Benefits of Arm and Foot Reflexology

Massage is known to be a therapeutic healing science that people have used for many years in treatment of physical and/or emotional trauma all over the world. There are some who emphasise the danger of massage for those who suffer from severe medical conditions, but most people attest to the benefits and relaxation that the hands-on technique provides. Thai massage is one popular form of this.

A Bit of a Background

Having been practiced for over a thousand years, Thai massage is a well-known element of Thai medicine. Combining manipulation, medicine, and ritual as well as diet, Thai medicine is rooted in the idea that disease occurs as a result of imbalance throughout the body’s energy system. Promoting that balance is the aid that allows for the total healing and rejuvenation of the patient. Thai massage, similar to Shiatsu, is surprisingly gentle compared to other therapies.

The Techniques Unraveled

Because Thai massage is holistic, several techniques must be learned, which are applied in two directions on the energy channels throughout the body.

One such technique is ‘blood stopping’; pressure is applied on the leg or arm arteries for about one minute, so that the principal source of circulation is cut out in order to heighten blood pressure, which slows the heart muscle contractions, which then – as the artery is released and the blood supply is restored to the organ – in turn tone down the blood pressure by creating a relaxed state. This is not recommended for those with diabetes or heart issues.

The ‘passive’ technique is performed by the therapist slowly, at several stages, by stretching and releasing the muscles and joints of the patient. Some other techniques that may be involved in Thai massage are hatha yoga or postures.

The Involvement of Reflexology

‘Reflexology’ which has also been more simply termed as ‘foot massage’ is an essential part of Thai massage. Different points on the feet are believed to correspond to specific organs, so treatment of those points can assist in healing those body parts. Enhancement of the energies in the feet is also believed to allow the patient to form a deeper connection with the Earth.

A proper Thai massage can last up to three hours, if performed on the whole body with all of the techniques that this treatment should employ. Ensure that your therapist is licensed and professional, as these techniques if performed improperly can cause damage to your body and mind. Consult your doctor if you have any particular concerns or for a recommendation.

There are alternative therapies for arthritis that are becoming more popular, and if you have arthritis you might want to turn to massage to address both your pain and the stiffness of your condition and your general well-being. Maybe you haven’t tried massage yet because you don’t know what to expect, your not sure that massage is a good idea for your joint pain and inflammation, or maybe you don’t know where to find a good massage therapist. This article will address these valid concerns and show you how massage can be an important part of your effective arthritis management.

So What is a massage? You will have a trained professional known as a massage therapist, who presses, rubs, strokes, kneads, and otherwise manipulates the muscles and soft tissues of your body. Massage is one of the oldest healing arts. The ancient Chinese, Egyptians, and Greeks are all known to have practiced it. Massage became accepted in the United States in the mid 1800′s only to disappear in the following century and not revive until the 1960′s and 1970′s.

Today, there are well over 100,000 massage therapists at work in the United States. They practice massage in many settings, from hospitals to health clubs to private studios. People go to them for many different reasons: to ease pain, to rehabilitate from injury, to reduce stress, to ease anxiety and depression, and to improve general well-being.

While there are more than 250 varieties of massage techniques, most practitioners use one or more of a few basic methods. Many use a form of Swedish massage, which employs long, flowing strokes meant to be calming and relaxing. As your body becomes relaxed, the massage therapist can also apply focused pressure to relieve areas of muscular tension. Other popular forms of massage include deep tissue massage, which features strong pressure on deeper layers of tissue, and myofascial release, in which long, stretching strokes releases the tension in the fascia (the connective tissue around the muscles). There are also the Asian techniques of acupressure and shiatsu, which use finger pressure on specific points on the body, and the technique called reflexology, which upholds that rubbing certain points on the feet, hands, or ears has a positive effect on various body parts.

