preview

Massage Therapy Essay

Decent Essays

Massage therapy has been used for thousands of years as a form of medical care, the earliest time of use dates back to 2,700 BC from a Chinese book called “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”. The Chinese used this form of treatment for a person with full paralysis or an illness from fever and chills. History shows that Greek and Roman doctors also used massage therapy, as Julius Caesar had a disease called neuralgia and used massages on a daily basis to treat his condition. Hippocrates who was known as the Father of Western Medicine felt that massage therapy was effective, as it could loosen or bind a problematic joint. Massage therapy is also found in the history of Indian Medicine as the Indians used and still use …show more content…

Massage therapy can help with alleviating muscle tension, diminishing stress, and bringing to mind feelings of calmness, along with helping chronic fatigue syndrome, easing chronic constipation, and enhancing self image. It also manipulates the activity of the musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous systems in the body. Clinical studies have revealed that massage relieves chronic back pain more effectively than other treatments and most times it is more cost effective than other treatments ("University of Maryland Medical Center"). Mothers and newborns also seem to gain from massage; for example, mothers that massage their infants may feel less depressed and have a stronger emotional bond with their babies. Plus, newborns who receive massage from their mothers tend to cry less, be more alert, active, and sociable. Premature babies who are given massage therapy may gain weight faster than preemies that are not given this type of therapy. Also, infants who receive massage frequently tend to sleep better, be less gassy or colicky, have better body awareness, and a more regular digestion. Studies have also shown that massage may be a helpful treatment for young children and adolescents with a wide range of health problems, including: Autism, Eczema, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,

Get Access