More than Stretching: Five Other Reasons Thai Massage is Good for You

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Originally Published in My Area Yoga

Thai Massage has been known for its dynamic stretches, since becoming popular in the United States in the 1990s. It looks more like yoga than what we in the west consider to be massage therapy. In fact, it is often called, “lazy man’s yoga”. While people tend to flock towards Thai Massage to help with their flexibility, this ancient modality is way more than just stretching. Here are five other reasons why Thai Massage is one of the best healing modalities you should make a part of your self-care arsenal.

Mental Health

Thai Massage supports mental well-being. It is no secret that nurturing touch can be calming and is even necessary for proper human development. Massage therapy in general is known for its stress relieving qualities, and Thai Massage is no exception. It has been shown to decrease psychological stress by increasing parasympathetic activity, which slows the heart rate and allows the body to “rest and digest”. Thai Massage has also been shown to decrease depression and anxiety.

Pregnancy

Prenatal Thai Massage shares the benefits of both massage therapy and yoga. Pregnancy changes the body dramatically over nine months. Movement combined with muscle manipulation, allows the muscles and tendons to be well-conditioned in preparation for childbirth. Safely applying the techniques slowly and gently will help alleviate stress and pain. Along with decreasing muscle and joint tension, Thai Massage improves sleep and holds space for a deeper connection between mother and child. Pregnant moms that will benefit from Prenatal Thai Massage are:

Healthy women who are not experiencing any medical issues that would prevent them from receiving massage and/or yoga.
Moms that are physically active and want to remain so during pregnancy. This includes runners, yoga practitioners, dancers, professional athletes, etc.
Clients that are severely allergic to most massage lubricants, and wish to stay fully clothed.
Women that are uncomfortable disrobing due to PTSD from physical or sexual abuse.

Tension Headache

Tension headaches are triggered by stress and feels like a tight band around the head. The pain can travel to other parts of the neck and shoulders. Oftentimes, tension headaches disrupt sleep and everyday life activities. These disruptions lead to more stress…which leads to more headaches! It’s a vicious cycle! Thai Massage helps relieve tension headaches by using acupressure on the face, scalp, neck, and shoulders, along with gentle joint mobilization. The combination of these methods can decrease tissue rigidity, improve sleep, and alleviate overall feelings of pain and discomfort.

Cerebral Palsy

Healthy women who are not experiencing any medical issues that would prevent them from receiving massage and/or yoga.
Moms that are physically active and want to remain so during pregnancy. This includes runners, yoga practitioners, dancers, professional athletes, etc.
Clients that are severely allergic to most massage lubricants, and wish to stay fully clothed.
Women that are uncomfortable disrobing due to PTSD from physical or sexual abuse.

Diabetes

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Meet Vanessa Hazzard, M.Ed., LMT

Since 2005, I have been helping folks to reduce chronic and acute pain, decrease stress, improve athletic performance, restore range of motion, and simply relax while hiding from the kids and in-laws. In short, I help you be resilient to whatever life throws at you!

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