Back massages is a holistic and natural way of curing a lot of mental, physical and even emotional unresolved issues that you might be surprised to know. The theory of massage therapy dates back to time immemorial where there were no modern medicines. To this day, massage therapies stay relevant owing to their effectiveness. Whether it is to relieve stress or anxiety or to cure headaches as an aftereffect of an illness as serious as cancer – there is a massage therapy, which is exactly geared towards you. You just need to find the right one for yourself.
Our central nervous system is being majorly controlled by the vagus nerve. Vagal activity, therefore in our body is responsible to control all the important elements such as digestion, respiration, heart rate and even our mood. There are pressure receptors under our skin, which get active when a therapist puts the right pressure on them during the massage. This in return enhances the vagal activity and can aid in regulating major body functions.
1- It Helps with the Postural Stress
Do you ever feel stiffness in your muscles, shoulders and back after long intervals of sitting and working on a desk? Recent studies reflect that almost 70% desk-workers complain about muscle aches around their shoulders and back at least once in their life. Postural stress is the culprit behind that. Muscle tension manifests itself around the neck, shoulder and back for individuals who sit for long hours to work, such as bankers, office assistants and content writers. A regular back massage is an excellent way to counteract all the pain you get by sitting through the day without having to use painkillers and muscle relaxants.
Add a weekly session of a good and thorough back massage in your routine to stay active and relaxed throughout the week.
2- It Relaxes the Muscles Soreness
For individuals who have just started to incorporate gym in their routine or any other strenuous physical activity, it is very usual for them to feel muscle soreness. Unfortunately, the majority give up on their fitness plans owing to the unexpected muscle soreness. A post-workout back massage is the key to relax muscle soreness and get back on your feet quick.
Few masseuses offer special sports massages that focus on lower back and glutes to relieve the soreness caused by gym activities. It would be beneficial to look into these if you want to stick to your fitness regime.
3- It Helps with the Pregnancy Fatigue
Pregnancy is a time of joy and wonder. To feel the little wriggles and kicks of the life growing inside you has no parallel. With that being said, as your baby grows inside you, it starts putting pressure against your spine, which may result in excruciating back pain, especially towards the end of your pregnancy. A light back massage of 15-minutes by an expert or even someone at home can relieve the extra pressure for at least sometime and bring you comfort.
Massage therapists recommend avoiding foot massages towards the end of your last trimester as it may induce labor sooner than you may want. However, back massages even during mild labor pains are proven to shorten the span of labor and bring momentary comfort to the mother.
4- Back Massages for the Postpartum Recovery
More and more medical insurance providers have started to cover the postnatal massages in their insurance plans. This is enough to understand the importance of back massages in your postpartum recovery. When you deliver vaginally, all your muscles and joints become weak and sore. To get back on your feet quicker, add regular back massages in addition to a holistic healthy diet in your routine for at least six-weeks postpartum.
A postpartum back massage is known not only to reduce swelling and muscle stress but it has also proven to help the new mothers with milk production and to relieve the postpartum constipation. It is highly advised to get your postnatal massage sessions through some qualified professional, because they know their way around back massages better.
5- Back Massages for Hormone Regulation
Whether you have just given birth; you are a lactating mom or just someone who is battling with irregular hormones, back massages can take care of the issue without having to pop any pills. Massage therapists add certain essential oils to their carrier oils, which aid in regulating hormones.
Additionally, essential oils and a good massage also encounters the mood swings well, which usually occur during a hormone imbalance.
6- Back Massages to Combat Insomnia
There could be a couple of underlying issues when it comes to sleep deprivation or insomnia. Work pressure, emotional trauma, and physical strain –are just some of the common factors. Before you decide on taking regular pills to help you sleep better, book yourself a back massage session. Massages in general and vibration massages in particular are known to release oxytocin in body, which is known as a happy hormone. It not only reduces your stress but also helps you sleep better.
7- Back Massages for Chronic Headaches
Headaches are caused by various reasons: poor digestion, cancer treatment, lack of sleep and many more. Regular massages decrease the frequency of these headaches by soothing your stressed nerves. Next time when you fail to function because of a splitting headache, try booking a back and neck massage before you hit the medicine counter.
8- Back Massage to Enhance Blood Circulation
Back massages have been proven to enhance blood circulation in the body, which enhances the immune system. If you suffer from body numbness owing to bad sitting posture or long sitting sessions at work, regular back massage can help with that. On top of that, good blood circulation would ensure you have a radiant and glowing skin. This means, back massage would not only heal you physically but its positive effects would radiate from your overall appearance as well.
9- Back Massage to Reduce Stress and Anxiety
When you are stressed about something mentally, your muscles also tend to stiffen. This can cause an additional strain on your body. To relieve yourself, a deep tissue back massage can drain out the added stress. It will also calm your nerves; uplift your spirits and make sure that you get rid of any anxiety lingering around.
Some therapists tend to couple back massages with light music and aroma candles. This acts as a catalyst to sooth your nerves and calms you down.
Summing up, it is easier to decipher that ages old massage therapy has still its place intact in the world of modern sciences. If you as an individual believe in natural holistic healing procedures, make sure you give back massages a go for your physical and emotional ordeals before you turn to medicines that would ultimately have their side-effects.