Alternative practices developed for the protection and improvement of health are frequently used as supplements in addition to medical treatments. One of these applications, which has increased in popularity especially in recent years, is the professionalized approach of massage to serve medical purposes, called medical massage. Medical massage, which constitutes an alternative medical treatment option, can be applied in many situations such as chronic pain, injuries, muscle and soft tissue diseases. In addition to being used as a therapeutic practice, medical massage also serves purposes such as improving health in general and reducing the possibility of various diseases. Medical massage, which is performed only in health institutions and clinics with expert health professionals and medical massage therapists, is a source of healing for many individuals thanks to these features.
What is Medical Massage?
Medical massage, used in the treatment of various health problems diagnosed by doctors or in general protection and improvement of health, is massage therapies performed in medical environments. It is an amnuel therapy application that affects the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, tendons and ligaments. Medical massage, which offers innovative solutions to various health problems by combining traditional and alternative medicine, is applied by medical massage therapists who have been specially trained in this field. Recently, as alternative medicine has become more involved in medical treatment processes, medical massage practices have become increasingly popular and have taken their place among the services provided in distinguished hospitals and other health institutions. Florence Nightingale Hospitals, on the other hand, are among the leading places that provide effective medical massage by providing services with well-equipped health professionals and technological equipment.
Medical massage is generally applied for the purpose of rehabilitation of tissues that are sick or prone to disease, in other words, to restore these tissues to their former health. Mechanical energy transferred to the body through massage is systematically applied to certain areas on the body surface. This mechanical effect can create functional effects deep in the body, both anatomical and physiological. Apart from rehabilitation practices, medical massage can be applied at any time for the purpose of medical or psychological support, strengthening individual abilities or improving the person’s quality of life in all kinds of diseases where massage does not cause any harm. Especially in older individuals, it may be possible to prevent or significantly reduce age-related health problems and symptoms with medical massage. Due to all these positive effects, medical massage is an alternative treatment practice that can be recommended by doctors in almost every country in the world and whose application area is expanding day by day.
How to Perform Medical Massage?
Performed by healthcare providers as part of an overall treatment plan, medical massage therapy often focuses on a medical diagnosis. There are many medical massage techniques that can be applied by medical massage therapists for the purpose of the massage, and these are determined and applied specifically for the patient. Therefore, medical massage techniques and procedures vary from patient to patient. In medical massage applications, a specific area of the body is generally targeted and the application is carried out by focusing on these areas determined by the doctor recommending the massage. In other words, medical massage therapy is generally applied to a specific focal area rather than the entire body. However, application areas may differ depending on the purpose of patients for medical massage. If necessary, medical massage can be applied to more than one area or the whole body.
Medical massage therapists are professionals who perform medical massage, which is decided by doctors for any purpose, at appropriate intervals and with the correct techniques. These people are experts who have received special training in the field of medical massage and have a massage therapist certificate. During medical massages performed in health institutions, patients can be followed regularly by doctors and issues such as the effectiveness of the treatment and the effects of the massage on the patient can be constantly evaluated by the doctor. In this way, it is possible to get maximum efficiency from the treatment. Medical massage techniques used in treatment vary depending on the health problems of the patient. Medical massage can be performed with different methods such as trigger point treatments, myofascial release and neuromuscular treatments. Apart from these, many different medical massage approaches can be determined and applied individually with the help of various equipment, which can be called medical massage devices, and manual therapies applied by the therapist’s hand.
Trigger Point Massage
Trigger point massages include massage techniques used to relieve or completely relieve pain caused by nerve contractions and muscle cramps, also known as spasms. Trigger point massage is very effective in relieving head and neck pain, stiffness in the neck and shoulders, lower back pain and stiffness, and problems related to the sciatic nerve. In these massage applications, intensive work is carried out on the connective tissues, muscles and joints close to the surface of the body. Muscle fibers that widen and shorten due to trigger points cause compression of the nerves, causing symptoms such as sensitivity, numbness, tingling or burning in the relevant area. Trigger points can cause swelling in various parts of the limbs, limitation of movement, joint stiffness and rapid fatigue. Trigger points, which frequently occur especially in the neck and back area, can be largely eliminated with applications such as medical back massage.
Myofascial Relaxation Massage
Connective tissues that surround all tissues in the body and connect the tissues together and hold them as a whole are called fascia. Fascia, which has a direct impact on issues such as balance, stability, mobility and posture, is an important area targeted in medical massages. Relaxation is achieved in the area with the help of mechanical stimulation given to the muscles and surrounding fascia. Tension and irregular tension problems in the body can be relieved with the help of massage techniques called myofascial release; Many problems, from posture disorders to movement limitations, can be treated.
Neuromuscular Massage Treatments
Neuromuscular massage therapy, or “NMT” for short, is a medical massage and manual therapy technique that aims to relieve pain in the body using static pressure. Medical massage, which is applied as a treatment method for ischemia that develops due to decreased blood flow to various regions in the muscles, pain caused by nerve compression, muscle tension, postural or biomechanical problems, may include neuromuscular massage techniques.
Benefits of Medical Massage
Medical massage, which can be applied as a treatment method for patients diagnosed with various health problems and as a health-protective therapy for other individuals, brings many benefits. Benefits of medical massage may include:
- It helps relieve pain in the body.
- It improves the health of organs and tissues by accelerating blood circulation and supports the repair of problem areas.
- By accelerating digestive activities in the intestines, it reduces constipation and gas complaints, helps dissolve the mucus secretion accumulated in the lungs, and provides relief to the internal organs in general.
- It helps soften the skin and increase its elasticity, as well as removing urea and toxins from the body by accelerating sweating.
- It facilitates the resolution of tensions, cramps and spasms in the muscles.
- It affects the hormonal system. It can relieve pain as it increases endorphin secretion. It makes you feel happy because it stimulates the secretion of serotonin.
In addition to the above positive effects, in case of various conditions, it is beneficial not to apply medical massage or to take a break from massage therapies for a certain period of time. Medical massage may be unsafe for acute injuries, cancer patients, vascular diseases such as varicose veins, muscle injuries, bone fractures and dislocations, open wounds and pregnant women due to the risk of metastasis. Therefore, in case of such situations, patients should definitely consult their doctors and inform them about the situation.
Medical massage is an alternative treatment approach that is in high demand in Istanbul and many other cities. Florence Nightingale Hospitals are among the places that provide medical massage and provide patient-specific treatment approaches using many different techniques and equipment. If you have health problems that can be treated with medical massage or would like to get information about medical massage practices, you can consult your physician.
