Health
A MASSAGE FOR EVERY TEACHER
A
ching mussels, tired limbs
and sore joints are just some
of the complaints teachers
have after a full day in the
classroom. We thought we would bring
you a treat and recommend a massage
for every teacher. The Middle East is
considered the gateway to the east
and the west. It is also a melting pot
of cultures and so you can avail any of
the massages mentioned below in the
many salons and spas dotted around
the cities and towns in this region. Now,
I do not believe that tired teachers
need too much encouragement to
treat themselves because they already
know that they deserve it. It is hoped
that, at least one of the following
massages will tickle your fancy and
have you picking up the phone to your
nearest spa to book an appointment.
Trigger Point therapy
A trigger point is a tight area within
muscle tissue that causes pain in other
parts of the body. A trigger point in
the back, for example, may produce
referral pain in the neck. The neck,
now acting as a satellite trigger point,
may then cause pain in the head. The
pain may be sharp and intense or a dull
ache.
Trigger point massage therapy is
specifically designed to alleviate the
source of the pain through cycles
of isolated pressure and release.
In this type of massage for trigger
point therapy, the recipient actively
participates through deep breathing
as well as identifying the exact location
and intensity of the discomfort.
The results and benefits of trigger
point
massage
are
releasing
constricted areas in the muscles thus
alleviating pain. You can experience a
significant decrease in pain after just
one treatment. Receiving massage
with trigger point therapy on a regular
basis can help naturally manage pain
and stress from chronic injuries.
Deep tissue massage
Deep Tissue Massage therapy is
similar to Swedish massage, but
the deeper pressure is beneficial in
releasing chronic muscle tension.
The focus is on the deepest layers of
muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the
protective layer surrounding muscles,
bones and joints).
A study in the Journal of Alternative
and
Complementary
Medicine
found that people's blood pressure
fell after a single 45 to 60-minute-
deep tissue massage. Additionally, a
2010 meta-analysis in the Journal of
Clinical Psychiatry found that massage
modalities like deep tissue reduce
stress hormone levels and heart rate
while boosting mood and relaxation
by triggering the release of oxytocin
and serotonin.
Please talk with your professional
massage therapist to see if a deep
tissue massage therapy would be
beneficial for you.
Swedish massage therapy
Swedish Massage Therapy is the
modality that comes to mind when
most people think about massage.
As the best-known type of bodywork
performed today, one of the primary
goals of the Swedish massage
technique is to relax the entire body.
This is accomplished by rubbing the
muscles with long gliding strokes in
the direction of blood returning to the
heart. But Swedish massage therapy
goes beyond relaxation. Swedish
massage is exceptionally beneficial
for increasing the level of oxygen in
the blood, decreasing muscle toxins,
improving circulation and flexibility
while easing tension.
A study conducted by the National
Centre for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine, and published
in The New York Times, found that
volunteers who received a 45-minute
Swedish
massage
experienced
significant decreases in levels of
the stress hormone cortisol, as well
as arginine vasopressin-a hormone
that can lead to increases in cortisol.
Volunteers also had increases in the
number of lymphocytes, white blood
cells that are part of the immune
system, and a boost in the immune
cells that may help fight colds and the
flu.
Neuromuscular Therapy
Massage
Neuromuscular therapy is a form of
soft tissue manipulation that aims to
treat underlying causes of chronic pain