Camil Labelle, RMT

You mean I don’t need a medical reason to get a massage????

 

It has come to my attention that many people are unaware that you do not need a medical reason for seeking massage therapy. In fact, often it is more beneficial to get a massage when you are feeling good. Massage can increase circulation to all areas of the body, increasing oxygen and nutrients to those areas in turn promoting healthier tissues, which will help your body to be resilient to the stresses placed on it. Studies have shown that the level of cortisol in the blood stream can be significantly decreased following a massage and the affects can last from hours to days after. Cortisol is a hormone released while you are under stress, similar to adrenaline. Massage can also increase your general sense of well being, this can help motivate you to lead a more active lifestyle. I am sure we have all heard that an active lifestyle is the best way to increase and maintain our general health.

You may also be unaware that massage therapy prior to and following a surgery can greatly assist in the healing process as well as decrease the time needed to recover. Massage prior to surgery, as mentioned before can increase circulation and tissue health and healthy tissues normally heal faster. Integrating fascial work into the pre operation treatment can help to ensure the fascia in the area is healthy and free of restrictions, it can also increase your body’s ability to heal and decrease the time required. Fascia to put it simply is a connective tissue that wraps around every cell in your body and holds everything together. The fascia is likely where a surgeon would try to make incisions, rather then cutting through muscle. All in all, if your fascia is healthy and unrestricted going into the surgery, you are more likely to make a more complete and timely recovery.

Massage following a surgery or an injury such as a fracture or a muscle tear, can be quite helpful. The treatment would vary in intensity depending on the stage of healing. Immediately following the surgery, a technique such as Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD), which is a very gentle technique, can help to decrease swelling and inflammation therefore decreasing the amount of scar tissue that will be formed. MLD can help to flush out any toxins or foreign particles in the area, which can help in preventing infection. As the healing process progresses, techniques such as Swedish Massage, Myofascial Release or cross-fiber frictions can help form functional scar tissue as well as help to maintain and increase range of motion, tissue health and functionality of the tissues involved. This can also help to prevent ongoing problems due to the scar tissue, which left untreated could develop in to life long concerns. Cosmetically I have observed Myofascial Release to help in decreasing the prominence and visibility of superficial scars on the skin.

Massage for emotional concerns. It has already been mentioned that massage can help to lower cortisol levels, which can help in times of stress. But the power of touch from a caring health care practitioner should not be underestimated. Although it is not often mentioned, studies have shown that touch is a major necessity of life, right up there, with food, shelter and clothing. Scientifically massage has shown that it can increase serotonin and dopamine production which are “feel good hormones”, so to speak. Massage can also help to decrease the sympathetic nervous system firing, which is the system responsible for the stress response, commonly known as “fright/flight syndrome. Not to mention the fact that taking an hour out of your busy life to have someone focus on you and your well being can do wonders for your emotional state.

In closing, whether you just feel like treating your self, you have had a recent or old injury, are going to or have had a surgery or are just feeling down in the dumps. There is a verity of techniques that a well trained RMT could use to help you reach your full potential.