Why it’s Good for Your Body and Mind

Its common to think that massage therapy is just a luxury that people do because it feels good. It’s true that it feels wonderful for those achy and sore muscles. But the truth is, massage therapy also has many more wonderful health benefits.

It is true,that the most obvious health benefit of massage therapy is it feels great! When you are in the hands of a good massage therapist, you can feel your body letting go of the tension that was causing discomfort and pain. Its also possible, in the hands of a skilled massage therapist,to feel yourself dropping into a place of deep relaxation of both the body and mind. This state of deep relaxation and stillness can be profound. For some, learning to trust you can let go this deeply, may take a few sessions. Yet once you start to feel yourself deeply letting go, you will be amazed at how wonderful it can feel! Dropping into this state of relaxation and peace can be, in itself, very healing. The nervous system is brought back into balance. In Chinese medicine, its referred to how the Chi or energy of the body can rebalance itself, bringing about renewed health and well-being.

Getting regular massage therapy can do wonders for ones mood, alleviating depression and it’s health draining effects.Once you’ve found a massage therapist that you are comfortable with, just knowing you have that time for your self scheduled will do wonders for how you feel and will have an accumulative effect on you ability to let go of stress. Here are still more great benefits to getting regular massage: Massage therapy relieves stress.

It can relieve depression and insomnia.

It improves the circulation of blood, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the different organs, systems and tissues.

It stimulates the circulation of the lymphatic system- thus helping to release toxins (remember to drink plenty of water after a massage!)

It can help lower blood pressure.

It can relieve tension headaches.

Massage enhances flexibility, mobility and joint range of motion.

It reduces muscle spasms.

It treats muscular-skeletal problems.

It encourages faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments, reduces pain and swelling and reduces formation of excessive scar tissue.

It boosts the immune system.

Massage reduces fatigue (emotional and physical)

It helps with pain management in cases such as arthritis and sciatica.

Taking time out, on a regular basis to let go of stress with massage therapy can have far reaching effects on you overall health. To receive all of the above benefits,try different massage therapists until you find one your comfortable with. Each one will have there own style and feel that they bring to the session. Your body and mind will be happy you did. And the wonderful thing is, it feels great too!

Description: Its common to think that massage therapy is just a luxury that people do because it feels good. It’s true that it feels wonderful for those achy and sore muscles. But the truth is,it also has many more wonderful health benefits.

Should you become a Massage Therapist? 4 questions to ask

What do you think about first when you think about becoming a massage therapist? Learning about how the human structure works, and how to work out aches and pains? How about the human interaction youll receive working with different clients day in and day out? Weve put together a list of 4 questions to ask yourself to determine if you have the right stuff to consider a career in massage therapy.

1.) Do you like caring for and helping other people?

It makes sense that this is the number one question to ask yourself, if youre not interested in helping others (while of course none of us would admit it) a career in massage therapy probably isnt for you. Based on the fact that 95% of your job is spent interacting and caring for clients if you dont want to help them, you wont enjoy your time.

2.) Do you mind working silently, without the normal office chatter?

A massage therapist while they care for many clients in the run of week, dont get into the same banter as say a hairdresser would with their clients. Often a client is there for a relaxing experience receiving their massage, and would like to lay in silence forgetting about the outside world for 30-60 minutes. Its important that youre able to work silently, and not let this get to you.

3.) Do you work well alone? Or do you require supervision

Being able to manage your own time properly both while with a client, and booking appointments etc. is important to being a successful massage therapist. Since the majority of time is spent one-on-one with the client there are no direct supervisors ensuring youre doing your job correctly. Also if you work for yourself, there is no one around ensuring your looking for new business, and booking appointments to keep your business in growth mode.

While many massage therapy graduates work for spas, medical clinics, or sports facilities and dont need to look for their own client base its important to know that you have that option down the road if you want to go out on your own.

4.) Are you able to empathize with a persons problem, and keep work separate from your emotions?

