After a long day many people find a massage relaxing.  Several areas of research have focused on what effects might be produced by a massage regiment.  There are many types of and uses for massages including the following:

      “In Swedish massage, the therapist uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration, and tapping. Sports massage is similar to Swedish massage, adapted specifically to the needs of athletes. Among the many other examples are deep tissue massage; trigger point massage, which focuses on myofascial trigger points—muscle "knots" that are painful when pressed and can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body; and reflexology, which applies pressure to the feet (or sometimes the hands or ears), to promote relaxation or healing in other parts of the body.”

      Beyond the typical relaxation after a hard day at work to release tension in muscles, many researches have found promising results linking frequent massages with a reduction in anxiety and pain as well as an effective treatment for certain types of depression.  Many other possible uses for a regular massage have been proposed; what effects do you think a massage can have?

References: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/massage/#status

Article by Tyler Earley