Everything you need to know about massages

One of the oldest therapeutic techniques is massage, and it is that they can be applied to treat many diseases and discomforts in people. Because of this, it is good to know everything about massage and its health benefits.

When talking about massages, many people associate them with just a few touches on the neck to relieve stress. But the truth is that this is just one of the many types and techniques of massage, which have different functions, depending on the part of the body that you want to improve. Being then one of the oldest therapeutic methods that exist, here we will talk about everything about massages and the benefits that they bring to people’s general health.

What do the massages consist of?

The massages consist of a series of maneuvers that are based on different movements with variable pressures. These are performed with the hands on the area of the patient’s body, where a type of mechanical weight is produced that is intended to serve as therapy, healing, and disease prevention.

These therapies were created to cause the stimulation, relaxation, or rehabilitation of certain areas of the body, helping to improve circulation, increase muscle flexibility and at the same time minimize the levels of stress that the person is presenting.

Types of massages

The classification of massages is very varied, as many techniques can be applied for this type of therapy. However, the most common are the following:

• Rubbing or sliding. Superficially, contact is made with circular or longitudinal friction, with uniform, slow and smooth movements. In the same way, deep friction can be made, in which displacements are made with very light pressure.
• Kneading. With transverse and torsion movements, the soft tissues must be pressed energetically, so that they can slide and thus lift the muscular tissues.
• Frictions. The finger nubs will move in circles and ellipses, with precision, briefness, and even pressure, to move the skin and muscle area.
• Compression. A fixed compression (without movements) is exerted for periods from half to a minute, more or less.
• Pursuit: pounding and hacking. They are characterized by being energetic tactics in which, with the palm cupped, light blows are given at a fast pace (tapping); while hacking consists of making continuous movements with the ulnar edge of the hands without losing contact and applying strong pressure.
• Vibrations. Vibrations are created in the hands through fixed contractions of the forearms in a way that generates small, continuous, energetic movements.

Benefits of massage for general health

As mentioned at the beginning, massages in any of their modalities have important effects and benefits on the body and the general health of people.

Among them, the following can be described:

• Reduces stress both physically and mentally.
• They help control depression and anxiety.
• Minimize headaches.
• Improves the process of falling asleep.
• Strengthens and strengthens the defense system.
• Relax and decontract the muscles.
• Slows the heart rate, which lowers blood pressure.
• Helps in relieving ailments.
• Reduces body tension.
• Inflammation can be reduced.
• Helps improve flexibility.
• They make the skin more elastic, soft, and smooth.
• Improves stomach and intestine problems.

These are some of the benefits that can be taken advantage of when receiving massages, however, there are many more according to the type of massage that is applied.