When you hear the word “massage” what do you think? Do you think about an occasional day of pampering that comes around on rare occasions? Or do you think about a tool that can be integrated into your routine to assist in promoting good health?

wellness-285589_640.jpgWhile there is often a general assumption that massages are for special occasions only, massage actually has its own place in the world of medicine. In fact, making time for regular massages can provide some major health benefits, and sometimes even offer a drug-free, non-invasive treatment option to patients in need of special care.

Don’t believe us? Keep reading to explore five ways that massages can boost your overall well being:

1) Massages can reduce stress. Anyone who has received a massage knows that a great one can literally rub stress and anxiety away. Massages are known for helping to reduce cortisol levels while boosting serotonin and dopamine levels – in other words, they literally reduce stress hormone levels and help to produce hormones that make us feel good. And considering that 75% - 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints, this is one benefit that deserves a lot of consideration!

2) Massages can treat the physical symptoms of stress (and general problems in muscles and joints). A good massage can do more than reduce stress: it can also target and loosen muscles and joints, which are known to tighten and suffer when your body is dealing with long-term stress. Even better, by addressing these symptoms, a good massage will not only reduce your stress levels – it will also address the aches and pains that can come with chronic stress. And don’t think that massage will only benefit your body if it’s suffering from stress-related symptoms! No matter what the cause, massages can often help to ease joint pain, muscle spasms, cramps, and similar issues. In fact, massages do such a good job addressing these issues that…

3) Massages can be used to treat chronic pain. More and more experts are beginning to recognize that a massage can ease chronic pain levels; research has confirmed that it can help with a variety of pain-related issues, including lower back pain and even arthritis pain. The fact that massage offers an alternative treatment for pain is a big deal, considering that many chronic pain sufferers experience little to no relief on many pain medicines – or even run the risk of becoming addicted to said pain medicines with long-time use!

4) Massage can benefit your heart and circulatory system. That’s right: in addition to everything else, massage can lower blood pressure and improve circulation throughout the body. These has several possible benefits. For starters, addressing blood pressure issues through massage can help patients control and manage pre-hypertension, reducing their risk of suffering from cardiac issues down the line. Additionally, better circulation allows the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs – thereby helping these tissues stay healthy and possibly even helping them heal more quickly if they are recovering from an injury of trauma. So if you need to make changes to take care of your heart health, massage may be something to consider!

5) Experts are discovering new uses of massage every day. So far, research has found that massages can help treat a range of health issues, including anxiety, certain digestive disorders, headaches, insomnia, and even soft tissue strains or injuries – including those related to sports.

Each of these points help to highlight how massage treatments have the ability to improve many, many individuals’ health and quality of life, whether they are suffering from chronic stress, living the active life of an athlete, or dealing with age-related aches and pains.

At Genesis Medical we believe the benefits of massage are diverse, and that massage isn't just a luxury; for some people, it’s a health necessity. That said, it’s important to remember that massage is not a cure-all treatment. Because of this, patients should always work with a medical professional to ensure that massage really is the best course of action for their health needs.

If you are interested in exploring what sorts of benefits massage may have to offer, we invite you to work with our new Medical Massage Therapist, who is qualified to help alleviate physical ailments, reduce stress and more. To meet with Christine at our Chiropractic & Rehabilitation office, just book an appointment today by calling (412) 847-0066 or going to the Massage Tab at genesischiros.com!