Did you know that the art of massage has ancient roots? While we might understand it, in the [modern] West as a way to simply relax sore and tense muscles, it is actually a practice much older than Western health care. In fact, massage has long been used as a mode of health care in many societies.
Here are a few ways Euro-spa massage has been utilized as a type of health care.
REFLEXOLOGY
Reflexology is an Eastern philosophy that suggests each region of the hands and feet correspond to different meridians in the body and that manipulating these regions can influence blood—and energy—flow in those parts of the body. This follows many Easter traditions that say the body is nothing more than a network of “meridians” that connect the organs to the body’s extremities. More importantly, though, the sacred life force known as ‘qi’ travels throughout the body via these meridians. Reflexology, then, ensures that any obstructions or complications can be remedied through massage.
CRANIOSACRAL
Craniosacral massage is a modality of therapy that focuses on the rubbing and massaging of the cranium; otherwise known as the thin layer of nerves, muscles, and skin covering the skull. The idea is that this will help to improve the blood—and energy—flow through the head, the shoulders, spine, and as far as the lower back. Generally, this technique best serves the improvement of structural imbalance, but it is ultimately another way to improve overall health without medication or dramatic lifestyle change.
PRENATAL
Pregnancy massage—prenatal massage—is a special form of alternative treatment for women who are with child. Of course, pregnancy is not always all that comfortable. The muscles have to deal with bearing more weight, and there is always a lot of tension and discomfort and stress. These issues, unfortunately, can be complex and, therefore, hard to treat with things like medicine. Massage, on the other hand, appears to work wonders for many pregnant women who are experiencing physical complications associated with pregnancy.
LYMPH DRAINAGE
The lymphatic system is a network of bean-shaped nodes throughout the human body that distributes fluid between organs. This is aimed at assisting in the transporting of nutrients and oxygen to the organs and waste away from them. Lymphatic massage follows the theory that infection, injury, and other abnormality can cause swelling in the lymph nodes; and doctors feel for this swelling to help them diagnose certain conditions.
Lymphatic massage, then, helps to drain these nodes to encourage better energy and blood flow, reduce inflammation, and discourage the development of various conditions and illnesses.
