Why Massage?

 When I was in massage therapy school, massage was relegated to sports rooms at the local YMCA.  In the past three decades there has been an explosion in this field.  Why? Partly due to the fact that people are living longer and seeking ways to extend their quality of life.  If you google "benefits of massage" you will come up with over 3.5 million web pages and over 100 different conditions massage therapy is said to help.  Sadly, much of the information is not backed by credible  studies but the good news is; research is being done.  Here are five ways Massage therapy can improve your health, backed by science.
     1.  A new study by the Massage Therapy Foundation suggests that massage therapy may be an effective non-pharmaceutical approach to pain management. Other research shows that massage therapy can help with low-back pain, tension headaches as well as an adjunct to cancer treatments.
    2.  Massage may Control Stress - we may be aware that the effects of long term stress can take it's toll on our health, but did you know that regular massage therapy may relieve stress and conditions associated with it, such as tension headaches?
    3.  Massage may boost mental health and wellness.  Studies suggest that symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression may be directly affected by regular treatments of massage.
    4.  Massage may increase immunity.  This study showed that massage therapy can help boost the immune system by increasing the activity levels of the body's natural "killer T cells" which fight off virus.
   5.  Athletic Massage improves physical fitness.  For recreational as well as elite athletes, massage therapy can reduce muscle tension, improve exercise performance and prevent injuries.
  The final reason I have for Why Massage? is that Massage feels good!  From cradle to the grave human touch is as essential as the food we eat to nourish our bodies.  In India, the word for massage "Abhyanga" means Love.  We may never know exactly why or how massage works on the physiology of a person, and that's fine with me, just to  experience the numinous, good feeling of safe human touch.