Often a massage therapy client will be suffering from an accident or medical situation. This can sometimes be difficult to deal with, as our first instinct maybe to feel bad for the person. Its important to be able to empathize with them but not feel bad for them. Separating our personal feelings about a situation like this from our professional atmosphere is a must to be able to handle the many different types of patients and clients youll encounter during your career as a massage therapist.
Beyond these questions, its important that you know you enjoy working with the public, and a strong communicator. Whether youre working for a spa or for yourself in the massage therapy business one thing is consistent you will be working with members of the public, and you will be supplying them with a service. You must be able to feel comfortable with the situation, and understand what the entire career entails before making your decision.

Massage therapy is a very rewarding career, and can allow a person great flexability in their schedule especially if they choose to work for themselves, but it is not a lazy job. It brings great pride to know your helping others, and making a difference. I hope this article has shed a little more light on what it takes to become a massage therapist besides the certificate and education.

Hot Stone Massage: remedy more effective against pain

We all know the healing power of heat and sun. When we go to the beach, warm sand felt in our muscles and bones strong. Is there a way to get the therapeutic benefit of this feeling, without any sand. He also feels better. And this is not anything new! It s hot stone massage. I was a bit cynical when I heard and was reluctant to try. However, when I had one, I was hooked.

This will be done by a professional and it is very hygienic. Your therapist will keep the stones in the boiling water. This is to prevent bacteria from growing them. Eliminated by a glove or health of another instrument when they are needed for the massage.

What kind of stones are used? Well, they are of basalt, smooth rocks, which have been used for centuries in what is considered to have energizing properties. They also retain heat well. Other types of massage with other tools such as the therapist's hands.

Another great thing about this type of massage is that it is easier for the hands of one who gives the tools used to apply pressure. The stones are arranged on both sides of the spine, providing heat to the body. The masseuse also massages the client with stones from the hot oil. You can request a massage tailored to the level of pressure on the tissues and muscles. The stones are pressed, the pressure is applied. It can be hard, medium or mild. This helps blood circulation. This type of massage I felt really good, like when we talk about pressure, I'm a wimp. I can not take too much, but this massage is suitable for me and my problem areas very well.

In the early 1800 s, massage therapy has become very popular, which increases to 1930 if the article 40 "As modern medicine developed, the benefits of massage therapy have been favorable. It has been used less and less. In 1960, "1970s when nurses began to use it to relieve pain in patients. Once again, his popularity has increased until the end of the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 in the massage is considered a basic medical service, which gave great credibility.

I love my therapist. Of the 90,000 people in the United States that support the massage therapy part time or full-time work, mine is the most important. Like most, is autonomous. A large percentage of these workers are part-time and self. Not all U.S. states require a license to practice massage therapy. Check your local massage therapist can perform a hot stone massage.

Shiatsu Massage Recliners Save You Thousands On Massage Therapy

With health care costs on the rise, everyone is looking to save money. Health care is looking to automation to help offset expenses. Most industries transition from labor intensive to capital intensive. Now we are seeing the potential of massage therapy transitioning to capital intensive or the use of machines/equipment. With the rise of massage chairs, many massage techniques can be delivered effectively with these chairs. How is money actually saved in this situation?

Have you ever gotten a massage at a day spa? If so, then you know that a time needs to be set with the massage therapist. We also need to go to and come back from the day spa. The massage therapist works for a fee. We need to pay the masseuse by the hour and also give a tip. Let us assume we go to the spa once a week for a year, then the massage therapy bill will be thousands of dollars.

You may already be getting treatment for an ailment that you have. Perhaps you are seeing a chiropractor. The good doctor puts you through a barrage of therapies, adjustments, exercises and more. The chiropractor is helping you to get your situation corrected. But you also need to make changes to keep those conditions from recurring. Many chiropractors use massage therapy to help their patients. If you insurance requires co-pays and other deductables then you may be payings hundreds per year or more.

Traditional massage therapy has been delivered by humans for centuries. Certainly this is a fantastic method to receive massage therapy. However, massage chairs now provide an alternative that delivers effective massage therapy. These therapeutic recliners range in price from $1,000 to $7,000.