What are the benefits of massage? If you have a chronic condition, massage can have numerous benefits. If done correctly, massage can provide a wonderful break from the stress of living with arthritis or another stressful condition. It can aid in relaxation, which by itself helps healing and reduces es stress. It can also reduce pain, improve joint movement, relax tense muscles, and stimulate blood flow. But, massage for those of you who have arthritis should be handled as a complementary therapy, that is, one that is used in combination with, and not to replace, other regular medical treatments such as pain medicine or physical therapy. Listed below you will find five ways that massage can benefit you, even if you don’t have arthritis.

One is relaxation. The best and probably the biggest benefit is relaxation, that’s number one. Massage should bring a sense of well-being to the body. Mary Kathleen Rose is a certified massage therapist in Colorado and after 25 years of experience, and much of that working with those with chronic conditions, she has developed a style of massage she calls Comfort Touch that is characterized by slow, broad, and surrounding pressure. It’s not known exactly why or how massage encourages relaxation. Some speculate that massage triggers the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, (which supports the body’s restorative processes), muscle tension is improved, the heart rate slows, and the fight-or-flight response is revered.

Your circulation changes. While the mechanism is not well understood, massage is also thought to encourage the flow of lymph in the body. (Lymph is a fluid that circulates throughout the body; the cells in lymph help fight infection and disease.) Massage can also increase the flow of blood. However, exercise actually has a greater effect on increasing circulation than massage does. And during a relaxing massage, local circulation may increase, but systemic circulation actually slows down, as evidenced by lowered blood pressure, lower body temperature, and slower breathing. This may explains why many people actually become cooler during massage.

You’ll get pain relief. There is some evidence that massage can actually relieve pain. Those who are getting massages certainly think it does. There was a study done by the American Massage Therapy Association that showed 93% of the people who tried a massage, felt it was effective for their pain relief and there are many theories out there for why a massage relieves pain. But, there are some researchers who speculate that massage encourages the release of pain-relieving hormones or that massage may block pain signals that are sent to the brain.

You’ll have improved joint movement. Through the use of direct pressure, massage can affect the muscles and connective tissues in the body, increasing mobility. This can help increase the range of motion in the joints and lesson stiffness in the muscles, tendons and ligaments for those who have arthritis.

There are also psychological benefits. The psychological benefits from massages are well documented. Massage can change your mood, alleviate any anxiety and depression you may have, and improve your feelings of well-being and safety and this is why so many people will turn to massage.

How do you choose the right massage therapist? Before you go looking for a massage therapist, you should talk to your doctor about whether or not it’s a good idea for you. If you have certain conditions, such as dermatomyositis or severe osteoporosis (the thinning of your bones), your doctor may advise you not to try massages. Once you have the go ahead from your doctor, you can start looking for a massage therapist, but you will want to make sure that they have the necessary education and licensing. It might be a good idea to find one who has worked with people with arthritis and who you’re comfortable with. The person you choose should be someone you feel safe with, safe enough to tell them your needs and what you prefer. Please, don’t be afraid to give feedback if something doesn’t feel right or is uncomfortable or causes pain. A good massage therapist will ask you questions about your current medical conditions, if you’re experiencing a flare-up, or about the severity and frequency of your symptoms, such as your pain or your level of functionality.

For most people the arms and hands are the most used parts of their bodies, whether from spending long periods of time at a computer, playing a sport, or just doing day-to-day chores. Everyone, therefore, will benefit from a massage of their arms and hands. Not surprisingly, tension in your arms can create aches and pains in your shoulders and neck; strong movements are required to unlock tightness in the upper arms and forearms.

One-handed kneading

This one-handed massage can be done fully clothed, so you can do it wherever you happen to be when the need arises.

Begin by stroking your left arm from the wrist to the shoulder, working firmly as you move up the arm and then gliding gently back down again.

Squeeze and roll the muscles of your left arm between the fingers and heel of your right hand. Start kneading on your upper arm, and work down from the shoulder to the wrist.

Use your knuckles to make rotary pressures all along your arm, working as deeply and rhythmically as you can.

Stroke one forearm with the other, slowly rotating the top forearm as you stroke from the elbow to the wrist of your other arm. This stroke massages both arms simultaneously and is very effective.

