Our Massage
     Therapies

Massage therapy can affect the cardiovascular system, lymphatic and immune systems, skin and related structures, nervous and endocrine systems, muscles, connective tissues, respiratory system, digestive systems, and urinary system.

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​Effects of massage of the cardiovascular system

​• Dilates blood vessels (superficial vessels dilate through reflex mechanisms)​

• Improves blood circulation: assists venous flow back to the heart; local circulation improves three times as much.​
• Decreases blood pressure: this occurs due to vessel dilation; systolic and diastolic BP decline, an effect that may  last 40 minutes after massage

• Creates hyperemia or increased blood flow​
• Stimulates release of acetylcholine and histamine as a result of vasomotor activity, thereby helping to sustain vasodilation​
• Replenish nutritive materials and oxygen to cells and tissues through increased circulation​
• Reduces ischemia which is related to pain and trigger-point formation​
• Reduces heart and pulse rate through activation of the relaxation response​
• Increases stroke volume, or the amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle during each contraction. This contributed to improved filling of the ventricles during the relaxation phase (diastole)​
• Increases red blood cell (RBC) count and thus their oxygen-carrying capacity. This is achieved through greater release of RBCs by the spleen, by recruitment of blood from engorged internal organs, and by stimulating stagnant capillary beds​
• Increases oxygen saturation in blood, also related to the increase in RBCs​
• Increases white blood cell (WBC) count. The body may perceive massage as a mild stressor and recruits additional WBCs. This enables the body to protect itself more effectively against disease​
• Enhances the adhesion of migrating WBCs. Massage increases WBC “stickiness” which improves their effectiveness​
• Increases platelet count

Effects of massage on the lymphatic and immune systems

• Promotes lymph circulation: massage pressure mobilizes lymph through muscle contraction, pressure changes in the thorax and abdomen during breathing, or applied pressure from massage.​
• Reduces edema or swelling by enhancing lymph circulation.​
• Decreases weight in patients with edema by reducing fluid retention.​
• Increases lymphocyte count and thus more effective immune function.​
• Increases the number and function (or cytotoxicity) of natural killer cells, CD4 cells, and CD4/CD8 ratio, thus contributing to more effective immune function.

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Effects of massage on the skin and related structures

• Increases skin temperature which is an indication of reduced stress.
• Improves skin condition as circulation increases. This makes available nutrients to improve skin condition (e.g. thickening, itching, healing of abrasions), tone, texture, and appearance.
• Stimulates oil glands which release additional oil (sebum) and reduce skin dryness.

 Effects of massage on the nervous and endocrine systems

​• Reduces stress by activating the relaxation response.​
• Reduces anxiety in both the person who receives the massage as well as the therapist.​
• Promotes relaxation through activation of the relaxation response which contributes to a reduction in pain.​
• Decreases beta wave activity related to relaxation.​
• Increases delta wave activity, which is linked to sleep and to relaxation.​
• Increase in alpha waves which indicate relaxation.​
• Increases dopamine levels associated to decreased stress and reduced depression.​
• Increases serotonin levels suggesting a reduction in stress and depression as well as pain signals.​
• Reduces cortisol levels by activating the relaxation response. This is associated to reduced stress and improved immune function.​
• Reduces norepinephrine levels, a stress hormone.​
• Reduces epinephrine levels, another stress hormone.​
• Reduces feelings of depression related to a change from a negative to a positive mood. Improvement in chronic pain also contributes to reduced depression.​
• Decreases pain, both local and referred, by improving circulation, augmenting the release of endorphins, enkephalins, other pain-reducing neurochemicals. The pressure of a massage interferes with pain information entering the spinal cord by stimulating pressure receptors, further reducing pain. Massage interrupts the pain cycle (tense muscles reduced blood flow  metabolic waste build-up  pain). Massage also improves sleep patterns through releasing somatostatin, a pain reducing neurochemical.​
• Reduces analgesic or pain medication use.​
• Activates sensory receptors: depending on factors such as stroke choice, direction, speed, and pressure, massage can stimulate different sensory receptors, affecting massage outcome.​
• Faster and more elaborate development of hippocampal region of the brain, which is related to superior memory performance.

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                                   Effects of massage on muscles

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• Relieves muscular tension: restrictions, tightness, stiffness and spasms.
• Relaxes muscles as massage reduces excitability in the sympathetic nervous system.
• Reduces muscle soreness and fatigue by increasing blood circulation, thus the availability of oxygen and nutrients needed to reduce fatigue and postexercise soreness.
• Reduces trigger point formation in both muscle and fascia.
• Manually separates muscle fibers thereby reducing muscle spasms.
• Increases range of motion: greater muscle freedom enables freedom of the joints.
• Improves performance (balance and posture) by removing postural distortions and improving gait.
• Lengthens muscles: massage mechanically stretches and broadens tissue, especially when combined with joint mobilization and stretches. Massage retrains the tissue from contracted state for the elongated state, thereby increasing resting length.
• Increases flexibility by lengthening muscles and promoting relaxation.
• Tones weak muscles through an increase in muscle spindle activity which stimulates minute muscle contractions, thereby helping tone weak muscles. This effect is particularly beneficial in cases of prolonged bed rest, flaccidity, and atrophy.
• Reduces creatine kinase activity in the blood thus making sure that enough adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is available for muscle contraction, decreasing muscle spasm and increasing muscle relaxation.
• Decreases electromyography (EMG) readings, which signify a decrease in neuromuscular activity and reduction of neuromuscular complaints.

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                               Effects of massage on connective tissues

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• Reduces keloid formation
• Reduces excessive scar formation
• Decreases adhesion formation
• Releases facial restrictions
• Increases mineral retention in bone
• Promotes fracture healing
• Improves connective tissue healing
• Reduces surface dimpling of cellulite

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                            Effects of massage on the respiratory system

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• Reduces respiration rate​
• Strengthens respiratory muscles

• Decreases the sensation of dyspnea
• Decreases asthma attacks
• Reduces laryngeal tension
• Increases fluid discharge from the lungs
• Improves pulmonary functions, including
          o Increased vital capacity
          o Increases forced vital capacity
          o Increased forced expiratory volume
          o Increased forced expiratory flow
          o Improved peak expiratory flow

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                             Effects of massage on the digestive system

• Promotes evacuation of the colon​
• Relieves constipation​
• Relieves colic and intestinal gas​
• Stimulates digestion

                            Effects of massage on the urinary system

• Increases urine output​
• Promotes the excretion of nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus, and sodium chloride in urine​

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                            Miscellaneous effects of massage

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• Reduces fatigue and increases vigor​
• Improves sleep patterns​
• Reduces job-related and posttraumatic stress​
• Improves mood​
• Decreases feelings of anger​
• Improves body image​
• Improves self-esteem​
• Promotes communication and expression​
• Improves lifestyle habits​
• Increases physical well-being​
• Reduces touch aversion and touch sensitivity​
• Increases academic performance​
• Increases mental alertness​
• Satisfies emotional needs

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                   Indications of massage for specific conditions and special populations

• Alzheimer’s disease​
• Anemia​
• Asthma​
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AHDH)​
• Burn victims​
• Cancer​
• Cerebral palsy (CP)​
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)​
• Crohn’s  disease​
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)​
• Nerve entrapment​
• Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)​
• Poor circulation​
• Pain (chronic)​
• Pregnancy and postpartum​
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)​
• Psychiatric patients​
• Rheumatoid arthritis​
• Stress and anxiety​
• Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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