July 12th, 2012 • Posted by Why Seniors Shouldn't Shy Away From Massage Therapy • Permalink
70 percent of seniors use some form of alternative medicine. Massage therapy is one of the more popular of these treatments. However, many seniors are still reluctant to incorporate massage into their lifestyles. This is unfortunate. More and more research is showing that massage can be particularly helpful for seniors. It can improve conditions ranging from chronic pain to a general sense of well-being and for healthy individuals it can make it much easier to start or continue regular exercise. If you are among those who have toyed with the idea of exploring massage therapy, but have shied away, it's worth it to take a closer look at what you can expect from massage when integrating massage into your wellness routines.
Massage has a lot of benefits, especially as we age and our circulatory system begins to lose some efficiency. Massage increases blood and lymph circulation, which can help nutrients get to muscle tissue and increase medication absorption rates. The mental and physical improvements resulting from regular massages can include increased flexibility, a sense of well-being, relief from aches and pains, better sleep, and even higher skin temperatures. Plus, adding massage to an exercise regime can make keeping active more comfortable by keeping muscle and connective tissue limber.
The sense of companionship you derive from a visit to your massage therapist is also an important healing effect of massage therapy. Human touch can have a significant impact on your mental and emotional well-being, and can help promote a sense of belonging and friendship, which has its own psychological benefits.
Some of the problems people often turn to massage for help with include arthritis, back pain, high blood pressure and circulation problems (like Raynaud's syndrome or complications from diabetes). Regular massage work can function as an effective supplement.
Massage therapy can add to the quality of a senior's life, both physically and emotionally. Why not consider booking a session for someone you love, and make a difference in their life.
Senior specials are available at our office Monday thru Friday 10-2 each day. Please call our office for more information. 440-826-1100
