Well known for its progressive open-minded population, the city now has a high density of massage centres and massage schools offering a wide range of services from clinical massage to pampering spas. The University of Brighton also runs a Foundation Degree in Complementary Healthcare, a 2-year full time course which includes advanced clinical massage in its syllabus. So, what makes massage so popular in Brighton? The main focus of massage therapy is to heal the mind and body through the healing power of touch, manipulation and relaxation.
It used to be thought that the physical manipulation of muscles and tissues was the cause of the healing. Recent research suggests that the interaction with the nervous system during massage is the primary cause of physical changes, including muscle relaxation. During massage, feel-good hormones including endorphins are released and can improve health and well-being.
There are lots of different types of massage including Swedish, shiatsu and deep tissue massage, and each comes with its own style and benefits. Anxiety and stress can be alleviated through massage therapy and can result in the whole body feeling better. This can have the effect of improving your sleep, enhancing your immune system, and make you more resistant to illness and disease. Massage also has a very direct effect of improving posture, reducing muscle aches and pains and improving mobility.
Massage can change our fascial, muscular, lymphatic, cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive and nervous systems. The benefits are therefore extremely diverse, from making us less stressed and anxious to reducing physical pain and the risk of future injury. The spin-off benefits include feeling a greater sense of control and happiness in life, getting better quality sleep, and being unwell less frequently. The most benefit is gained from massage therapy when you have regular, monthly sessions, to prevent future deterioration physically and emotionally, and maintain a good level of overall health.
Acute inflammation does not normally benefit from direct massage, but may improve with gentle stroking, through reduced pain and swelling. Stress can harm our bodies, causing muscles to contract and stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to be released.
