If you’ve never had a massage, don’t put it off-not for a minute. In our stress-worn world, an allover body massage might be just what you need.

Studies have shown that massage helps with all sorts of conditions- - arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, premenstrual syndromes (PMS) symptoms, Alzheimer’s patients and kids with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHA) may also benefit from massage.

Even more interesting kids with diabetes have more normal blood sugar levels after massage. Premature babies gain weight faster when they’re massaged.

Massage eases depression, keeps depressed mothers from giving birth too early, and prevents post partum depression.

Massage does much more than relieve everyday stress, and studies are proving it.

Massage is one of the oldest of health practices found in ancient Chinese medical texts written some 4,000 years ago. Hippocrates advocated massage in the 4th century BC, as have doctors since then-until the 1930’s and 40’s, when the practice was virtually abandoned as medicine became high tech.

During the 1970’s,massage went through a slight resurgence-one that’s finally taken hold in more recent years as healthcare practitioners become attune to ancient healing practices.

In Chinese medicine, massage is called acupressure. In essence massage and acupressure both work with the body’s own healing systems-the nervous system, blood vessels, lymphatic systems.

The concept is to remove stagnation, when the muscle spasms, it’s a form of stagnation. The blood is not moving as smoothly as it should, either because of internal stress or as reaction to pain.

Oftentimes, patients either do not respond to pain medication or can’t tolerate medications or can’t tolerate surgery or don’t want surgery or fails surgery, researchers noted. Doctors have been slow to refer patients to massage therapy simply because most aren’t acquainted with it in their training.

Today’s massage therapists are better trained, better regulated than even before. In prevention of disease, ealth promotion, massage may be an adjunct for patients who need the medication, who need the surgery. It may decrease complications, decrease pain and suffering, they say.

The Scientific evidence
People with migraine pain, lower back pain, arthritis-they all can benefit from massage. New parents know that babies who are massaged are calmer and sleep better. The effects on premature babies are especially dramatic. The babies gain weight faster- and leave the expensive hospital neonatal intensive care unit earlier-if they are massaged.

The research group is trying to understand the biological mechanisms that make massage so powerful-looking at basic physiological measures such as heart rate, blood pressure, EEG, stress hormones such as cortisol, and chemicals in the brain that are thought to affect stress and pain.

During massage, a major nerve in the body called the vagus nerve is stimulated, which slows heart heart.

Stress is indeed a big problem for everyone these days, and massage is a legitimate way to eliminate that stress. People who are big exercisers also need to give their bodies a break.

If you’re slightly reluctant about that first massage just relax. A professional therapist will provide professional treatment, professional draping. All trained massage therapists are very conscious of people’s fear about being touched and can help them make one comfortable…they say.