Massage Therapy is an enjoyable and effective treatment for many conditions that cause stress and muscle or joint discomfort.

Massage therapy uses a variety of hands on techniques that apply stretch and pressure to soft tissues to relieve pain and maintain or improve physical function of muscles and joints.  

When we perform daily tasks and physical activities, our muscles are contracting repeatedly by way of nerve signals sent from the brain and chemical reactions within the muscle tissue.  When you strain a muscle, part of the muscle fiber is damaged through rupture of the muscle cell membrane which releases an excess of chemical mediators for muscle contraction, and the result is continued contraction of the muscle, even after activity/movement has stopped.  Muscles shorten and lengthen with joint movement but the sustained shortening after strain causes decrease in flexibility and decrease in blood flow and elimination of metabolic waste products through the muscles.  This creates an uncomfortable stiff and sore feeling, strain on joints, ultimately making you more susceptible to muscular injury/re-injury.  The same thing occurs after prolonged activity, even if you do not think you have strained a muscle.  The prolonged use of muscles shortens them and does not allow for sufficient blood flow/oxygen flow/removal of metabolic waste, which leads to formation of painful muscle knots.

Massage Therapy relaxes the nervous system to decrease muscle tension.  As well, the techniques used during the treatment place a stretch on soft tissues to re-lengthen shortened, tight areas, and allow for better blood flow and lymphatic drainage.  The result is improved flexibility and decreased pain because your muscles will more easily contract and relax, and shorten and lengthen during activity.  Through decreasing tension and decreasing muscle tightness, massage therapy enables your body to heal with improved circulation and to return to normal function.

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