Complementary and Alternative Health Care – Massage Therapy
Studying complementary and alternative health care has led us to review some of the practices at leading clinics and hospitals nationwide. One of the most famous is the Mayo Clinic that has a great YouTube Channel with many resources concerning health care and treatments, including complementary and alternative health care like Massage Therapy.
Dr. Brent Bauer, a Mayo Clinic specialist in complementary and alternative medicine discusses Mayo Clinics evidence-based approach to alternative medicine. For more information about the use of alternative medicine at Mayo Clinic, click here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/complementary-alternative-medicine/
Reduce pain, reduce tension and reduce anxiety through routine Massage Therapy. Often recommended to patients for stress management massage therapy is one of our leading treatments at Bella Fontana Spa and we can work with your Medical Doctor, Chiropractor or other health professional to ensure that your treatments meet your needs.
Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage therapists typically use their hands and fingers for massage but may also use their forearms, elbows and even feet. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure techniques. The Mayo Clinic provides the following information about massage:
There are many different types of massage, including these common types:
- Swedish massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and energize you.
- Deep-tissue massage. This massage technique uses slower, more forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.
- Sports massage. This is similar to Swedish massage but is geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.
- Trigger point massage. This massage focuses on trigger points, or sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.
Benefits of massage
Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.
While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have found massage helpful for:
- Stress relief
- Managing anxiety and depression
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Blood pressure control
- Infant growth
- Sports-related injuries
- Boosting immunity
- Cancer treatment
Beyond the benefits for specific conditions or diseases, some people enjoy massage because it often involves caring, comfort, a sense of empowerment and creating deep connections with their massage therapist.
We agree with these principles and further believe that a great connection with our staff and the space and feel of our facility helps you achieve many of these benefits. In addition, we schedule staff for availability to our clients and patients six days per week. Our staff make notes about your treatments and the information you provide to us about your health are available to the staff that will be seeing you on any given day. If you have any questions, please consult with our Concierge Desk or the Operations Manager for assistance with our policies, pricing and services.
Massage is more than just rewarding ‘me time’. It is a method for maintaining your health and sense of well-being. Maintaining your range of motion, flexibility and enhancing the effectiveness of your circulatory system are just some of the body benefits, and there are more because massage is also about your mind and emotional well-being as well. Relieve stress, improve posture, encourage relaxation and benefit from improved breathing, lower blood pressure and other measureable benefits from regular, maintenance massage. You deserve it!
We also offer specialized modalities that improve facial tone, relieve headaches, utilize reflexology techniques and more to help you achieve your special goals and peak performance. After all, only when you take care of yourself can you be the lifeline to take care of those your love and help them reach their dreams.
