Massage Therapy is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues, and it’s purpose is generally for the treatment of body
stress or pain. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a
device. Traditional therapy aims to provide relaxation and stress relief, and uses techniques such as Swedish or deep
tissue massage. While traditional massage may successfully relax you or temporarily relieve some stress, medical
massage therapy will produce tangible results. Medical massage therapy treatments are planned out with a specific
goal in mind, and your massage will factor into a larger treatment plan that is based around your health needs and
goals.
The objective of medical massage is to achieve functional outcomes. Inactivity and injury can cause the fascia to
become inelastic and fibrotic. The massage therapist focuses on the fascia, the glue that holds muscles together.
Further, medical massage is an alternative form of healing, and an expert in it can provide information to patients. It
can help them overcome a variety of ailments. The right kind of medical massage can improve your overall health.
Unlike traditional massage, medical massage therapy aims to treat medical conditions. It focuses on useful outcomes
and improves the body’s function. A medical massage therapist will help clients increase range of motion in their joints
and learn proper body mechanics. Whether your body is suffering from chronic pain or is recovering from a recent
injury, a medical massage will help you feel better and improve your overall health.
Benefits of Medical Message Therapy
Getting a massage can improve the blood flow in a person’s body. The benefits are systemic and will not be restricted
to a single area of the body. A massage can help you improve circulation and prevent injury. By improving circulation,
you can prevent a lot of medical conditions.
Contraindications of Massage Therapy
There are some conditions that are contraindicated locally. That means that the massage therapist can give you a
massage but must avoid those areas with those conditions when giving you the massage. Here are a list of common
contraindictions:
If you have these massage contraindications and you want a massage, you should let your therapist know about them.
Hopefully the massage therapist can work around these areas. However, if they prove too severe, massage may not be
appropriate. In that case, the therapist reserves the right to refuse treatment to ensure maintenance of health
standards.
Other massage contraindications are more specific. You should not get a massage if you have these conditions because
massage could cause these conditions to flare up making your problem worse. Here are the conditions that fall into
this category;
Fever Anytime you have a fever, whether from a cold, the flu or some other infection, you should not get a
massage. Massage increases circulation that may in turn help the infection increase the severity of the fever
and the infection.
Contagious Diseases If you have a contagious disease you are putting your therapist and even your therapist’s
other clients at risk of getting it. Please be considerate to your therapist and cancel your massage if you come
down with a contagious condition.
Blood Clots Massage can loosen blood clots. This could be dangerous because the clot could migrate to the
brain, lungs or heart. If you are aware of any blood clots, consult your doctor before massage to make sure
that it will not be effected by massage therapy.
Pregnancy Women should check with their OBGYN Physician before considering therapy, even if a therapist
has been trained in prenatal massage.
Kidney Conditions or Liver Conditions Massage can put increased strain on both the liver and kidney if they
are not functioning normally. This occurs because massage increases blood flow, increasing the movement of
waste through the body. If you are experiencing a health problem with either your kidney or liver it is likely
that massage will not be appropriate for you. Talk to a health care professional to see if massage will aggravate
any kidney or liver condition.
Cancer Though massage is good at relieving some of the discomfort caused by cancer, it should only be given
by someone trained to work with cancer patients. The patient should obtain a release form from his/her
doctor to get treatment.
Inflammation If you have inflammation of any kind massage to the area will further aggravate the situation.
Uncontrolled Hypertension Massage increases blood flow. If you have high blood pressure that is not under
control, the increased blood flow that is a result of massage therapy may cause problems.
stress or pain. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a
device. Traditional therapy aims to provide relaxation and stress relief, and uses techniques such as Swedish or deep
tissue massage. While traditional massage may successfully relax you or temporarily relieve some stress, medical
massage therapy will produce tangible results. Medical massage therapy treatments are planned out with a specific
goal in mind, and your massage will factor into a larger treatment plan that is based around your health needs and
goals.
The objective of medical massage is to achieve functional outcomes. Inactivity and injury can cause the fascia to
become inelastic and fibrotic. The massage therapist focuses on the fascia, the glue that holds muscles together.
Further, medical massage is an alternative form of healing, and an expert in it can provide information to patients. It
can help them overcome a variety of ailments. The right kind of medical massage can improve your overall health.
Unlike traditional massage, medical massage therapy aims to treat medical conditions. It focuses on useful outcomes
and improves the body’s function. A medical massage therapist will help clients increase range of motion in their joints
and learn proper body mechanics. Whether your body is suffering from chronic pain or is recovering from a recent
injury, a medical massage will help you feel better and improve your overall health.
Benefits of Medical Message Therapy
Getting a massage can improve the blood flow in a person’s body. The benefits are systemic and will not be restricted
to a single area of the body. A massage can help you improve circulation and prevent injury. By improving circulation,
you can prevent a lot of medical conditions.
Contraindications of Massage Therapy
There are some conditions that are contraindicated locally. That means that the massage therapist can give you a
massage but must avoid those areas with those conditions when giving you the massage. Here are a list of common
contraindictions:
- Cuts or open wounds
- Bruises
- Varicose veins
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Some skin conditions
If you have these massage contraindications and you want a massage, you should let your therapist know about them.
Hopefully the massage therapist can work around these areas. However, if they prove too severe, massage may not be
appropriate. In that case, the therapist reserves the right to refuse treatment to ensure maintenance of health
standards.
Other massage contraindications are more specific. You should not get a massage if you have these conditions because
massage could cause these conditions to flare up making your problem worse. Here are the conditions that fall into
this category;
Fever Anytime you have a fever, whether from a cold, the flu or some other infection, you should not get a
massage. Massage increases circulation that may in turn help the infection increase the severity of the fever
and the infection.
Contagious Diseases If you have a contagious disease you are putting your therapist and even your therapist’s
other clients at risk of getting it. Please be considerate to your therapist and cancel your massage if you come
down with a contagious condition.
Blood Clots Massage can loosen blood clots. This could be dangerous because the clot could migrate to the
brain, lungs or heart. If you are aware of any blood clots, consult your doctor before massage to make sure
that it will not be effected by massage therapy.
Pregnancy Women should check with their OBGYN Physician before considering therapy, even if a therapist
has been trained in prenatal massage.
Kidney Conditions or Liver Conditions Massage can put increased strain on both the liver and kidney if they
are not functioning normally. This occurs because massage increases blood flow, increasing the movement of
waste through the body. If you are experiencing a health problem with either your kidney or liver it is likely
that massage will not be appropriate for you. Talk to a health care professional to see if massage will aggravate
any kidney or liver condition.
Cancer Though massage is good at relieving some of the discomfort caused by cancer, it should only be given
by someone trained to work with cancer patients. The patient should obtain a release form from his/her
doctor to get treatment.
Inflammation If you have inflammation of any kind massage to the area will further aggravate the situation.
Uncontrolled Hypertension Massage increases blood flow. If you have high blood pressure that is not under
control, the increased blood flow that is a result of massage therapy may cause problems.