5 Healing Benefits of Massage Therapy

There’s more to receiving a massage than just relaxing and de-stressing. The benefits of massage therapy are vast and diverse, from relief from Insomnia to quickening the recovery time from surgery.

Relief from Insomnia: Lots of anecdotal evidence — and some research on chronic fatigue — supports the idea that a good massage can lead to a good night’s sleep. Medical facilities including the Mayo Clinic and South Miami Hospital use bedside massage to help patients relax and sleep more easily.

Calm a Headache: Massage decreases cortisol, the stress hormone that can tighten muscles, triggering a tension headache. Studies show simple neck and shoulder massage reduced both the number of chronic headaches people suffered from and how long each one lasted.

Soothe a Backache: Moderate massage can help relieve lower-back pain, but for intense pain in a limited area, consider reflexology, a therapy in which specific points on the foot are massaged, helping the back.

Cut Carpal Tunnel Pain: Massage can prevent and reduce the pain of this repetitive stress injury. In one study the combination of weekly treatments by a massage therapist and self-massage reduced pain and increased grip strength.

Heal After You Have Surgery: A 2007 survey of hospitals with massage-therapy programs found that 71 percent of them offered massage to patients for stress management and comfort and more than two-thirds for pain management. Bedside massages are routine care for cardiac and colorectal surgical patients at the Mayo Clinic; some breast-cancer patients at Scripps Memorial, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, and the University of Texas; some presurgery patients at Duke; and those in the Palliative Care Unit at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Receiving a massage is no longer a once-in-a-while splurge. Being a member (or non-member) of The Spa’s Half-Off Club, you can receive a massage virtually anytime you call (with-in a 24-hour period) and for half-off! So why not treat yourself to a massage more than every-once-in-a-while. view our menu of massage services and call today to book your next massage at The Spa at 407.898.7737.

To read the entire article about the healing benefits of massage, visit the Ladies Home Journal.