Thursday, November 30, 2017

Massage Therapy to Rejuvenate, Relieve Stress and Pain

Your body and mind are relaxed just after one massage session. Imagine what regular massage can do to you. Massage is an excellent therapy to do away with physical and mental pain and stress.




Earlier, when elders in the family came back home after a long and tiring day, some of the juniors in the family used to give them head and body massage with oil, preferably mustard oil.

Massage is helpful to relieve people after a long day of extensive physical and mental work.

Homemade herbal oils are used to provide massage. 

This is helpful for relaxing muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Everyone knows about the benefits of massage during and after pregnancy to the expectant mother.

The physical activities and movements of an expectant Mother are limited and that may lead to pain and stress.
Special Ayurvedic oils are prepared for the Mother and the newborn/ infants/ small children.


  • Neem leaves ( Azadirachta Indica), ginger strands, Ajwain ( a herb like a thyme), Hing (Asafetida)Tulsi ( Basil), gooseberries, camphor are some of the examples that are soaked in oil to give a beneficial massage to the baby and the mother.
  • Giving a gentle massage to babies is necessary. Most of the times, babies have to keep lying in a bed. Massage with herbal oils relieves small children from body aches and tensions. Massage also makes their bodies flexible and stronger.
  • Massage in recent times has become more popular and modern massage parlours provide wonderful services to relax and rejuvenate their customers.
  • These variations are in the form of fragrant essential oils, herbal, and medicinal oils.
  • These massage parlours are expensive but people don't mind paying for a specialised massage.

Why have a specialized Massage?

1. The feeling is wonderful because it means someone is taking personal care and with their gentle touch, trying to relieve pain or anxiety.
2. It does help in relieving tensions, stress, and anxiety. One has to try it to agree completely.
3. People with sleep disorders get relief with a head massage. Having a head massage with cool herbal oils such as Amla (gooseberry oil), hibiscus oil, camphor oil after a tiring day is a normal practice for many people. It is helpful in inducing sound sleep.
4. A gentle massage can give relief to soft ti
5. Massage relieves and relaxes muscle tensions in hands, legs, calf muscles, back, and can be beneficial for minor digestive disorders, if done correctly.

Massage thus can be termed as a safe, alternative therapy for the treatment of pain, stress, and general tiredness.
Massage is done with hands and palms, by the process of pressing, kneading, rubbing the affected body part. It can also be done by tapping and applying little pressure and vibrations.
As a layperson one can understand that this increases blood circulation in that part of the body that in turn helps to soothe and relax the muscles.
The smooth blood circulation also helps the influx of oxygenated blood and helps to throw out toxins from that body part. This helps to give relief to the person from pain and stress.

Massage should be done in the correct way to get the maximum benefits:

  • To get the effective benefit, it's necessary to use the correct technique of massage. Training centres for massage therapists are widely available and everything is done in a scientific way nowadays.
  • And for this, the massage therapist must understand the blood circulation system in human body.
  • The Heart receives impure blood from all organs of the body.
  • Then, the blood is sent to the lungs to become pure and oxygenated.
  • The purified blood is circulated throughout the body through the many arteries.
  • The focus of the massage therapist is to rub, press, or tap the muscles towards the heart as the impure blood circulates towards the heart.
  • If done otherwise, the massage may not be effective to relieve the stress.
  • One may use oil for massage or can have a daily dry massage by self, using the same technique as mentioned above and maintain good health.

Massage Parlours and Spa Oils:

But Oil massage has medicinal properties and helps even to protect and prevent from various minor ailments.
A visit to an Ayurvedic shop at a reputed mall will leave anyone amazed at the variety of Herbal oils displayed there.
Most common Herbal massage oils :

Sandalwood oil-

Rosewood oil,

Eucalyptus oil,

Amla or Gooseberry oil,

Jojoba oil, 

Lemongrass oil,

Avocado oil, 

Coconut oil and much more.



These herbal oils are used individually or in combination with each other, depending upon the customer‘s requirements.
They have immense medicinal properties and give relief in a number of ways, right from being antidepressant, antibacterial to provide essential vitamins to the body.
The Spa parlours provide treatments by using such and other oils or a combination of them to satisfy their customers.
Olive oil (for body massage throughout the year), and Mustard oil (massage for winters, since it brings warmth to the body from severe cold) is preferred by many.
Coconut oil and Amla oil is good for head massage. In summers however herbal oil with Camphor is effective in keeping the head cool and relaxed.

Caution:

While massage is beneficial to everyone having normal health conditions, it may not be the same for people having certain health issues.
  • People on blood thinning medications,
  • People having Osteoporosis,
  • People having vein thrombosis or in simpler words has a tendency of blood clots within veins,
  • People with open wounds, fractures, or burns,
  • People having Allergies from unknown substances,
  • People having some kind of Nerve disorder.
Therefore, before starting any kind of Massage, as a therapy, one must consult the Doctor. Always go to a certified Massage therapist.
The government guidelines and regulations require the massage parlours to get certifications done. Always go for a reputed and registered Massage clinic.
By learning to do massage yourself with the help of some family member, one can save money and time.

© Chitrangada Sharan 

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