What Conditions May be Helped by Therapeutic Massage?

An increasing number of research studies show massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of motion, and increases endorphins, the "feel good" chemical compounds in the body. Although therapeutic massage does not INCREASE muscle strength, it CAN stimulate weak, inactive muscles, which helps to partially compensate for the lack of exercise and inactivity resulting from illness or injury. Massage can also help to hasten and complete recovery from exercise or injury.

People with the following conditions have reported that therapeutic massage has lessened or relieved many of their symptoms:

* Arthritis
* Asthma
* Carpal tunnel syndrome
* Muscular pain
* Circulatory problems
* Gastrointestinal disorders (including spastic colon, colic and constipation)
* Headaches
* Immune function disorders 
* Insomnia
* Myofascial pain  
* Reduced range of motion 
* Sports injuries  (including pulled or strained muscles and ligaments)
* Stress
* Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction 

Contraindications for Massage Therapy (you should be cautious about receiving massage if any of the following apply to you):

* Certain forms of cancer
* Phlebitis
* SOME cardiac problems (if you have cardiac problems, usually you can still receive massage, however you may have to be positioned differently on the table and may only be able to receive certain types of massage.  The RIGHT kind of massage techniques can help to IMPROVE your condition)
* SOME skin conditions (lotions/oils/friction created during massage may make certain skin conditions worse)
* Infectious diseases/illnesses (please do not schedule a massage while you are ill and contagious,  receiving a massage while you are sick can actually SPREAD the condition throughout your body, as well as make your therapist ill)