Massage Offers Excellent Return on Investment
"Invest for the long term" is great financial advice, but it's also great healthcare advice. Never is investing for the long term more important than when you are making day-to-day decisions about your health. There are short-term gains from taking care of your health, to be sure, but the long-term benefits are not to be underestimated.
You already know the value of massage. For all the short-term stress and pain relief you get from massage today, there are lasting rewards you'll thank yourself for down the road. Massage therapy as a preventative measure and part of an ongoing care regimen can mean fewer visits to the doctor, as well as fewer co-pays, prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications. Ultimately, it means a healthier and happier you.
An Excellent Value. As you plan the family budget, ponder how massage therapy impacts your ability to make good decisions, cope with extra responsibilities, stay on an even keel emotionally and spiritually, and maintain harmonious relationships with coworkers, family, and friends.
Research supports the value of massage. Massage provides many benefits, including improved concentration, energy, circulation, and self-esteem, as well as reduced stress, fatigue, and pain. It's helpful with more acute health conditions, also. If you, or a loved one, are already dealing with a health condition, massage is an even more important part of your healthcare planning.
Research shows:
- Alzheimer's patients exhibit reduced irritability, pacing, and restlessness after neck and shoulder massage.
- Deep-tissue massage is effective in treating arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis.
- Fibromyalgia patients receiving massage have fewer sleep problems and less anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain, and stiffness.
- Massage during labor appears to help block pain, reduce stress and anxiety, and relax muscles. Some medical professionals say massage shortens labor.
- Massage can reduce sports related soreness and improve circulation, and is beneficial in reducing symptoms associated with arthritis, asthma, burns, high blood pressure, and premenstrual syndrome.
- Oncology patients show less anxiety, depression, fatigue, nausea, and pain following massage therapy.
- Preterm babies receiving massage therapy gain more weight and have shorter hospital stays.
- Massage therapy is effective in reducing post-surgical pain and can even reduce the time required for post-operative hospital stays.
Gift Certificates--One Way to Extend the Massage Budget. When it comes to gift-giving occasions, why not give and ask for massage gift certificates? Massage makes a wonderful replacement for flowers that wilt, sweaters that don't fit, or another box of fattening candy. Some folks buy massage packages or put together their own outings with a massage, a museum excursion, or lunch at a favorite restaurant.
If you are an employer, consider gifting your staff with a gift certificate for massage (certificates can be purchased for a specified dollar amount or per session--half hour, hour or hour and one-half). Just think of it as the ultimate pat on the back for staff and one that pays you back!
Maintain Well-Being. The better you feel, the better job you can do of caring for yourself and your loved ones. Massage can play an important role in reducing stress and strengthening your health. Truly, massage is more than a luxury--it's a vital part of self-care for others. Investing in your health is one investment that's sure to pay off.