Massage is a form of manual body work which includes applying pressure, kneading and stretching the muscles and other soft tissue, in order to release tension in the body and improve overall health and wellbeing. Massage also helps to release tension from tendons, ligaments and fascia, and stimulates the lymphatic, circulatory, nervous and musculoskeletal systems, relieving stress, and enhancing overall healing.
The term ‘massage therapy’ is used to describe a wide variety of techniques used today, and each technique varies in the application of touch, pressure and the intensity. Each method is specifically devised either for overall relaxation and wellbeing, or with specific goal in mind, such a Lymphatic Drainage for oedema and detoxification purposes, or Chi Nei Tsang – abdominal massage focusing on emotional, digestive and organ health.
Massage is beneficial for most health issues; however, it is mostly sought for pain and stress management. Our instinct to ‘massage the pain away’ is now supported by science, and researchers named it “the gate theory”. They found that the pressure receptors under the skin transmit information to the brain much faster than pain receptors. If both pain and pressure receptors are transmitting at the same time, the signals from the pressure receptors tend to override the pain signals, thus easing the perception of pain. Massage is therefore an effective way to activate these pressure receptors, and “close the gate”.
Besides overriding the pain signals, massage also helps to stimulate the vagus nerve – the longest cranial nerve connecting the brain, the spine and the organs – which in turn helps increase the parasympathetic nerve activity, helping the body to relax on a deep level.
The various types of massage therapies
The history of massage therapy dates to approximately 3000BC in India, where it was considered a sacred system to restore the body’s natural and physical balance so that it can heal naturally, and was passed down through generations to heal injuries, relieve pain, and prevent and cure illnesses.
These healing methods travelled to China andSoutheast Asia about 2700 BC, where new massage methods were developed as a combination of skills and practices of traditional Chinese medicine, martial arts and the spiritual yoga training of Buddhists and Taoists.
Massage therapy reached Egypt around 2500 BC, with evidence being depicted in tomb paintings. The Egyptians added their own bodywork techniques, in addition to developing Reflexology.
At around 1000 BC, monks studying Buddhism in China brought massage to Japan, adapted it to their needs and called it “anma,” later known as Shiatsu.
In Greece, between 800 and 700 BC, athletes used massage before competitions, and doctors often applied herbs and oils in combination with massage to treat various ailments.
In 5th Century BC, the father of medicine Hippocrates treated physical injuries with friction and was the first to prescribe a combination of massage, proper diet, fresh air, exercise and music to restore any health imbalances.