Hands

Our hands are in constant use and, as a result, they can harbor a lot of tension. Most of our hand movements are holding, clutching actions, so it is very relaxing to counteract these by opening your palm and pulling your fingers. There are many nerve endings on the palms of your hands, and massage here can benefit the whole body. In fact, in reflexology each part of the body is reflected in a in a map of the hand (or foot) and massaging a particular area of the hand will have an effect on the equivalent part of the body.

First, rub your palms together to warm them. Then use your thumb to stroke deeply between each tendon of your right hand from your knuckles to your wrist.
Stroke your left thumb firmly down the palm of your right hand and out toward the side several times in a fanning motion. Then make deep, circular thumb pressures all over your right palm.
Pull and twist each finger of your right hand with the knuckles of your left hand. Work right up to the fingertips.
Repeat the whole sequence (steps 1-3) on your left hand.

Self-massage can be particularly useful if you suffer from chronic or short-term pain. It helps stimulate the release of endorphins and diverts your attention away from the pain. Above all, self-massage lives you a sense of control over your situation.

Final touches

Just as a massage given by someone else has a defined ending phase, a self-massage needs to close on a relaxed note.

Feather stroking

Use light, feather strokes starting at your forehead and then stroke the fingertips of both your hands over your face and neck, down both arms, and leave your body at the tips of your fingers. Then stroke the front of your body, down your legs, and withdraw your touch at your feet. This movement should leave you feeling refreshed, calm, and as light as a feather.

The holidays have arrived in NYC, and with them come an assortment of emotions, obligations, and sentiments. As Manhattan starts to spring into its holiday attire, lights, trees, decorations, and window displays are a constant reminder for us to find the “perfect” gifts for our loved ones. As this can be almost impossible depending on the person, we find that there are some gifts that truly stand out no matter who is receiving them. The gifts of relaxation, good health and serenity. Spa packages and spa services at best spa’s in New York make the perfect gifting experience all NYC men and women of all ages can enjoy. After the busy fall rush at work everyone looks forward to unwinding and decompressing, with the gift of therapeutic spa services in New York this enjoyment is multiplied ten fold.

Some popular spa body treatments for stressed New Yorkers one can find at the best spa’s in NYC include:

The Deep Tissue Massage, a service that relieves your muscles of stress and sports related muscle tension. The Swedish massage, which will improve blow food and releases, built up toxins from the muscles throughout the body. The Reflexology massage, which is utilized to effectively work through the patients pressure points in both hands and feet to relieve tension, aches, and pains throughout the body.

Reflexology for Hands and Feet: Reflexology is a form of a massage that focuses primarily on your feet and hands. Having originated in Asia, reflexology is quickly becoming more popular in New York City spa’s being that it’s quick and can even go to supplement the regular weekly manicure and pedicure (for both men and women) while relieving all the tension from the tough work week.

The underlying theory behind reflexology is that there are reflex areas on the feet and hands that correspond to specific body parts, organs and glands. For instance, tips of the toes reflect the head, the heart and chest are around the ball of the foot, the liver, pancreas and kidneys are in the arch of the foot, lower back and intestines are towards the heel. Practitioners believe that applying pressure to these reflex areas can promote health in the corresponding organs through energetic pathways. Therefore, you can get relief in places you thought were impossible to reach by simply applying pressure to the right points in your limbs (arms and legs)!

Along with these effective stress-relieving solutions there are a number of facial treatments that help to clean and restore dry winter skin to its healthy self and let the patients look their best for all the precious holiday photos. Some options include:

Aromatherapy facials, which are therapeutic facials that can visibly improve the vitality and texture of the skin by using a gentle massage technique combined with essential oils. This service is especially geared to relieve muscle tension, poor circulation, and headaches.

Light Therapy Anti-Aging Facial, which uses light and heat to reverse the effects of environmental exposures and aging. As you age, skin texture roughens, spots appear and fine lines make their debut. This treatment works deep under the skin to recapture yesterday’s glow. It can soften fine lines, homogenize skin tones, decrease pore size, improve skin texture and enhance absorption of future creams and lotions.