Two Conditions That Can Be Treated With Massage Therapy
Many people assume that massage therapy is mainly designed to help people relax. In reality, it can treat a wide range of conditions. Read on to find out about two common health issues that can be treated with massage.
Lower back pain during pregnancy
Pregnancy can produce dozens of different symptoms. One of the most common is lower back pain.
There a couple of reasons why many pregnant women suffer from this issue. Firstly, the ligaments in a woman's body gradually become more pliable over the course of the nine months of pregnancy.
This pliability helps to prepare the body for the process of giving birth. However, it also results in these ligaments being unable to provide the pelvis and lower back with the same amount of support than they normally would. This increases the amount of strain that is placed on the joints in these areas of the body.
Additionally, many women put on a significant amount of weight during pregnancy. Most of these extra kilos accumulate in the abdominal and uterine area; unfortunately, excess weight in this part of the body can place pressure on the spine which can, in turn, lead to pain in the lower back.
Massage therapy performed by a qualified physiotherapist can help to alleviate this type of pain by releasing the tension in the strained muscles and increasing the flow of blood to the affected area.
It is absolutely essential for women who want to have their back pain treated in this manner to ensure that the person performing the massage specialises in women's health physio, as a professional of this kind will understand which techniques are safe and effective for use during pregnancy.
Repetitive strain injury
As the term itself suggests, repetitive strain injury is a painful condition which is caused by repeatedly performing the same action, to the point where the tendons, nerves and muscles in a body part (usually a hand, wrist, forearm or elbow) sustain damage. It frequently develops in people who spend a lot of time on computers and those who participate in sports that feature repetitive movements (such as tennis, for example). This condition can cause muscle spasms, numbness, tingling and pain.
Massage therapy can be a highly effective treatment for this health issue. It can help to break apart any scar tissue which may be entrapping the nerves in the affected area (this is often what causes the numbness and tingling symptoms), improve circulation, release muscle spasms and restore flexibility.
