WHAT IS MASSAGE?

Description
Origins
Massage therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known to history.
References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts more than 4,000
years old. Massage has been advocated in Western health care practices at
least since the time of Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine." In the fourth
century B.C. Hippocrates wrote, "The physician must be acquainted with many
things and assuredly with rubbing" (the ancient Greek term for massage was
rubbing).
The roots of modern, scientific massage therapy go back to Per Henrik Ling
(17761839), a Swede, who developed an integrated system consisting of
massage and active and passive exercises. Ling established the Royal Central
Gymnastic Institute in Sweden in 1813 to teach his methods.
Modern, scientific massage therapy was introduced in the United States in the
1850s by two New York physicians, brothers George and Charles Taylor, who
had studied in Sweden. The first clinics for massage therapy in the United States
were opened by two Swedish physicians after the Civil War period. Doctor Baron
Nils Posse operated the Posse Institute in Boston and Doctor Hartwig Nissen
opened the Swedish Health Institute near the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Although there were periods when massage fell out of favor, in the 1960s it made
a comeback in a different way as a tool for relaxation, communication, and
alternative healing. Today, massage is one of the most popular healing
modalities. It is used by conventional, as well as alternative, medical
communities and is now covered by some health insurance plans.
Massage therapy is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for
the purpose of normalizing those tissues and consists of a group of manual
techniques that include applying fixed or movable pressure, holding, and/or
causing movement of or to the body. While massage therapy is applied primarily
with the hands, sometimes the forearms or elbows are used. These techniques
affect the muscular, skeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, nervous, and other systems
of the body. The basic philosophy of massage therapy embraces the concept
of vis Medicatrix naturae, which is aiding the ability of the body to heal itself, and
is aimed at achieving or increasing health and well-being.
Touch is the fundamental medium of massage therapy. While massage can be
described in terms of the type of techniques performed, touch is not used solely
in a mechanistic way in massage therapy. One could look at a diagram or photo
of a massage technique that depicts where to place one's hands and what

direction the strokeshould go, but this would not convey everything that is
important for giving a good massage. Massage also has an artistic component.
Because massage usually involves applying touch with some degree of pressure
and movement, the massage therapist must use touch with sensitivity in order to
determine the optimal amount of pressure to use for each person. For example,
using too much pressure may cause the body to tense up, while using too little
may not have enough effect. Touch used with sensitivity also allows the massage
therapist to receive useful information via his or her hands about the client's
body, such as locating areas of muscle tension and other soft tissue problems.
Because touch is also a form of communication, sensitive touch can convey a
sense of caringan essential element in the therapeutic relationshipto the
person receiving massage.
In practice, many massage therapists use more than one technique or method in
their work and sometimes combine several. Effective massage therapists
ascertain each person's needs and then use the techniques that will meet those
needs best.
Swedish massage uses a system of long gliding strokes, kneading, and friction
techniques on the more superficial layers of muscles, generally in the direction of
blood flow toward the heart, and sometimes combined with active and passive
movements of the joints. It is used to promote general relaxation, improve
circulation and range of motion, and relieve muscle tension. Swedish massage is
the most commonly used form of massage.
Deep tissue massage is used to release chronic patterns of muscular tension
using slow strokes, direct pressure, or friction directed across the grain of the
muscles. It is applied with greater pressure and to deeper layers of muscle than
Swedish, which is why it is called deep tissue and is effective for chronic
muscular tension.
Sports massage uses techniques that are similar to Swedish and deep tissue,
but are specially adapted to deal with the effects of athletic performance on the
body and the needs of athletes regarding training, performing, and recovery from
injury.
Neuromuscular massage is a form of deep massage that is applied to individual
muscles. It is used primarily to release trigger points (intense knots of muscle
tension that refer pain to other parts of the body), and also to increase blood flow.
It is often used to reduce pain. Trigger point massage and myotherapy are similar
forms.
The first appointment generally begins with information gathering, such as the
reason for getting massage therapy, physical condition and medical history, and
other areas. The client is asked to remove clothing to one's level of comfort.

Undressing takes place in private, and a sheet or towel is provided for draping.
The massage therapist will undrape only the part of the body being massaged.
The client's modesty is respected at all times. The massage therapist may use an
oil or cream, which will be absorbed into the skin in a short time.
To receive the most benefit from a massage, generally the person being
massaged should give the therapist accurate health information, report
discomfort of any kind (whether it is from the massage itself or due to the room
temperature or any other distractions), and be as receptive and open to the
process as possible.
Preparations
Going for a massage requires little in the way of preparation. Generally, one
should be clean and should not eat just before a massage. One should not be
under the influence of alcohol or non-medicinal drugs. Massage therapists
generally work by appointment and usually will provide information about how to
prepare for an appointment at the time of making the appointment.
Precautions
Massage is comparatively safe; however it is generally contraindicated, i.e., it
should not be used, if a person has one of the following conditions: advanced
heart diseases, phlebitis, thrombosis, embolism, kidney failure, cancer, if
massage would accelerate metastasis (i.e., spread a tumor) or damage tissue
that is fragile due to chemotherapy or other treatment, infectious diseases,
contagious skin conditions, acute inflammation, infected injuries,
unhealed fractures, dislocations, frostbite, large hernias, torn ligaments,
conditions prone to hemorrhage, and psychosis.
Massage should not be used locally on affected areas (i.e., avoid using massage
on the specific areas of the body that are affected by the condition) for the
following conditions: rheumatoid arthritis flare up, eczema, goiter, and openskin
lesions. Massage may be used on the areas of the body that are not affected by
these conditions.
In some cases, precautions should be taken before using massage for the
following conditions: pregnancy, high fevers, osteoporosis, diabetes, recent
postoperative cases in which pain and muscular splinting (i.e., tightening as a
protective reaction) would be increased, apprehension, and mental conditions
that may impair communication or perception. In such cases, massage may or
may not be appropriate. The decision on whether to use massage must be based
on whether it may cause harm. For example, if someone has osteoporosis, the
concern is whether bones are strong enough to withstand the pressure applied. If
one has a health condition and has any hesitation about whether massage
therapy would be appropriate, a physician should be consulted.

Side effects
Massage therapy does not have side effects. Sometimes people are concerned
that massage may leave them too relaxed or too mentally unfocused. To the
contrary, massage tends to leave p