Massage Therapy has been used for thousands of years all over the world as a way of aiding discomfort and improving ones overall health. It is a natural instinct to rub, hold, or grab on to an injury in order to ease discomfort. This is something that almost nobody can deny.
Some of the earliest recorded uses of massage can be found in the Nei Ching, or Cannon of Internal Medicine. The Nei Ching is a combination of philosophy, medicine, and religion. It is one of the oldest medical references that still exist and its in fluence on Chinese medicine spanned more than 2,000 years.
The Vedas were scriptural texts may have been written over 5,000 years ago in Ancient India. These were lengthy and very complex messages passed down for generations until they were finally written in poetic form as the Rik Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and the Arthara Veda. A supplement to the Arthara Veda, known as the Ayur Veda, provided the basis for Ayurvedic healthcare which is now gaining popularity in the Western world. Ayurvedic references include an approach to balance the body, mind, and spirit in order to maintain health and prevent illness. Herbs, diet, meditation, and massage are all mentioned.
Upon digging, you will find that several places throughout the world show documentation of massage. Some were discovered etched in clay tablets (Ancient Mesopotamia), and some were found on papyrus (Egypt).
So why am I telling you how long massage has been around? I feel that in order to understand the "Power of Massage Therapy", it is important to take its roots into consideration. How did the ancient Greeks use massage? Did it actually manifest positive results among athletes during the Olympics? Did this coincide with their personal training? And why did the blind have so much success as massage therapists in Japan? I mean, they couldn't even see what they were doing, so why were they so good?
Many people seem to think that massage therapy is merely a bottle of lotion, a massage table, soft music, and a dim room. Others view massage therapy in a brightly lit and sterile clinical setting. Neither of those views are wrong, but one should ask themselves what the difference is between these two settings?
Most of us know that massage therapy is used to loosen tight muscles and to perhaps regain lost physical function as an offshoot of physical therapy, but massage therapy is also used as a way for people to recenter their mind and body - a way to realign their auras. This shares commonalities with meditation and yoga.
Truth is, there are so many reasons why people should get massage and with so many health benefits, it's no wonder why Massage Therapy has evolved and continues to evolve into the reputable profession that it has become today.
To make it simple, I have put the reasons for getting a professional massage by a licensed provider into 5 main categories:
1. Pain Management/Pain Reduction
Arthritis, Post-Operational, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, Neck/Back (Acute and Chronic), and many more...
2. Physiological Health
Blood Pressure reduction, Cardiovascular Health, Lymphedema, Nausea
3. Mental Health
Stress, Anxiety, Depression
4. Physical Health
Athletic performance, Muscle Function, Range of Motion, Flexibility
5. Maintenance
Whether you are already there or in the process of improving, regular maintenance will ensure you stay grounded mentally and physically
So what are your thoughts? Are you new to massage or have you had several? Do you only go for one reason? Is there anything you learned or want to know more about? I hope you are well! Please feel free to reach out!