are…