The Benefits of Swedish Massage Therapy
Swedish massage is now the most frequent form of therapeutic massage in the usa. It entails the use of soft hands, elbows or forearms to manipulate the deeper layers of muscles to improve physical and mental wellness. Passive or active manipulation of the joints can also feature within the massage.
The origin of this particular technique is unclear, although it is thought to have been released by the ancient Scandinavians from the tenth century. It is usually used along with other techniques to aid the client in achieving optimal relaxation. As well as assisting in relaxation, Swedish massage has been shown to relieve pain and decrease blood pressure.
Swedish massage treatment involves gentle manipulation of muscles, which can be held and controlled by the therapist. This is accomplished by sliding hands along the length of the body. Massage therapy is a type of therapeutic touch therapy that uses gentle strokes of kneading tissue across the surface of muscles and joints to ease pain and stress. In addition to promoting relaxation, the deep tissue manipulation also aids in the healing of torn and bruised muscles and soft tissues.
Swedish massage uses the same massage stroke techniques used in conventional treatment, such as effleurage, petrissage, tapotement and friction. But it incorporates a gentle circular motion that enables therapists to thoroughly penetrate the muscles and lessen the strain on the joints and ligaments. This prevents the muscles from tensing up. A good therapist can decrease muscle stiffness by applying constant pressure.
A significant benefit of Swedish massage is its effect in reducing stress and tension, especially in the back, neck and shoulders. Swedish massage relieves pain, improves blood circulation and reduces stress hormones. It enhances the condition of alertness, improves lymphatic flow, increases oxygen and carbon dioxide metabolism, and stimulates the nervous system. Other physical benefits include: reduced blood pressure, better immunity, increased mental health and less fatigue, relief from insomnia, and reduce skin inflammation.
Effleurage is one of the key strokes used in Swedish massage. In Swedish massage, effleurage is applied in the earlobe into the spine, and from the trunk to the shoulders and neck. The therapist uses long, flowing strokes that gradually increase pressure to the muscle, allowing the muscle to relax.
As compared to the traditional techniques, Swedish massage techniques make use of fewer massaging strokes and concentrate more on effleurage and petrissage. Effleurage techniques include long, sweeping strokes, whereas petrissage techniques involve the use of kneading or gentle rubbing movements. While Swedish massage techniques are a lot more gentle than the standard forms of massage, it is not as physically demanding as the other forms of massage therapies. This means that people who have physical conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson's disease or scoliosis can still derive lots of the wellness and health benefits of this type of therapy.
For the majority of patients, participate in a daily Swedish massage will offer long-term health benefits, as well as help patients reduce their symptoms related to pain, stiffness and immobility. To learn more about this amazing massage type, contact your local massage therapist today. Your therapist will have the ability to provide you with a complete Swedish massage therapy session designed just for you.
Through the Swedish massage therapy session, your therapist may focus his or her attention not just on the body areas being treated, but also on the muscles and tissues surrounding these areas. In order to enhance the therapeutic advantages of this massage style, it is important for your therapist to employ suitable massage therapy techniques. These massage techniques should stimulate the lymphatic system, increase blood flow, and encourage natural lymphatic drainage. Swedish massage therapy is proven to increase the flow of lymph fluid throughout the body and increases the lymphatic drainage procedure, which helps to eliminate waste and toxins from the body.
A number of scientific studies are conducted on the positive health effects of this sort of Swedish massage therapy on individuals suffering from hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and even cancer. High blood pressure is a condition that results from excess sodium in the blood. Those who suffer from high blood pressure may benefit from therapeutic techniques as a means to decrease the amount of sodium in their blood. This may potentially allow individuals with high blood pressure to decrease the need for drugs and reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes. Studies also indicate that Swedish massage therapy may be helpful for reducing the build up of lactic acid in the muscle tissues and reducing the pain associated with sore muscles.
Another condition that may benefit from the therapeutic use of Swedish massage therapy is those patients suffering from conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, partial wrist or hand tremors, and Rheumatoid arthritis. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist becomes pressed or squeezed by the arm muscles, causing numbness or tingling sensations. Temporary relief from carpal tunnel syndrome can be achieved by gently rotating the wrist or applying slight manipulation to the forearm muscles. Hand tremors are typically caused by stress or anxiety, and can be treated using gentle squeezing, mezzanine strokes, or rhythmic stretching movements.