Massage is a popular technique that people use for a variety of reasons. About 15% of the U.S. population gets a massage at least once a year. One of the top reasons people get a massage is for its relaxation benefits, but some types of massage, especially specialty kinds such sports massage therapy and medical massage, are very effective at reducing pain. More than 50% of the people getting a massage did so for pain relief or injury rehabilitation, and 90% of the population believes a massage helps reduce pain. Here are the various types of massage you can get and what they are effective for.
Therapeutic massage is one of the most popular forms of massage around. When you go to a spa or resort and have a massage, you typically are having a therapeutic massage. Therapeutic massage’s aim typically is relaxation and stress relief, although such massage techniques may help people with sore muscles and other types of pain. About a quarter of all the people who have a massage do so solely for the relaxation benefits, according to studies.
Sports massage therapy is a more specialized form of therapeutic massage. Sports massage therapy is common for people who are high-level athletes, whether they are professionals or amateurs. These types of massages often are longer than massages done thoroughly for therapeutic purposes, and they also may be combined with other techniques for soothing sore muscles and aching joints.
Medical massages are another category of massage therapy. These are typically massages that are prescribed for a specific medical purpose. One of the most common medical massage reasons is to reduce pain in cancer patients. In such cases, massage might also be combined with other treatments such as acupuncture. Medical massage also is used for other reasons, such as to help pregnant women, to help people lose weight, and to help with lowering blood pressure, where it has been proven through medical studies to help.
Whatever your reason for having a massage and whatever type you have, you should be able to reap many benefits from it. You want to be sure you find a therapist you are comfortable with, and you also want to investigate that person to make sure he or she is properly licensed and hasn’t been the subject of an excessive number of complaints.