For many people, having a quality massage features high on their self-care list and provides a wonderful way to destress. Other individuals rely on regular and specialised massages as part of an ongoing pain management program.
Australians rely on the local Noosa physio team to provide pain relief for everything from chronic pain to eliminating inflammation after a sports injury. Whatever your reason for opting for a massage, the good news is that there are many benefits to look forward to.
Many Different Massages to Consider
The number one reason that massage therapy has never faltered in popularity is that it’s an effective way to treat a wide range of ailments. A range of different massage techniques makes it simple for a physiotherapist to find the best treatment to suit your ailment.
A few of the more popular massage therapies to consider are listed below:
- Swedish massage: If you need a gentle, more relaxing massage, then your therapist will recommend a Swedish massage. This involves long strokes, kneading and deeper circular movements. Vibration and tapping can also be added to ease muscle pain.
- Deep massage: With this massage type, gentle pressure is combined with slower strokes. The goal with this is to reach the deeper muscle tissue layers. You’ll typically get this type of massage for an injury such as a muscle or joint sprain.
- Sports massage: These specialised treatments are designed for athletes who have suffered an injury. Sports massages reduce tension, release lactic acid and encourage faster recovery.
- Trigger point massage: With this massage, your therapist will focus on areas where you’re experiencing tension or tightness, usually caused by overuse. Massaging these areas increases blood flow and easily alleviates muscle pressure.
The Right Massage Provides Relief for Many Ailments
Massage therapy isn’t just for reducing built-up stress during your occasional spa day. Rather, effective and tailored massage techniques should form part of a pain management routine for a wide range of ailments.
Massage therapy can also be used to provide relief for other issues. We’ve listed a few of the top ways that massage therapy can improve your overall health.
1. Can Improve Sleeping Patterns
Irregular sleeping patterns are a side effect of a busy lifestyle, stress, and excessive screen time. Continuous struggles to sleep properly can hurt your health. Developing chronic insomnia can also be attributed to stress.
Specific massage techniques can relieve and reduce the stress that’s building up in your muscles. This is because massage reduces high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. At the same time, massage encourages relaxation, which will help you sleep better.
2. Provides Relief for Soft Tissue Injuries and Strains
While a sprained wrist or ankle may seem like a minor injury to many people, a gentle, and properly done massage can often alleviate the pain. This happens because properly applied massage increases blood flow to the specific area, which in turn encourages recovery. It’s with this in mind that your physician will almost always recommend a few massage sessions to aid overall recovery.
3. Alleviates Tension and Cluster Headaches
Massage therapy doesn’t only need to be used for the treatment of injuries. If you suffer from tension headaches, migraines, or even cluster headaches, then you will know how unpleasant it can be.
Specialised massage techniques can be used to relieve the pain and discomfort caused by headaches. Massage relaxes the nerves, which allows for better blood flow, easing the pain caused by most headache types. It’s not uncommon to feel relief as early as the first massage session.
4. Can be Used as Part of Myofascial Pain Syndrome Treatment
Dealing with the symptoms associated with Myofascial pain syndrome is unpleasant and uncomfortable. Essentially, this condition refers to chronic pain where muscle pressure causes pain in places that seem related to the specific muscle.
Regrettably, there’s no cure for Myofascial pain syndrome; however, patients have reported pain relief from regular massage sessions. Opting for a full-body massage is an excellent way to ensure that all the muscles are treated.
5. Minimises Injury-Related Inflammation
It’s not uncommon for injured muscles and joints to become inflamed, this is especially the case if they aren’t being treated correctly. Proper massage therapy helps to reduce inflammation and encourages healing. It will also reduce the likelihood of scarring to the area.
6. Helps to Ease Pregnancy Symptoms
Massage therapy is excellent for the treatment of pregnancy side effects. This often includes tension in the legs and ankles caused by poor blood flow and can be uncomfortable. A pregnancy massage improves blood circulation and reduces general muscle tension. Your physio will recommend the best type of massage for pregnancy.
Final Thoughts
Visiting your local physiotherapist is a good idea if you’re recovering from an injury or have a medical condition affecting your muscles or joints. With a wide range of different techniques on offer, your physio will easily be able to find the best treatment to provide you with long-term relief. Relaxation, better sleeping patterns, and increased blood circulation are additional benefits to look forward to!