We do interesting things when we compare. We look at things in the short term. I see the price of getting a massage as $75/hour and think that is cheap compared to a $3,000 massage chair. Is it really cheaper? Let us find out. My massage costs $75/hour plus gratuity which at 15% is $10.00 for a total of eighty-five dollars. How many hours of massage therapy do I get for the cost of a massage chair? Let us divide the $3,000 by the $85/hour. We get 35 massage therapy hours.

The massage chair cost is equivalent to 35 hours of massage therapy performed by a massage therapist. How long are massage chair rated to last? Typical massage chairs in the $3,000 range are designed for 1,000 to 2,000 hours of life. Let us take the lower number of 1,000 hours. How much does an hour of massage therapy cost on a massage chair. $3,000 divided by 1,000 gives us $3/hour of massage therapy! The best part is you do not have to tip the massage chair. You can pay a massage therapist $85/hour or $3/hour for a massage chair.

The real economics of the massage recliner is that it is a vastly superior value to traditional massage therapy. Obviously, getting a massage from a masseuse has its advantages beyond just the economics. But massage chairs also have some major advantages of availability and accessibility. Not to mention the overwhelming economic advantage. There certainly is tremendous value over the long run with a massage chair.

Infrared and Massage Therapy = No Sore Muscles

I think we can all attest to the discomfort of sore muscles after strenuous exercise. Although the pains we go through to get into shape are worth the battle, it would be nice to not have to hold our breath every time we need time we need to lift our leg above 90 degrees after all those squats, or to wince in pain when closing the car door after all those chin ups!

There is a solution to delayed onset muscle soreness- book in for an infrared sauna session followed by a massage and your muscle pain will be a thing of the past.

Infrared heat therapy has been used by physiotherapists and doctors of Chinese medicine for many years to improve circulation and relaxation in the muscles and tissues. The increased blood flow helps to purge the muscles of lactic acid which causes aches and pains in the muscle tissue. It also helps to relax the muscles, prepping them for massage therapy. Your massage therapist can then begin to work out trigger points and any remaining tightness in your muscles.

I’ve been surprised of late to find that as I continue to focus on my core muscles and proper alignment during exercise, that formerly weak muscles are becoming short and tight in response to this change in form. This has caused aches and pains to arise where I’m not accustomed. So even when I think I’ve gotten into better shape- there’s still plenty of maintenance to be done in order to keep my muscles healthy and to prevent injury.

So now I know I have a choice- to wince and hold my breath until the soreness subsides, or I can book in for a treatment and carry on… hmmm… that’s not such a hard decision!

Here’s a rather amusing article by Tim Dowling for the Guardian regarding his experience using an infrared sauna. Fortunately for Spruce Body Lab patrons, our sauna is a private retreat in which to relax and sweat it all out!

Shiatsu Massage Recliners Save You Thousands On Massage Therapy

With health care costs on the rise, everyone is looking to save money. Health care is looking to automation to help offset expenses. Most industries transition from labor intensive to capital intensive. Now we are seeing the potential of massage therapy transitioning to capital intensive or the use of machines/equipment. With the rise of massage chairs, many massage techniques can be delivered effectively with these chairs. How is money actually saved in this situation?

Have you ever gotten a massage at a day spa? If so, then you know that a time needs to be set with the massage therapist. We also need to go to and come back from the day spa. The massage therapist works for a fee. We need to pay the masseuse by the hour and also give a tip. Let us assume we go to the spa once a week for a year, then the massage therapy bill will be thousands of dollars.

You may already be getting treatment for an ailment that you have. Perhaps you are seeing a chiropractor. The good doctor puts you through a barrage of therapies, adjustments, exercises and more. The chiropractor is helping you to get your situation corrected. But you also need to make changes to keep those conditions from recurring. Many chiropractors use massage therapy to help their patients. If you insurance requires co-pays and other deductables then you may be payings hundreds per year or more.

