Massage Therapy

What is Massage Therapy?

You’ve likely had a massage before. Nearly one in five Americans have tried massage at some point in their lives. But you might not know about its therapeutic potential for healing from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), touch deficits, and many other concerns. 

Massage, as a general term, refers to the manipulation of the body’s soft tissues—muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments—by trained practitioners. Massage therapy has been practiced for thousands of years, and scientific evidence for its effectiveness is growing. In this explainer, we will cover the following topics:

  • The types and benefits of massage therapy
  • Embodied trauma and touch deficits 
  • Holistic, trauma-aware massage therapy 

The best way to understand massage therapy is by trying it for yourself. Book an appointment with Cohoba today, and experience holistic healing at its finest. 

What are the Types and Benefits Massage Therapy?

There are many types of massage therapy. The most common styles include Swedish (the most common), sports, deep tissue, chair, shiatzu, reflexology, Thai, myofascial, lymphatic, prenatal, and many others. Massage has been clinically proven to help people heal from a wide array of ailments. These include back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, depression, anxiety, headaches, osteoarthritis, and cancer symptoms. The scientific evidence for massage therapy’s effectiveness is growing year-by-year. Massage, in general, offers a robust, safe method of pain management.  Myofascial release massage appears a promising way to treat orthopedic conditions. Massage therapy has also been shown to improve the quality of life for people with HIV/AIDS and to help underweight infants gain weight. Moreover, recent research has indicated that regular massage therapy greatly improves quality of life for veterans with PTSD, in terms of memory functioning, heart rate regulation, overall stress levels, and sleep disturbances. Currently, researchers are examining how massage therapy can help with regulating the autonomic nervous system, which would provide further evidence for its therapeutic potentials.

What are Embodied Trauma and Touch Deficits? How can Massage Therapy Help?

Massage therapy offers a way to help people heal from the embodied, physiological effects of PTSD and may help people counter the negative effects of touch deficits. Both PTSD and touch deficits have been linked to a variety of health concerns

 

PTSD and the Body

When you undergo trauma and develop post-traumatic stress disorder, the effects are not limited to your mind. Instead, they are profoundly physical, generating the physiological states known commonly as “fight or flight” and “freeze or faint.” The physiological, embodied nature of these trauma responses have been verified via psychophysiological, neuroendocrine, and neuroimaging examinations of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Indeed, the body keeps track of all your stresses and traumas. And these stress reactions cause physical issues—awkward and uncomfortable ways of holding and moving the body. Trauma-aware massage therapy offers a way for you to make your body a comfortable place to be.   

 

Touch Deficits and Health Problems

Millions of Americans are suffering from acute touch deficits. Touch is essential for our wellbeing, and many of us are not getting enough of it. Touch deficits generate stress, which, in turn, increases the amount of cortisol in the body. Cortisol compounds the effects of stress and can lead to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and physiological tension. These stresses can make it more difficult to recover from illnesses or injuries and can exacerbate pre-existing conditions. Touch deficits can cause depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and sleep problems. Touch deficits may be especially pronounced in marginalized communities (lower income people, black/brown folks, combat veterans, etc.). 

Our bodyworkers’ understanding of embodied nature of trauma and the negative implications of touch deficits make them uniquely qualified to help you on your path to recovery.  

What is Holistic, Trauma-Aware Massage Therapy?

Bodywork at Cohoba offers all the benefits of traditional massage styles. But while traditional massage primarily attends to the body of the client, our trauma-aware bodyworkers offer empathetic, caring touch in a relaxed, safe environment to help you heal and achieve balance between your mind, body, and spirit. 

Our bodyworkers are aware of the physical aspects of PTSD and the long-term negative effects of touch deficits. By bringing this awareness to your massage therapy session, our bodyworkers are uniquely prepared to help you recover from past traumas and regain a sense of closeness to other people. By doing so, they will help you regain control of your wellness journey and live your best life.

 

Claudio Ortiz

Daniel Vargas