This article first appeared in the September 7, 1994 issue
of the Northeast Times Newsweekly
Benefits of massage will rub you the right way
At Beauty Worx you can indulge in a full body, 60-minute Swedish
massage or a 5, 10, or 15 minute "mini-stress buster"
at affordable rates for people who are tight on time or money. Call
215-322-1112 for an appointment.
Massage is one of the "hands-on" healing arts. It stimulates
the body's natural healing powers. A good massage can affect you
on all levels of your being.
Holistic massage treats the individual as a whole, rather than
concentrate on physical conditions, and its movements are generally
slower. It is most effective when the client is relaxed, but alert,
and concentrating on the therapist's touch.
Some benefits of having a regular massage include:
- Mental and physical fatigue is relieved.
- Chronic neck and shoulder tension can be released.
- Back pain can be relieved -- muscle spasms eliminated.
- Patients with arthritis experience relief because improved circulation
to the joints reduces inflammation and pain.
- Nasal Congestion and sinus conditions improve dramatically.
- Toxins and wastes are flushed from the lymphatic system.
- Lactic acid, which accumulates in muscles after vigorous exercise,
can be removed to prevent soreness and aching.
Efficient blood flow is important to every system of the body,
but taut, tense muscles often interfere, By stretching and loosening
muscles, massage releases physical tension and stimulates the circulation
of the blood and lymph fluids, encouraging the movement of blood
though the veins back toward the heart. It enables fresh blood to
pour through the arteries, fueling the muscles with fresh oxygen
and nutrients while flushing away metabolic waste products. Poisonous
waste materials, like the lactic acid that stores up painfully in
tired muscles, are being swept away. By triggering release of the
body's natural painkillers -- hormones called endorphins -- massage
also has a tranquilizing effect on the central nervous system. It
calms the mind through calming the body.
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