Massage
Massage is a mechanical manipulation of the body surface by means of massage techniques applied by the hand of a massage therapist.
The massage requires a well-trained person who knows the physiological features of the individual techniques and has good capabilities for the correct implementation of the individual techniques as well as a well-developed sense of the condition of the tissues it manipulates.
The physiological effect of massage consists of the following three effects:
- Mechanical manipulation.
The massage causes mechanical stretch of the skin, pushing of the tissue fluids to the vessels, movement of the lymph, and venous blood from the periphery to the heart.
- Reflex effect.
The massage manipulates the individual tissues, from which impulses are sent to the nervous system. From there, a reflex response with a corresponding physiological action is obtained. For example, redness and warming of the skin under the influence of massage is an expression of a reflex reaction.
- Humoral effect.
Under the influence of massage manipulation, some biologically active substances are formed in the skin and the underlying tissues, which have a pronounced physiological effect.
The reflex effect is the most important. By involving various mechanisms, it causes improvement of blood circulation and nutrition, metabolic processes strengthening, tissue toning and at the same time, it has a calming and analgesic effect.
Massage is a valuable therapeutic and preventive tool. On the one hand, it allows for a significant reduction in the patient’s subjective complaints – there is pain relief, sedation, relaxation. On the other hand, it has a beneficial effect on the course of the disease by improving tissue nutrition and speeding up the healing process. On the third hand, massage has a pronounced prevention effect – increases the body’s defenses and its resistance to colds, infections, and other factors.
When performing the massage, some general rules must be followed:
– The patient should be undressed and all belts and accessories should be removed from the body. It should be only be covered by a sheet and only the part that will be massaged should be exposed. After massaging a segment, such as a limb, it must be covered to retain heat.
– The patient should be completely relaxed. For this purpose, he/she must take a comfortable position lying on his back with a low pillow placed under his/her head and knees, and when lying with his/her face down, the pillow must be placed under his/her chest and ankles.
– The massage is performed on a hard couch or mattress. The head treatment is in a sitting position.
– The room must be well heated – about 22 – 24C°, bright, with a calm atmosphere. The breathing of both (the massage therapist and the patient) must be calm, even, and synchronized with the massage techniques.
– The massage should not be done on a full stomach, after a meal,
– The patient’s skin must be clean. There should be no pus pimples, or wounds.
