Benefits of Massage & Bodywork

    The first benefit of Massage and Bodywork is being able to relax and re-energize!  Massage and bodywork can help release chronic muscular tension and pain, improve circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental & physical fatigue, relieve stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture and reduce blood pressure.

    Massage and bodywork are also known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, reduce anxiety, and create an overall sense of well being.  Massage also improves skin tone, increases oxygen in the body, stimulates the release of endorphins, speeds the removal of metabolic waste and speeds recovery from illness.  Massage is one of the oldest known therapies.  It is also very popular in preventative healthcare, pre-surgery and post-surgery.

Maternity Massage

*Massage in the first trimester is not recommended, unless under Doctor's order, due to the release of toxins.  This is a safety measure.

Benefits of Pregnancy Massage include:

• Relaxation and reduce stress. 

• May provide some relief from muscle cramps, and spasms in the body.

• Increase in blood and lymph circulation, which may reduce swelling.

• Reduces some stress on weight-bearing joints.

• Possibly improves outcome of labor and eases labor pain.

• Enhances the pliability of skin and underlying tissues.

• Provides support for the new mother with physical and emotional strains of mothering.

What is Prenatal Massage?

    A Prenatal Massage is a special massage tailored specifically to the needs of a pregnant woman and their changing bodies.  Our therapists are trained in prenatal massage to adjust their techniques for each individual Mother.  Prenatal massage helps to relax tense muscles, ease sore spots, improve circulation and mobility, and makes the mother feel rejuvenated in a special way.

How do you lie on the table?

    We have a special table with soft, secure, wide, hollowed out areas to accommodate your growing baby and your enlarged breasts.  It will support your body as you lie face down.  We also have a traditional massage table available.  Your therapist will use pillows to support your body and your baby as you are lying on your side at different times during the massage.  We would like you to ask your doctor which choice is the best for you and your baby.

How can prenatal massage help me?

    Prenatal massage therapy focuses on the special needs of the mother-to-be.  It also provides emotional support, nurturing touches and relaxation by relieving stress on joints and muscles.  During pregnancy, the weight has shifted drastically in a woman's body.  Weight has been added to the belly, which puts a large strain on the back.  Pregnancy can also be a very stressful time emotionally.  Massage therapy, both before and after birth, can help relieve these strains in an extremely comfortable way.

The History of Massage

Massage therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known to history. References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts more than 4,000 years old. Massage has been advocated in Western health care practices at least since the time of Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine." In the fourth century B.C. Hippocrates wrote, "The physician must be acquainted with many things and assuredly with rubbing" (the ancient Greek term for massage was rubbing). 

The roots of modern, scientific massage therapy go back to Per Henrik Ling (1776–1839), a Swede, who developed an integrated system consisting of massage and active and passive exercises. Ling established the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute in Sweden in 1813 to teach his methods. 

Modern, scientific massage therapy was introduced in the United States in the 1850s by two New York physicians, brothers George and Charles Taylor, who had studied in Sweden. The first clinics for massage therapy in the United States were opened by two Swedish physicians after the Civil War period. Doctor Baron Nils Posse operated the Posse Institute in Boston and Doctor Hartwig Nissen opened the Swedish Health Institute near the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Although there were periods when massage fell out of favor, in the 1960s it made a comeback in a different way as a tool for relaxation, communication, and alternative healing. Today, massage is one of the most popular healing modalities. It is used by conventional, as well as alternative, medical communities and is now covered by some health insurance plans.

Massage therapy is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing those tissues and consists of a group of manual techniques that include applying fixed or movable pressure, holding, and/or causing movement of or to the body. While massage therapy is applied primarily with the hands, sometimes the forearms or elbows are used. These techniques affect the muscular, skeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, nervous, and other systems of the body. The basic philosophy of massage therapy embraces the concept of vis Medicatrix naturae, which is aiding the ability of the body to heal itself, and is aimed at achieving or increasing health and well-being. 

Touch is the fundamental medium of massage therapy. While massage can be described in terms of the type of techniques performed, touch is not used solely in a mechanistic way in massage therapy. One could look at a diagram or photo of a massage technique that depicts where to place one's hands and what direction the stroke should go, but this would not convey everything that is important for giving a good massage. Massage also has an artistic component.

Because massage usually involves applying touch with some degree of pressure and movement, the massage therapist must use touch with sensitivity in order to determine the optimal amount of pressure to use for each person. For example, using too much pressure may cause the body to tense up, while using too little may not have enough effect. Touch used with sensitivity also allows the massage therapist to receive useful information via his or her hands about the client's body, such as locating areas of muscle tension and other soft tissue problems. Because touch is also a form of communication, sensitive touch can convey a sense of caring—an essential element in the therapeutic relationship—to the person receiving massage.

In practice, many massage therapists use more than one technique or method in their work and sometimes combine several. Effective massage therapists ascertain each person's needs and then use the techniques that will meet those needs best.  

American Massage Therapist  Association  defines Massage as, "a manual soft tissue manipulation that includes holding, causing movement, and/or applying pressure to the body."

To see a Glossary on many other techniques, click here:

Massage Glossary

Be sure to check back often as new articles and links are always added! 

Note: The material provided on this site is for educational purposes only and any recommendations are not intended to replace the advice of your physician.  The information and service provided is not used to prescribe, recommend, diagnose, or treat a health problem or disease. It is important that you do not reduce, change, or discontinue any medication or treatment without consulting your physician first.  It is not a substitute for medical care.