I.

INTRODUCTION:
A. Did you know: One hour of massage is as beneficial in healing the body as getting 8
hours of sleep.
B. Im a Licensed Massage Therapist that has worked on elite athletes and for numerous
respected Spas in the Valley.
C. The benefits of receiving Therapeutic Massage are beneficial to your overall health.
D. Preview:
First: Massage is good for you physically
Second: Massage is good for you emotionally/mentally
Third: Ancient healing method/Modalities and uses.

II. BODY:
A. The physiological benefits of receiving Massage are great in many ways.
1. Massage Therapy promotes healing in the body
a. Decreases inflammation
b. Breaks down scar tissue
c. Increases circulation--detoxifying
2. Good for injury prevention
a. Increases flexibility
b. Prevents cramping
c. Keeps joints lubricated
3. Good for dis-ease prevention
a. Removes waste from lymphatic system--detoxifying
b. Increases immune system, increase white blood cells
c. Reduces Ischemia (reduction of flow of blood to an area)
(Sports Injury Clinic, http://www.massageandrehabilitationclinic.com/benefits-a-effects.html)
Massage also benefits in the body in other ways, such as emotionally (mentally) and
energetically.

B. Massage is good for your mental/emotional state.
1. Massage is a great stress reducer
a. Relaxing
b. Releases tension in the body
c. Able to zone out on the table
2. Massage decreases depression and malaise
a. Triggers a release of endorphins
b. Increases serotonin
c. Pain reliever
3. Massage helps heal emotional issues
a. Can trigger emotional release
b. Muscle tension can be due to emotions held on in the muscle
c. Body is connected physically, emotionally and energetically; tensegrity.
(Everyday Health; http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/the-benefits-of-
massage.aspx)
All in all massage has many uses and is an ancient modality for healing. It has been around for
centuries

C. Massage is an Ancient modality and there are a lot of different types that are used for different
reasons.
1. Massage has been around for a very long time

a. Archeologists found acupressure used in 772B.C.-221 B.C. in China
b. Per Henrik Ling created the style of massage best known today as Swedish
massage in the early 1800s.
c. The very first acknowledged one of the 4 classical forms of medical Tx.
(They are Massage, acupuncture, moxibustionancient Chinese medicine
that involves the burning of mug wart to facilitate healing, and herbalism).


2. Massage used in conjunction with herbs and oils

a. Essential oils (blood of plants) used to enhance effects of massage
b. Different oils are good for balancing emotional states
c. Oils are absorbed quickly into the blood stream through the pores of the skin.

3. Different types of massage

a. Swedish, Sports, Injury, Russian Sports MassageMost popular form of massage
today, elongating, relaxing strokes. Injury preventionrelaxation.
b. Acupressure, Shiatsu, Reflexology work in conjunct with bodies meridians or KI
(chi) flow. Applied pressure to certain points in the body to release blockages in the
Ki.
c. Cranial Sacral, Reiki, Polarityenergy work. Involves light touch to balance energy
centers in the body called Chakras.

(Liechti, Elaine. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shiatsu: The Japanese Healing Art of Touch
for Health and Fitness. pp. 20; Massage Today,
http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14291)

III. CONCLUSION: Massage therapy has been around for centuries. Its something that I feel is
pertinent to leading a healthy lifestyle. Ultimately, if you are a person, you should receive regular
massage treatments. Our lifestyles are so busy and stressful because we have so many hats to
wear now, we are students/teachers, mothers/fathers, wives/husbands, boyfriends/girlfriends,
friends, sisters/brothers, sons/daughters, employees/employers, volunteers, we have houses to
maintain, and we are constantly working to better our lives, dis-ease is rampant. Stress is a major
cause of dis-ease in the body. Therefore, taking a time out for ourselves is something we usually
put on the back burner. But, Massage takes an hour of your day or even week, the results and
benefits of receiving a massage are long lasting and can make you feel like a brand new person;
happy, healthy and ready to take on whatever life has to throw at you.

WORKS CITED:
Everyday Health, http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/the-benefits-of-
massage.aspx
Liechti, Elaine. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shiatsu: The Japanese Healing Art of
Touch for Health and Fitness. Shaftesbury, Dorset: Element, 1998. Print.
Massage Today, http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14291
Sports Injury Clinic, http://www.massageandrehabilitationclinic.com/benefits-a-
effects.html