The basic goal of massage therapy is to help the body heal itself and to increase health and well-being.
Touch is the core ingredient of massage therapy and also combines science and art. Practitioners learn specific techniques for massage and use their sense of touch to determine the right amount of pressure to apply to each person and locate areas of tension. Touch also conveys a sense of caring; an important component in the healing relationship.
When muscles are overworked, waste products such as lactic acid can accumulate in the muscles. This causes soreness, stiffness, and even muscle spasms.
Massage improves circulation, which increases blood flow, bringing fresh oxygen to body tissues. This helps keep your body healthy, speeds healing after injury, and enhanced recovery from disease.
Therapeutic massage can be used to promote general well-being while boosting the circulatory and immune systems to benefit blood pressure, circulation, muscle tone, digestion, and skin tone. It has been incorporated into many health systems, and different massage techniques have been developed and integrated into various complementary therapies.