What are the health benefits of Massage?

Commenting on the benefits of massage, Judith Ashton, president of the Irish Massage Therapy Association says, "It effects every single system in the body. You can work with massage in specific ways for trauma injury and a whole range of physical and psychological problems."

While it is not intended as a replacement for prescribed medical treatments, the mental and physical relaxation responses induced by massage and bodywork activate internal healing processes. Research demonstrates that massage lowers heart rate and blood pressure, increases circulation, relaxes the muscle, improves the range of motion, reduces stress and promotes mental alertness. The American Massage Therapy Association lists the further benefits of relieving allergies, arthritis, asthma, depression, digestive disorders, headache, insomnia and sinusitis. Both doctors and psychologists often recommend various forms of massage to support conventional medical treatments.

Dr. Simon Curtis of the Blackrock Osteopath clinic in Blackrock, County Dublin believes there are many psychological and physical benefits to be gained from massage. "Lots of experiments have proven that people respond very well to hands-on contact," he says. "We find massage to be a useful adjunct to what we do. If problems with overall muscular tension occur through stress, then massage is very beneficial. If the problem has to do with fluid drainage or congestion in the tissues, then massage is very valuable."