While gua sha massage has been around for thousands of years, it seems more and more people are finally taking advantage of its many health benefits. From focusing on improving blood circulation to emphasizing lymphatic drainage, there is a massage modality for almost every need. With thousands of certified therapists, massage is safe and effective and widely available in most regions.
Gua Sha Massage Can Help:
- Relieve chronic pain
- Reduce the effects of stress
- Lower blood pressure
- Speed up injury recovery
- Optimizing an athlete’s game
Plus, it feels good! While massage may sound like something you should do as often as possible, in order to maintain its benefits, you probably don’t need to do it as often as you think. It all depends on your goals, lifestyle and general health.
Health and Relaxation
Even for the healthiest people, massage can provide the following key benefits:
- Calms the central nervous system
- Increase circulation
- Stretch tight muscles
- Release toxins from tissues for elimination
- Boost immunity
If you’re just looking to enhance your health, or want an occasional respite from everyday stress and exertion, scheduling a massage once or twice a month may be enough.
Weekly exercise may be the best option for those who work in a high-stress environment or whose daily activities may lead to repetitive motion injuries or postural problems. Keep in mind that the effects of regular massages are cumulative, and spacing too far apart may send you back to square one each time.
Optimize Athletic Performance.
For athletes, massage can improve performance and reduce injury risk by balancing muscle groups and increasing joint mobility. The process of lengthening contracted muscles and releasing myofascial adhesions is rarely a one-off process, and serious athletes may need to train two or more times a week to stay in top shape. For this reason, many professional teams have therapists, but more casual athletes may not have the resources to get regular massages.
For the average athlete, it depends on your training program and whether you have chronic muscle problems. During lighter training sessions, one or two massages per month may be sufficient, with the frequency increasing as the workout intensifies.
Never schedule a deep tissue massage five days before a major event. It causes soreness and changes in body mechanics that can take you out of the game. Stick to a circulation-boosting massage like Swedish or Abhyanga right before and after a big event—it helps to remove built-up lactic acid and speed recovery.
Pain Management.
Excessively contracted muscles often lead to chronic pain ranging from migraines to sciatica and more. Generally speaking, it is recommended to do it once a week, but a lot depends on how you feel. If your pain starts to return within a few days, it’s time for another massage. If after a week you are still pain free, maybe you can distract your session.
Most people find that they need more frequent training sessions to get started, with the frequency slowly decreasing as the muscles lengthen and relax. Some therapists also suggest that you can do stretches at home to maintain muscle balance longer between sessions.
Injury/Surgical Recovery.
Massage is usually recommended after an injury or surgery. It can help:
- Reduce pain and reduce the need for pain medication
- Suppresses swelling by moving lymph
- Break down scar tissue
- Accelerates the healing process by increasing the flow of blood and oxygen
Be sure to consult your doctor before getting a massage. It may not be the best treatment option after an injury or surgery, or it may be limited to certain modalities. For example, deep tissue massage is not a good idea for people using blood thinners or acute injuries, but lymphatic drainage massage may help. Once you are licensed, it may take twice a week or more to start, with the frequency decreasing as healing and recovery progresses.
Make Gua Sha Massage Affordable.
The biggest barrier to regular massage is often the cost, which can average anywhere from $60 to $125 per hour, depending on where you live and the qualifications of the therapist. Always look for a state or nationally certified therapist with at least 500 hours of training. A “bargain” massage by a trained therapist may not give you all the benefits you seek, and worse, may lead to injury.
Gua sha massages are rarely covered by health insurance, but not unheard of, so check your current plans. If you are seeking a massage for disability or accident recovery and you have a referral from a doctor or chiropractor, you may be eligible for reimbursement. A doctor-prescribed massage is also often an acceptable expense for a health savings plan.
Most reputable practitioners, spas, and wellness centers offer membership programs or package deals at great prices. Don’t invest until you find a therapist you like, but once you do, it’s worth it. The physical and mental benefits you receive may save you more expensive medical bills in the long run.
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