The use of touch to bring about relaxation and healing began long before the current stresses of today. As grounding and relaxing as it can be to merely have a warm caring hand placed on your shoulder, it is imaginable to think that the art of healing touch spontaneously developed in most cultures around the world in one form or another. In fact, this is true.
Way back in 2700 BCE, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic Book of Internal Medicine, a book that is still in print today, describes using acupuncture points to stimulate healing. Acupressure developed from this practice into Anma and Shiatsu. Our modern Swedish Massage therapy of the 19th Century was developed by Per Henrik Ling and is taught in credentialed Massage Therapy Schools worldwide. From Reflexology in Egypt, to infant massage therapy from Ayurvedic Medicine in India, and sports massage techniques using herbs, oils, and friction therapy of Ancient Greece, the art and science of Massage Therapy has been naturally and spontaneously developing around the world.
Today, the psychological effects of regular massage therapy altering EEG activity, increasing parasympathetic (the rest/digest part of the Nervous System) activity and decrease cortisol levels, is credited for reducing stress and anxiety, and supporting the immune response by numerous scientific studies.
The pandemic and massage: “With the increase in the number of diagnosed COVID-19, the number of cured COVID-19 is on the rise, and the number of people in the recovery period of COVID-19 is also on the rise. Patients with COVID-19 are often accompanied by a series of symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia. There is evidence that supports the effectiveness and safety of massage for anxiety, insomnia, and aches and pains all over the body.[15]” LINK
So whether you’re feeling the need to be softened from all the activity (or inactivity) that you do, want some relief from chronic pain, are suffering from long haul symptoms of Covid-19, or you just want a little assistance relaxing, there is no better time and no reason not to schedule regular massage therapy appointments.
