History of Massage Therapy

The history of massage therapy is long and dates back thousands of years. There are references to massage that appear in writings from India, Egypt, Arabic nations, China, Rome, and Greece (Hippocrates defining it as the “art of rubbing”). Massage became widely popular in Europe during the Renaissance. In the 1850s American physicians who had studied in Sweden, introduced massage therapy to the United States where it grew to be popular. Many different doctors promoted it for the different health benefits it offered. Today, massage therapy is very popular and a number of different countries across the globe are using the techniques more than ever before.

Health Benefits of Massage Therapy

Based on the surveys released by the National Health Interview that sampled more than 18 million adults in the United States as well as 700,000 children who had received massage therapy during the year prior to the survey. It was discovered that people use massage for a number of health related purposes such as relieving pain, increasing relaxation, reducing stress, and addressing cases of depression, anxiety as well as aiding general wellness. With massage in place, a person can achieve the wellness that they deserve.

Are There Any Side Effects of Massage Therapy?

According to recent studies, there are reports that massage therapy only has a few minor risks, so it is important that it is performed by a professional who is trained and who knows the appropriate precautions to follow. For the more than two decades that we have been doing massages, we have noted some of these minimal side effects include discomfort or temporary pain, swelling and bruising. There are some extremely rare cases where people have had an allergic reaction to the massage oils we use.

To avoid these potential risks, it is recommended that the following be taken into consideration:

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  Vigorous massage procedures should be avoided especially by people with cases of bleeding disorders

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  Massages should not be done in areas of the body that have blood clots, open wounds that are healing, skin infections that are healing, or weakened bones.

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  While massages could be safe for patients with cancer, they are first advised to talk to their oncologists before proceeding.

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  Lastly, pregnant women are advised to consult with their healthcare professionals before thinking of undergoing a massage.