Traditional massage therapy has been delivered by humans for centuries. Certainly this is a fantastic method to receive massage therapy. However, massage chairs now provide an alternative that delivers effective massage therapy. These therapeutic recliners range in price from $1,000 to $7,000.

We do interesting things when we compare. We look at things in the short term. I see the price of getting a massage as $75/hour and think that is cheap compared to a $3,000 massage chair. Is it really cheaper? Let us find out. My massage costs $75/hour plus gratuity which at 15% is $10.00 for a total of eighty-five dollars. How many hours of massage therapy do I get for the cost of a massage chair? Let us divide the $3,000 by the $85/hour. We get 35 massage therapy hours.

The massage chair cost is equivalent to 35 hours of massage therapy performed by a massage therapist. How long are massage chair rated to last? Typical massage chairs in the $3,000 range are designed for 1,000 to 2,000 hours of life. Let us take the lower number of 1,000 hours. How much does an hour of massage therapy cost on a massage chair. $3,000 divided by 1,000 gives us $3/hour of massage therapy! The best part is you do not have to tip the massage chair. You can pay a massage therapist $85/hour or $3/hour for a massage chair.

The real economics of the massage recliner is that it is a vastly superior value to traditional massage therapy. Obviously, getting a massage from a masseuse has its advantages beyond just the economics. But massage chairs also have some major advantages of availability and accessibility. Not to mention the overwhelming economic advantage. There certainly is tremendous value over the long run with a massage chair.

Retain All Out Of Your Massage Therapy

Massage is much more than just a luxury item. The popularity of these types of treatments has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. People are feeling more stress and are looking for holistic ways to reduce it. Massage therapy is a natural method to help us relieve aches, pains and other discomfort in the body. Getting the most out of your treatment involves a few simple tips so that you can maximize your relaxation, recuperation and physical well being.

A massage is meant to be a holistic body treatment. These types of treatments have been given for centuries. Many of these traditional remedies have been incorporated into different massage techniques. There are many schools of thought on massage therapy. However, there are many common elements which can be used to help you get the most out of your treatment.

Generally, you want to avoid eating immediately before receiving a massage. Give yourself at least 30 minutes before your massage treatment to sufficiently digest your food. If you eat before a massage, then your digestive tract is occupied with processing the food. This requires more blood to be put through the digestive area. This will decrease the quality of the massage received.

Make sure you know any trouble spots that you want to avoid. Massage therapy applied to the wrong area can be harmful. Make sure any questionable areas are avoided. Check with your health provider to find out if you should receive these types of treatments for that area.

Find some relaxing music to play during the session. It is important that you find ways to distract your mind. If you are under stress, then music is a great way to let your mind drift. Your mind needs to let go of the tension is holding over your body. Helping to reduce this source of tension will make your body more receptive areas.

Check that you are breathing normal during the therapy session. Sometimes when a stiff muscle is being worked on, the rate of breathing can increase to deal with the discomfort. Monitor your breathing to see if this is occurring. You want to be relaxed and your breathing should be close to normal.

Minimize the distractions during your massage therapy make sure that your cell phone is off and other communication sources are blocked out. It is important to relax from start to finish getting the most benefit. Your mind needs to let go of the tension and let the body be penetrated by the massage.

Turn off the lights and start a couple of candles. Candles provide for soft and soothing light for the eyes. They are a perfect complement to creating a relaxing environment. You can also dim the lights to a low-level for the same type of effect.

Another common practice is to use a fragrance. This is commonly referred to as aromatherapy. Having a subtle fragrance in the room helps to enlighten the senses and provides for a more soothing state of mind.

After you receive a massage, you should drink a glass of water. Many massage techniques help to flush the toxins out of the stiff muscle and soft tissue areas. The toxins hold up under times of stress and need to be released. These are much more effectively release from the body when water is consumed within 15 minutes of the massage.

These are just a few tips to help you get the most out of a massage. It is important that the environment and your mental state are congruent with relaxing massage therapy. If you are too distracted, then your body and muscles will not relax. Also, to get the real benefits of massage it must be received on a frequent basis. Just like diet and exercise, it must be done more than time.