Garret

Stress

Stress can have many triggers and many different effects on people. In our modern world, people are often under daily pressure to achieve increasing numbers of tasks in shorter periods of time.

Stress may contribute to lowered immunity and can be a significant factor in the development of symptoms of both physical and mental illness.

One common physical symptom of stress is muscle tension. This often results in pain such as headaches, backache and a sore neck.

Common psychological symptoms of stress are depression, anxiety, or general difficulty coping with everyday tasks

Stress can also increase the severity of existing health complaints such as problems with digestion, period pain, and asthma.

Often, the physical symptoms of stress themselves can lead to further feelings of stress, which can result in a vicious cycle. This cycle can put people at risk of serious health problems such as stomach ulcers or severe anxiety and depression.

By treating the physical symptoms of stress, your Massage Therapist can help reduce muscle tension and pain. This allows you to feel physically more comfortable and can help make things seem easier to cope with. Massage Therapy can also make sure that the systems of the body (eg: digestive/ respiratory/ circulatory), are all working efficiently and effectively to help reduce other symptoms that may be caused or aggravated by stress

Massage Therapy can also have a profound effect on the mind. It can help to improve the circulation of "feel good" hormones around the body, affecting the way you think and feel. This can help to promote a sense of calm and wellbeing.

Soothing touch encourages a natural and positive psychological response. A mother comforting a crying child by gently rubbing its head would be an example of this.

Massage Therapy can help to soothe your stress away.

Pain

Pain relief can be brought about by a reduction in muscle tension.

The following types of pain can be treated by your Massage Therapist by reducing muscle tension in muscle groups surrounding/ connected to the area of pain:

• Headache
• Backache
• Period Pain
• Muscle Strain
• Some types of Arthritis

Some other types of pain may also by reduced by massage therapy:

Cramps can be reduced by reducing the involuntary contraction of muscles.

Abdominal pain caused by digestive problems may be reduced by improving the efficiency of the digestive system.

Sinus pain can be reduced by encouraging the drainage of fluid from the face, thus reducing pressure build up.

In cases of severe pain and discomfort, the area may be too painful to allow your Massage Therapist to touch the affected area. In such cases, you must discuss this with your massage therapist, who may advise you to consult your doctor.

About The Author: Natasha Middleton ITEC Dip (Holistic Massage), BSC (Psych and TMD).

Natasha Middleton holds a recognised ITEC diploma in Holistic Massage. For details of ITEC, please see the website www.itecworld.co.uk

Natasha Middleton is fully insured to administer Holistic massage, as a member of the organisation Embody.

In addition to this, Natasha Middleton has studied psychology at first degree level. This has allowed Natasha to gain an understanding of how your environment and lifestyle can affect both your mind and your body; particularly in relation to stress. This knowledge enables Natasha to tailor your Massage Therapy to your individual needs, delivering an effective method of stress management.

Natasha Middleton is a Massage Therapist based in Rochester, Medway, Kent, UK. For Massage Therapy in Kent, parts of South London and South East England, visit www.sheerindulgence.org.uk