Massage therapy is a type of bodywork that uses massage, joint manipulation, and other types of hands-on pressure to reduce pain and improve mobility.
When you feel pain or an injury, your body’s nervous system is sending your brain a message. The neurons that send and those that receive information are like messengers racing to deliver a message, but sometimes there’s congestion on the line.
Your body can’t get the signal through, so it sends more messengers until it does. This means that when you have pain or an injury, your brain gets bombarded with information about it. The problem is that this overload of messages can cause stress and even more pain for you.
A massage therapist uses methods to calm the body down, which helps the neurons in your brain clear out the congestion from all of these messages and start to process them at a normal pace again. It’s not just about taking away the pain—it’s about letting your body know that things are under control and it doesn’t need to send so many messages so quickly anymore.
Lower back pain.
You can also use Massage therapy in Surrey to treat lower back pain. Massage therapy encourages the body to work with gravity and its own weight, which helps relieve tension in your back muscles. This method of treatment (rather than using machines or other devices) allows you to move more easily and effectively, making it easier for you to take part in physical activities.
Massage therapists have been trained specifically on how to treat lower back pain, so they will know exactly what areas of your body are causing a problem or hurting from strain or injury. They’ll also be able to tell if there is anything specific about your routine that causes discomfort so they can help make changes as needed
Injuries.
- Massage therapy can be used to treat injuries, whether you’re dealing with a strain or sprain.
- As with other types of injuries, massage therapy can help your body heal. It promotes blood circulation and reduces inflammation while breaking down scar tissue and knots in muscles.
- The benefits of massage therapy are clear: it can relieve pain and reduce swelling, increase flexibility and mobility in the affected area(s), reduce stress levels by promoting relaxation (and therefore lowering cortisol levels), and promote positive brain chemicals like dopamine that improve mood and motivation — all things that make you feel better!
Upper back and neck pain.
If you’ve ever had upper back and neck pain, chances are you’ve tried all sorts of remedies to alleviate the pain, from splints and heat packs to massage. Your go-to stretch for your shoulders is probably a good one, but it might not be enough to relieve chronic tension in your muscles.
What if there were something that could target those specific areas of discomfort? There is! Massage therapy uses pressure points on the body to target specific trigger points in order to relax muscles that may be causing discomfort and improve overall health by increasing circulation and removing toxins from the body.
Massage therapy is especially effective at treating headaches, TMJ disorder (a condition often associated with bruxism), sports injuries and repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow because those conditions often result from tightness in the neck area. With massage therapy sessions delivered directly into that space where the pain originates (and then extends outward through the body), these issues can finally start getting some much-needed relief!
Arthritis.
If you have arthritis, massage therapy can help. Here’s how it works:
- The therapist will apply pressure to muscles and other soft tissues in the body. This reduces pain by releasing endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers.
- You’ll likely feel a bit of soreness for a day or two after the treatment, but this will pass quickly since there are no lasting effects on your body after the massage is complete.
- Expect to see results in two weeks or less—but if you don’t experience any improvements after four weeks of regular sessions with one therapist or clinic, talk with them about what else they can do for you.
If something goes wrong during your session (say your massage therapist accidentally hits a nerve or squeezes too hard), talk with him/her immediately afterward so he/she knows what happened and can avoid making similar mistakes in future massages while working on fixing whatever problem arose during yours!
Headaches.
Headaches are a common problem, and they can be caused by many different things. Muscle tension is one of the most common causes of headaches, so if you have a headache that’s not related to an injury or illness it may be due to muscle tension in your neck or shoulders. The good news is that there are ways to treat muscle tension that won’t make you take painkillers every day!
Massage therapy can help relieve tension in your muscles and reduce headaches from occurring as often. Acupuncture also works well for relieving chronic headaches caused by muscle tension.
Chiropractic care has been shown to help people with chronic headaches because chiropractors work on fixing misaligned vertebrae in the spinal column, which can lead to neck pain and eventually cause migraines down the road if left untreated. Physical therapists will also provide massage therapy along with strengthening exercises designed specifically for people who suffer from chronic migraines or other types of frequent head pain (such as cluster headaches).
Facial pain, including TMJ disorder.
This is a very common problem. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects your lower jaw to the base of your skull, allowing for movement in all directions. A physical condition or injury can affect the muscles around this joint and cause pain, headaches, and difficulty opening or chewing your mouth.
It’s also possible to experience dental issues such as toothaches or jaw pain due to an injury that affects how you bite down on food. If you have facial pain related to a dental issue like this one, massage therapy can help treat it by relaxing tense muscles and restoring proper muscular balance so that they are no longer causing facial discomfort or making things worse when they move around during everyday activities (for example: chewing).
Repetitive strain injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when small bones in the wrist (the carpal bones) press on a major nerve that controls the sensation and movement of your hand. If this pressure is prolonged, it can cause pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand and fingers.
Massage therapy can help to reduce pain, reduce swelling and improve range of motion.
During massage therapy, you will receive messages using various techniques including passive stretches and active movements. Depending on what areas need to be addressed the therapist may use their hands or tools such as balls or sticks to work on you.
You may also be asked to move into different positions whilst being massaged so that different muscle groups are targeted effectively. The length of treatment varies from 20-45 minutes depending on what is required but usually involves only one session per week for 4 weeks unless otherwise advised by your therapist based on progress made during treatment sessions.
Final words
We know how frustrating it can be to deal with pain, especially if you’re in the middle of an important project or dealing with chronic pain. We hope this blog has helped you understand how massage therapy works and why it’s a great option for treating your pain.
Remember, Massage Therapy in Surrey can be a safe, effective way to treat your pain. If you’d like to learn more about how massage therapy can help with your pain management, please contact them today.
