Getting a massage is not just about doing yourself good , or relieving some muscular tension. Very serious studies have shown multiple effects, both physiological and psychological, allowing you to better resist stress , a trigger for pathologies.
In China and Japan, this therapeutic gesture has been part of traditional medicine for over 3,000 years. In ancient Greece and Rome, gladiators were massaged after games, and the sick for better convalescence. But in the West, Judeo-Christian morality, hostile to anything related to touch, has long put a lid on this practice.
Little by little, with the rediscovery of oriental practices in particular, massage has become more democratic. There are a multitude of massage techniques – Californian, Ayurvedic, Swedish, Chinese (Tui Na), Thai. For a long time, it was believed that the positive impacts of massage were only due to the increase in skin temperature in the treated area, the elimination of toxic waste, but above all to the placebo effect generated by being taken care of, cocooned.
However, numerous scientific studies have now demonstrated that these virtues are linked in particular to chain biochemical modifications, which propagate to the heart of cells, at the level of their DNA.
Direct benefits of massage on the body
Provided that the massage is well performed, by expert and caring hands, the effects are numerous.
Flexibility and mobility
Whether you are a little too sedentary, not sporty enough, sick or a little old, many causes can alter mobility and cause stiffness and contractures. Massage, through its mechanical intervention, promotes a return to flexibility and mobility.
Pain relief
Massage promotes muscle relaxation and oxygenation and thus helps to release muscle tension and stiffness. Indeed, when a muscle remains in contraction, it is poorly oxygenated, which contributes to the accumulation of metabolic waste that causes pain and cramps. In addition, contraction has an impact on tendons, joints, muscles and surrounding tissues. Massage, through firm pressure, mobilizations and stretching, relieves points and areas of tension and reduces chronic pain, particularly in the back, neck and shoulders. Many clinical studies have noted the relevance of certain maneuvers to reduce joint stiffness and chronic neuromuscular pain, soothe headaches and even digestive disorders .
Benefits of massage on the whole body
The effects of massage go far beyond the area treated.
Improved blood circulation
The pressure points of the massage act directly on the blood system and help promote its circulation. The massage stimulates the vasodilation of the superficial blood vessels and produces what is called local hyperthermia: a warming of the skin. The slight redness associated with this heat of the skin indicates an increase in blood flow which thus increases the transport of oxygen and nutrients and accelerates the evacuation of toxins. The body regains energy, better tone. The skin, tissues and muscles are more supple and cardiovascular diseases are partly prevented. On the legs, this improvement in circulation prevents the sensation of heavy legs and the appearance of varicose veins.
Anti-inflammatory effect
A 2012 study by researchers at McMaster University (Ontario) and published in the journal Science Translational Medicine showed that 10 minutes of massage reduces the production of cytokines, messengers of inflammation, and at the same time stimulates the production of mitochondria, the energy factories of cells. This mechanism is similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). For researchers, massage therapy offers the advantage of combining repair and pain reduction. Massages therefore have a great advantage over nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which, while reducing inflammation and pain, delay cellular recovery and are accompanied by undesirable side effects.
Strengthening the immune system
Massage also stimulates the lymphatic system which helps the immune system to function properly, strengthening its defense action against bacteria and viruses. The body is better prepared to protect itself against diseases. By promoting the circulation of the lymphatic system, the body naturally eliminates toxins through urine. In order to promote this process and maximize
the benefits of massage, it is essential to drink plenty of water and stay well hydrated after a massage therapy session.
But massage also acts indirectly on the immune system, through its effects on the psyche.
The benefits of massage on the psyche
Massage even works on the brain.
Stress reduction
Body-based maneuvers, such as those performed in a Swedish, Californian or Thai massage, activate the parasympathetic nervous system. By stimulating specific deep touch receptors located in the dermis, nerve impulses are sent to the spinal cord, which carries them to the brain. In response, the brain begins to produce large quantities of dopamine, serotonin and endorphin, the brain's pleasure hormones, which then diffuse throughout the body . A 2010 study at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles showed that this also resulted in a significant decrease in the secretion of cortisol, the stress hormone. Breathing slows down, and general relaxation sets in. Massage can therefore have an anxiolytic effect and trigger a feeling of well-being that relaxes and helps fight depression.
Improved sleep
By playing on the nervous system, massage promotes a letting go that can approach quasi-meditation, or quasi-hypnosis. A state that the brain retains the memory of to find later, at nighttime sleep.
Working on emotions
Some massages manage to evacuate repressed emotions, physical and psychological tensions thanks to pressure points similar to shiatsu or acupuncture, or biodynamic massages offered by some sophrologists. By combining touch and speech, we can help release traumas inscribed in the body and generating psychosomatic ailments.
Reappropriation of body image
To undertake the process of going for a massage, you have to accept being touched. This requires having made a certain journey yourself in terms of your relationship with your body and its acceptance , and in enhancing your image. The massage itself reinforces the overall body image: both the perception of the unity of the body, since the massage is aimed at all areas, and the perception of the "solidity" of the body because the massage will mobilize the muscles hidden under the shell.
By acting on the nervous system, massage therapy can have a positive impact on the entire body, both physically and mentally. Because everything is linked. Stress leads to poorer sleep, which weakens the immune system, decreases overall energy and makes it more likely to get sick. This usually requires several sessions.
Please note : Physiotherapists have long claimed exclusivity over massage, with legal procedures to support this, leaving other practitioners with the sole right to perform "massages". The law on the modernization of the health system of January 2016 clarified the situation. The term massage disappears. And article R4321-1 of decree n°2015-1110 reserves rehabilitation acts, carried out manually or instrumentally, to physiotherapists, thus leaving room for practitioners of well-being massage .
