| The last three decades have seen a huge | | | | seize up, and our stomachs begin to ache. While |
| resurgence in the popularity of massages therapy, | | | | making continued efforts to reduce the stress in |
| and its healing effects on the body. No longer | | | | our day to day lives by changing our |
| considered something tawdry, the people of | | | | circumstances is terribly important, having a |
| America are embracing massages therapy and its | | | | massages therapy can be an immediate way to |
| various forms, to help them live their day to day | | | | improve circulation while healing sore muscles. |
| lives without pain. Fifty percent of all people who | | | | The most common and widely practiced form of |
| visit registered massage therapists are men, and | | | | massage given by a registered massage therapist |
| the most common reason for anyone to visit a | | | | is Swedish massage. This gentle massage is most |
| massage therapist is for relief from stress. | | | | commonly used for stress related ailments such |
| Our lives in the 21st century are deemed to be | | | | as a stiff neck, aching back, and to relieve |
| the most stressful in all of history. We work | | | | physical pain from emotional problems. Health |
| longer hours than ever before, endure long | | | | related studies have proved that when we are |
| commutes to and from work, and then sit in | | | | traumatized our hearts really do hurt and we can |
| often cramped offices for most of the day. | | | | experience genuine heart ache characterized by |
| Coupled with this are the effects of our western | | | | pains in the chest. |
| extravagant lifestyles, it is no wonder that so | | | | Swedish massage performed by a Massage |
| many of us in the United States live in permanent | | | | Therapist is characterized by five deep strokes |
| fight or flight mode. This is why various massages | | | | across our chests. A therapist begins by placing |
| therapy techniques can be beneficial to people's | | | | their hands just under our first ribs and applying |
| health to get relief from all the stresses. | | | | gentle pressure with the fingertips, they sweep |
| The United States Department of Health studies | | | | the skin from our ribs in a downwards movement |
| on stress and the effects it has on the human | | | | to our waist. This technique is done five times on |
| body are startling. Unless we learn to relax, stress | | | | the chest, before turning to the neck and doing |
| can and will kill us, and is certainly the biggest | | | | five smaller strokes from the nape to the top of |
| factor in heart attacks and strokes. When we | | | | the spinal column, and is then repeated on the |
| spend too long in fight or flight mode, our bodies | | | | back. |
| trigger a release of endorphins that help us fight a | | | | If any knots are found in the muscles while |
| stressful situation. When that situation is | | | | Swedish massage is being performed a massage |
| concluded, our bodies show signs of exhaustion, | | | | therapist will apply hard pressure with their |
| and then we become stressed again due to our | | | | fingertips to release the knots. This sometimes |
| lack of energy. | | | | painful practice is referred to as deep tissue |
| When we are stressed we begin to breathe small | | | | massage and is often used in conjunction with |
| shallow breaths. The result of shallow breathing is | | | | Swedish massage, to help the flow of blood |
| not enough air getting to our tissues and muscles. | | | | properly circulate through the tissues and muscles |
| When this occurs we begin to feel tension in our | | | | to reduce stress and promote relaxation.. |
| necks, calve muscles, our backs may seem to | | | | |