By: Leah Quinn

Massage therapy is one of the oldest health care practices known. References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts dating back more than 4,000 years. Massage therapy has a number of documented clinical benefits such as reducing symptoms associated with

• allergies
• anxiety, depression and stress
• arthritis
• asthma and bronchitis
• carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries
• chronic and temporary pain
• circulatory problems
• digestive disorders
• tension headaches
• insomnia
• temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ)

No pain, No gain….a vicious rumor!

While problem areas can be tender during a massage the discomfort should not be unbearable. Using too much pressure may cause the body to tense up, while using too little may not have enough effect.  Varying levels of pressure allow the massage therapist to receive useful information via his or her hands, such as locating areas of muscle tension and other soft tissue problems. In practice, many...

Massage therapy is therapeutic in many ways. Massage increases blood and lymph flow which aids in healing and decreases the stress hormone called cortisol. In most circumstances massage can help to improve your health. However, there are times that massage is not recommended.  Below is a list of reasons massage may be contraindicated. If anything on this list pertains to you, please talk to your massage therapist before booking a massage.

• Fever
• Contagious illness or disease (including a cold or flu)
• If you are taking any pain medication
• Recent operations or acute injuries
• Skin diseases
• First trimester of pregnancy

Only when cleared by your physician:

• High blood pressure or cardio-vascular conditions
• Edema
• Osteoporosis
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Diabetes
• Bell’s palsy

For more questions on anything on or not on this list, please contact our office and we will be happy to assist if scheduling a massage is appropriate for you.