What you should know first

What is therapeutic massage?

You're stressed out. Your shoulder muscles
have turned to rocks. Or you feel so jumpy you
could crawl out of your own skin.Wouldn't it be
wonderful if someone could smooth away your
tension with the touch of his or her hands?
Someone can.

Research shows that the simple
kneading and stroking of a good massage can make
a big difference in your mental and physical
health. Just one session can reduce stress and
help you get a good night's sleep.

Regular
sessions may ease chronic pain, speed recovery
from many sports injuries, make your muscles more
supple, and improve concentration.

How safe is it?

Massage is generally quite safe, but be sure
you let your therapist know if there are any
areas of your body that are especially tense or
tender.

It's also a good idea to talk to your
doctor about medical conditions that might rule
out a massage, including high blood pressure (a
massage can briefly cause your blood pressure to
rise) and a history of blood clots (deep, high-
pressure strokes could cause an embolism).

How does it work?

Researchers believe that massage works in at
least three ways. For starters, all that kneading
and stroking allows your muscles to relax, which
sends a message to your brain to produce fewer
stress hormones; it also improves blood flow to
the brain. The combination, studies show, results
in a feeling of relaxed alertness. Massage may
ease chronic pain as well, perhaps, researchers
speculate, by triggering the release of
enkephalins, the body's natural painkillers.

Massage isn't just for adults, either. A
groundbreaking study showed that when trained
parents gave their hospitalized, premature babies
a firm, 15-minute massage three times a day, the
babies gained weight more quickly and went home
earlier than unrubbed preemies.