Benefits-of-a-full-body-massageMassage therapy is one of the earliest home remedies available through the years. It is a popular solution for body aches, particularly those in the back. However, it is much more than a pain-relieving technique. You can find additional benefits of a full body massage depending on your ailment and its symptoms.

That’s why in this article, we’re covering essential questions, including what is massage therapy, why get a massage, and a comprehensive list of full body massage benefits.

After reading this piece, you will know when massage therapy is appropriate. You will also understand the most common indications.

What is massage therapy?

Since 1600 BC, people knew what is massage therapy and its applications. It was popular in the Chinese culture, the Greek world, and the Turkish people of that time. It consists of manipulating the body using the hands and different maneuvers depending on what you need.

Massage triggers body relaxation and has been used to relieve pain and heal injuries. It is now an essential part of complementary and alternative medicine. As such, it should be performed by a therapist for better results. When done right, massage therapy improves the cardiovascular system, reduces stress levels, and has different benefits, as discussed ahead (1).

What do you wear for a full body massage?

People could feel a bit anxious around full body massages if they don’t know how it’s done. Some may believe that complete nudity is a must for a full body massage, but that is false.

You can wear comfortable underwear or athletic sports wear (sports bra and shorts for example) during full body massages. Moreover, you may also be covered by different layers of sheets or towels. Your massage therapist will work around the covers as he manipulates different parts of your body to avoid making you feel exposed.

What does a full body massage do for you?

Full body massages are nowadays popular ways to relieve stress. They make you feel relaxed and more comfortable. You might feel tense at the beginning of the massage session. But then, you stop thinking about the load of work and the daily stress. Your muscles relax, your heartbeat slows down, and you start feeling calm (1).

Some studies have even evaluated the effects of massage therapy on depression. Researchers say that the benefits of body massage can influence your mood. Thus, body massages can do a lot for depressed people after a difficult day (2).

What does a full body massage do for your body?

A full body massage benefits people with musculoskeletal disease and chronic pain. In their bodies, this complementary therapy triggers several changes. They include:

  • Relaxation of muscle tension and perceived pain sensation
  • An increase in immune function, mainly through natural killer cell activity
  • Reduction of heart rate and improvements in the EEG
  • Decreased levels of stress hormone (cortisol) in the body
  • Changes in brain centers such as the hypothalamus and the amygdala. These centers are useful to regulate emotion.

What are the benefits of massage?

Why get a massage? The answer is clear if you have muscle pain. But the applications of massage therapy go far beyond. This is a comprehensive list of full body massage benefits you can experience by yourself:

  • It is an excellent way to relieve stress and reduce anxiety levels (2)
  • It provides short-term relief of low back pain (3)
  • Massage reduces muscle tension and promotes exercise performance in athletes (4)
  • After a massage session, you will probably sleep more comfortably (5)
  • It is an excellent aid to treat depression symptoms (2)
  • Massage therapy slows down the heart rate, lowers the blood pressure, and improves cardiovascular function (1)
  • It triggers an increase in blood flow and improves circulation (1)
  • Massage sessions can be helpful if you have chronic neck pain or tension headaches (6)
  • People with a muscle injury may increase their range of motion through massage therapy (7)
  • It helps cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced nausea (8)
  • It can be used in osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis to cope with the symptoms (9)
  • In older adults, massage therapy may improve balance and reduce dementia behavioral symptoms (10,11)
  • It may help you with fibromyalgia symptoms and other diseases that are otherwise difficult to treat (12)
  • When done right, massage therapy may reduce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (13)

How often should you get a full body massage?

Some benefits of body massage can be experienced immediately after the session. Most patients feel calmer and relaxed, reduce their stress levels, and improve their sleep quality right away. So, depending on your symptoms, the benefits can be instantaneous.

However, therapists usually recommend massage therapy for several weeks in other cases. If you’re trying massage therapy to deal with chronic pain issues, depressive symptoms, or improving balance in older adults, the time it takes to see the benefit should be extended to a minimum of 5 weeks.

Most studies cited above gave participants massage therapy sessions twice or three times a week for five and sometimes eight weeks before evaluating the results. Thus, the usual recommendation is to keep receiving this type of therapy for around two months to get the entire benefits of a full body massage.

Conclusion

After understanding what is massage therapy and reviewing the list of full body massage benefits, you’re ready to apply this knowledge.

Will massage therapy work for you? It depends on what ailment you have. If your problem is related to the musculoskeletal system, massage therapy will probably work. In some cases, it deals with the pain; in others, it helps you regain your range of motion.

Sometimes massage therapy helps to reduce stress levels, which may heighten or induce pain symptoms. It also works against depression symptoms and may help you get asleep.

There is also a difference between short-term benefits and long-term benefits. Patients feel more relaxed and may sleep better in the short term. Back pain improvements are often short-term as well. But if you want to cope with chronic pain and deal with more serious ailments, you might need more sessions to start experiencing the benefits of a full body massage.

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References:

  1. Field, T. (2014). Massage therapy research review. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 20(4), 224-229.
  2. Hou, W. H., Chiang, P. T., Hsu, T. Y., Chiu, S. Y., & Yen, Y. C. (2010). Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 71(7), 0-0.
  3. Furlan, A. D., Giraldo, M., Baskwill, A., Irvin, E., & Imamura, M. (2015). Massage for low‐back pain. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (9).
  4. Nunes, G. S., Bender, P. U., de Menezes, F. S., Yamashitafuji, I., Vargas, V. Z., & Wageck, B. (2016). Massage therapy decreases pain and perceived fatigue after long-distance Ironman triathlon: a randomised trial. Journal of physiotherapy, 62(2), 83-87.
  5. Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., & Fraser, M. (2007). Lower back pain and sleep disturbance are reduced following massage therapy. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 11(2), 141-145.
  6. Cheng, Y. H., & Huang, G. C. (2014). Efficacy of massage therapy on pain and dysfunction in patients with neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014.
  7. Field, T., Diego, M., Gonzalez, G., & Funk, C. G. (2014). Neck arthritis pain is reduced and range of motion is increased by massage therapy. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 20(4), 219-223.
  8. Mazlum, S., Chaharsoughi, N. T., Banihashem, A., & Vashani, H. B. (2013). The effect of massage therapy on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in pediatric cancer. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 18(4), 280.
  9. Nelson, N. L., & Churilla, J. R. (2017). Massage therapy for pain and function in patients with arthritis: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 96(9), 665-672.
  10. Sefton, J. M., Yarar, C., & Berry, J. W. (2012). Six weeks of massage therapy produces changes in balance, neurological and cardiovascular measures in older persons. International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork, 5(3), 28.
  11. Margenfeld, F., Klocke, C., & Joos, S. (2019). Manual massage for persons living with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of nursing studies, 96, 132-142.
  12. Li, Y. H., Wang, F. Y., Feng, C. Q., Yang, X. F., & Sun, Y. H. (2014). Massage therapy for fibromyalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PloS one, 9(2), e89304.
  13. Elliott, R., & Burkett, B. (2013). Massage therapy as an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 17(3), 332-338.