National Massage Therapy Awareness = BOGO

It's National Massage Therapy Awareness Week!

It is time to share the good news of how beneficial and wonderful massage therapy is!

Here at Seasons Massage Therapy we offer several options to address your specific needs.

We offer a Signature Massage that blends several techniques to make the PERFECT session for YOU!

To encourage Massage Therapy Awareness we are doing Buy any one 75 minute massage and get one Free!  (75 minutes is the perfect amount of time to get all your needs addressed)

To take advantage of this special schedule online right HERE and use special promo code BOGOFREE. Also please take the time to fill out the special requests section so that I know exactly where your problem areas are. I want to make sure you truly enjoy your session :0).

Once you purchase your massage you will get a FREE one in the form of a Gift Certificate, redeemable at any time. SO Schedule NOW and we will take care of the rest!

OFFER ENDS OCTOBER 25th! So you better act NOW!!!

A growing body of evidence shows that massage therapy can be effective for a variety of health conditions. Massage is rapidly becoming recognized as an important part of health and wellness, and research is indicating some of what takes place in the body during massage therapy. 

The following has been provided by the AMTA

Massage Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain

Research released in July 2011 expanded on previous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of massage therapy for

chronic low back pain. Researchers found that “patients receiving massage were twice as likely as those receiving usual

care to report significant improvements in both their pain and function”. The study was conducted over 10 weeks through

Group Health Research Institute.

Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Kahn J, Wellman R, Cook AJ, Johnson E, Erro J, Delaney K, Deyo RA. A comparison of the effects of 2 types of massage and usual care

on chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled trial.Ann Intern Med. 2011 Jul 5;155(1):1-9.

Massage Therapy for Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by generalized pain, joint rigidity, intense fatigue, sleep alterations,

headache, spastic colon, craniomandibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. This study demonstrated that massage-

myofascial release techniques improved pain and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.

Castro-Sánchez, A.M., Matarán-Peñarrocha, G.A., Granero-Molina, J., Aguilera-Manrique, G., Quesada-Rubio, J.M., Moreno-Lorenzo, C. (2011). Benefits of massage-myofascial

release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011:561753

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Massage Therapy for Decreased Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Research published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice

showed that adults with rheumatoid arthritis may feel a decrease in pain, as well as greater grip strength and range of motion in wrists and large upper joints, after receiving regular moderate-pressure massages during a 4-week period. “This research demonstrates the potential value of massage therapy for the estimated 1.3 million Americans living with this chronic condition, with women outnumbering men 2.5-1

 Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are encouraged to speak with their health care provider about the possibility of incorporating routine massage therapy into their current treatment plan to help manage painful symptoms,” says American Massage Therapy Association President Winona Bontrager.

Massage and Mental Health

 

An estimated 1 in 10 adults in the United States suffers from some kind of depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That’s around the same percentage of American adults who are left-handed, and yet while handedness is seen today as a quirky curiosity (or sometimes an advantage, in the case of athletes), there is still stigma and silence surrounding depression as an illness. So let’s talk: what is depression? Why is it problematic? And is there anything that can help?

What is depression?

Let’s start with what depression isn’t: a bad day, a brief period of mourning after a loss, or a pessimistic outlook on life. It consists of a period of more than two weeks of a bad mood, decreased interest in things that one normally finds enjoyable, and can also include fatigue, changes in weight, difficulty concentrating, inappropriate guilt, and even suicidal thoughts. While two weeks is the minimum length for defining depression, it can continue for months or even years.

Are there different kinds of depression?

Yes. Major depression is an episode of depression two weeks or longer that messes with your ability to function throughout the day. People can have multiple episodes of major depression throughout their lives. Postpartum depression is a depressive episode that occurs after a woman has given birth. Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly abbreviated SAD) is a form of depression during the winter months, when there is less sunlight. Manic Depression (also called bipolar disorder) involves cycles of depressive lows and manic highs. There are also mild forms of depression that do not meet all the requirements of major depression.

What are some of the health consequences of depression?

Aside from just feeling like crap on an emotional level (entirely bad enough on its own), depression can also have other serious effects on a person’s health. People who suffer from depression are more likely to engage in negative habits such as smoking and excessive drinking. They are also less likely to get sufficient exercises, and are more likely to stop the physical activities they used to participate in. Depression can disturb sleep schedules and also negatively affect one’s professional and personal relationships, resulting in more stress, which leads to its own host of health issues. It’s a truly nasty cycle.

So why aren’t we all talking about this?

Mental illness has always been something of a taboo subject. Those with more severe problems are seen as crazy and unstable, while those with more mild issues can be accused of making it up for attention, or using the term as an excuse for ordinary laziness. Depression isn’t sexy like breast cancer (boobies!) or have the sorts of clear paths to prevention that lend themselves to awareness campaigns, like HIV. And so we’re left without the sorts of public conversations that in turn become private ones between friends. It’s easy to ask a friend if she’s taking painkillers for her broken leg. Asking her if she’s considered antidepressants? Not so much

Is there anything that helps with depression?

Absolutely, and the first step is diagnosis. (Sorry, looking up your symptoms on Google doesn’t count.) A physician will be able to speak intelligently about options like therapy, medication, and other treatments and lifestyle changes.

Oh, and you might also want to get a massage.

Massage for depression? Really?

Absolutely. Massage has been found to reduce depression and improve mood in people of all stripes, from children with HIV, to adolescents with psychiatric disorders, to hospice patients. Why does this work? Well, that’s still being researched. The what is often much easier than the why. But caring touch does seem to have a real effect on mood, whether it’s from a loved one, a massage therapist, or a favorite pet.

Of course, if you’re a regular recipient of massage, you can judge for yourself: is your mood improved after a massage? And if you haven’t received a massage lately (or ever!), this is a great opportunity. Do it for science! Or, do it for yourself. Because everyone deserves to feel better, including you.


www.SeasonsMassageTherapy.com