Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy helps alleviate the discomfort associated with everyday household chores and occupational stresses, muscular over-use and many chronic conditions. This includes manipulation of soft tissues of the body including, muscles, connective tissues, tendons, ligaments and joints. Registered Massage Therapists (RMT) can treat both acute and chronic conditions. Our RMTs works with all age groups for the treatment of illness, injury, rehabilitation and disability. They are skilled at providing massage services to clients utilizing safe, appropriate and helpful assessment & massage techniques.

Curezone Physiotherapy has a team of Registered Massage Therapists in Mississauga and Oakville focused on treating the causes of the problem and not just the symptoms. Your therapists at Curezone provide various types of massages including Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Techniques, Foot Reflexology, Sports Massage, Cupping, Pre-natal, Post-partum and Infant Massages. They also include some Osteopathic techniques to achieve the best results.

Various benefits of Registered Massage Therapy

The benefits of massage therapy are both physiological and psychological. Physiologically, they are divided into mechanical benefits – on adhesions, lymphatic and vascular systems, and neurological benefits – reflexive effects on central, peripheral and autonomic systems.

The most changes from massage therapy provided by the RMT seem to occur in the body areas that have experienced some trauma or injury – alleviating pain, decreasing edema and fibrosis in a tissue. Psychological benefits of massage therapy manifest by way of decreasing stress, and increased well being.

Massage and Effects on Pain

The most widely recognized effect of Massage Therapy is pain reduction. Massage affects pain in various different ways. It can stop the nociceptive (painful) nerve firing. It can break the cyclic nature of pain, which begins with tissue ischemia. Tissue ischemia (reduced local circulation) results in increased muscle contraction (spasm) and facial restriction. This reduces the blood flow and oxygen to the tissues in the area, which results in pain.

Your RMT at Curezone Physiotherapy can help break the pain cycle by increasing the blood flow to the ischemic tissue. The increase in circulation is caused by mechanical pressure of massage techniques. The pain from the muscle spasm can be reduced by movement of limbs, stretching, direct compression – these techniques affect the proprioceptors. Treating trigger points and improving range of motion in the affected joints also helps in breaking the cycle further.

So, essentially massage can reduce and manage pain arising from various sources, trauma, post-op, headache, fibromyalgia, arthritis etc.

Massage and Effects on Musculoskeletal System

Massage has proven effects on the musculoskeletal system.  It reduced the amount of fibrosis and adhesion in muscle tissue post injury, due to immobilization or denervation. These techniques increase range of motion, decreases spasm, eliminate trigger points, relax muscles, and improve resting length.

Massage and Effects on Circulation and Blood Pressure

Massage has an effect on local blood flow. The changes likely occur because of mechanical effects on vasculature, local release of vasodilators, reflex responses of autonomic nervous system. Research indicates that deeper massage increases the local blood flow to the muscles. The most effect is injured tissues.  Several studies have shown that massage can also reduce blood pressure. Massage has an effect on circulation – even though transient.

Massage and Effects on Lymphatic System

Manual lymph drainage techniques increase lymph flow in superficial lymphatic capillaries. Manual lymphatic drainage massage techniques are more effective in draining chronic edema in limbs than machines designed to reduce edema. Massage improves the lymphatic flow. It is used to reduce edema, ease pain and scar tissue secondary to edema and decrease inflammation.

Massage and Effects on Immune System

Massage therapy seems to increase the activity of immune system. Stress decreases the immune response, resulting in increased susceptibility to illness. This reduces stress levels and improves immune function.

Massage and Effects on Respiratory Function

Massage therapy techniques including tapotement, joint play, postural drainage and coughing improve respiratory function and chest expansion and helps clear mucus in respiratory pathologies.  The massage and fascial techniques help to decrease asthma symptoms by decreasing the stress levels and thereby decreasing frequency of attacks.

Massage and Psychological Effects

The effects of massage on stress and anxiety are well known. Massage reduces the cortisol levels and improve moods.  Massage increases the feeling of well being and thereby reduces stress and anxiety. As stress levels decrease the person benefits both psychologically and physiologically.

There are many benefits of massage therapy from decreasing pain, edema, muscle spasm, trigger points, muscle tension, stress to improving local blood flow, blood pressure, immune and respiratory functions. However, massage cannot increase muscle tone or strength or decrease cellulite or adipose tissue or prevent muscular atrophy in denervated tissue with a permanent nerve lesion. It is always recommended to consult your doctor or physiotherapist or our registered Massage therapists in Mississauga and Oakville who can work towards your goals and provide appropriate suggestions based on your condition.

 

Check our Massage therapy-FAQ’s for more answers. 

 

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