ÒMASSAGE
THERAPY AND STRESSÓ
Practitioners
of massage therapy and bodywork view stress as a condition of Òdis-easeÓ in the
body, a state of disharmony or an imbalance in one or more organ systems. In
spite of the fact that many of us may not recognize the symptoms of stress for
what they are, we fully understand the experience wide and varied as it may be.
Some of
the more common symptoms that we may not be fully aware of are elevated blood
pressure, increased pulse rate; insulin and other hormonal based reactions,
even disturbances in the flow of cerebral spinal fluid to our brains. These
reactions in turn can and will result in the symptoms we are aware of; anxiety,
anger, inability to focus, fatigue, insomnia, headache and a plethora of other
physical symptoms that keep us in a chronic state of turmoil.
As
pressure mounts, the background level of stress hormones in your bloodstream
can become elevated to a point that very little is needed to trigger the stress
response. You find yourself in a constant state of agitation, reacting not only
to actual events, but to anticipated events and memories as well. In fact, with
energy so depleted, many individuals come to rely on a stress-induced jolt of
adrenaline just to get through the day.
Traditional
medicine views stress mostly from a physiological and biological perspective,
or whatÕs commonly known as the medical model of disease. By focusing on what
is called the organic medical model of disease, or a dysfunctional disease
state, treatment tends to focus on prescription drugs and medications to
decrease levels of stress. The first choice being drugs to reduce a state of
anxiety and relieve depression. The drugs do work and the symptoms of stress
are relieved, but without a look at the underlying psychological or emotional
disturbances, an individual may continue to behave in a stress based coping
manner to situation, object, or person in his or her environment. Personally, I
think it would be wonderful if medications intended to reduce stress and
anxiety came with another prescription for counseling, therapeutic massage or
biofeed back. The script could only be refilled if the individual filled the
other half of the prescription for stress relief.
I truly
wish everyone could receive massage. It certainly has changed my life, and most
importantly my levels of stress. Regular and consistent massage significantly
reduces the high levels of maladaptive stress hormones and the symptoms they
create. The touch in itself is relaxing, therapeutic and works at a core level
to reduce and relieve the symptoms associated with stress.
Of
course, there are many ways to reduce stress including improved diet, more
rest, reduced contact with negative people and situations, time spent in
creative play, sports or just spending time in whatever endeavor you may enjoy.
Although many times deeply buried, thereÕs still a part of us of us that knows
where that stress free comfort zone lies. DonÕt know where to look? Start in
the yellow pages, itÕs under massage therapists. Till next time, Rebecca