What Massage Does - Lowers Blood Pressure

Known as "The Silent Killer" because of it's insidious onset, high blood pressure (aka: hypertension) can seriously affect your overall health. Many of the symptoms of high blood pressure are not visible until it is very advanced, sometimes resulting in stroke or heart attack. Learn more about how hypertension impacts your health here.

Typical ways of managing elevated BP include exercise and a balanced diet that is low in animal fats. But here's the good news: massage therapy has also been shown to lower blood pressure!

Hypertensive individuals can expect a decrease in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings after receiving massage treatment. The Touch Institute further explains their findings here. Their results were partially found by measuring the amount of a stress hormone known as cortisol found in a patient before and after massage. 

Like a water slide, arteries should be free of obstructions.
Not only is it more fun for the blood cells, it's also healthier.

Three ways relaxation massage reduces blood pressure:

1. Relaxation stimulates parasympathetic nervous system function.
   Your body relies on a balance of parasympathetic (rest & digest) and sympathetic (fight & flight) nervous system functions. But when the sympathetics are firing at a higher rate than the parasympathetics, one result is heightened blood pressure. If you spend time in deep relaxation you are less stressed and your blood pressure lowers - simple as that.
2. Massage stimulates the peripheral blood vessels to dilate.
   Repeated stroking of the limbs mechanically aids the peripheral blood vessels to open, thereby increasing the area in which blood can circulate. This is where the garden hose analogy comes in: imagine the difference in flow between a skinny hose versus a wider hose. The skinny hose would spray water at a higher pressure. Now, if you massaged that skinny hose in a warm environment the walls of the hose would soften and the water pressure would decrease because it has more room to flow. Relaxing the body relaxes the vessels making more room for blood and thereby reducing BP.


3. Endorphins are released during massage which lowers the production of stress hormones.
   Endorphins, commonly known as "The Feel Good Hormones", are in circulation during and after a massage, explaining why it is widely accepted that you feel so good after a massage. When feel good hormones are in ample supply there's few stress hormones at work.

Artery walls contain muscle that respond to stress signals.
A high stress lifestyle & dietary intake of foods that cause
plaques increase your risk of hypertension.

So there you have it: relaxation massage will lower your blood pressure and help to keep you happy and healthy and that's some of the best preventative medicine out there! Yet another great reason to see your massage therapist regularly. As with most therapies, massage requires regular dosing in order to experience lasting effects. Why not book a series of treatments?

Registered massage therapists of BC are trained to provide safe and effective treatments to those diagnosed with hypertension by modifying technique and positioning. If you are uncertain if massage therapy is appropriate for you, seek advice from your primary care provider. However, you do not need a referral to see a massage therapist.

See you in the clinic.
Dana


Sources: 

• http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ss/slideshow-visual-guide-to-heart-disease
• http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/blood-pressure/why-hypertension-is-a-silent-killer
• http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-affects-your-body 

The Science in the Bathwater

Some days the physicality of my work leaves me with an exhausted body. Recently, after a string of busy days filled with massage therapy appointments, I found myself particularly drained. I was feeling many of the symptoms that my clients seek my help to alleviate.

It is too soon in my new career to be developing over-use injuries so I panicked and started to book acupuncture and massage appointments for myself. Then the calm and confident voice that speaks to my clients when they are struggling with pain and discomfort said to me, "Take your own advice: run a hot bath with Epsom salts, do some stretches, and rest. You will feel better." So I did. And it was good advice.

This got me thinking about what goes on in the bathwater. Most of us know that if we are sore, taking an Epsom salt bath can help. But what is the science behind it? As with the various homecare exercises that I prescribe in my massage practice, understanding how the effects are achieved helps us to believe in the process, comply with the recommendation, and even continue to incorporate the practice into our routine.

 The chemistry and physiology of bathing in Epsom salts:

• Epsom salts are known by chemists as magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄·7H₂O) which occurs naturally as a pure mineral.
• Magnesium sulfate is more bio-available when used in a bath and can be absorbed by our bodies through the skin in a more efficiently than by oral consumption.
• Magnesium is the second largest component of human cells. Among other things, it regulates the function of over 300 enzymes which assists many bodily functions.
• Most if us are deficient in magnesium due to modern farming practices that strip magnesium and other valuable minerals from the soil, reducing the amount delivered to us in our food. Today, 68% of U.S. adults consume less than the recommended daily allowance of magnesium.

Benefits of using magnesium sulfate as a bath additive:

• Improves nerve function by regulating electrolytes. Calcium is the main conductor for nerve impulses in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.
• Flushes toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to detoxify.
• Reduces inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.
• Relieves stress. Excess adrenaline and stress hormones may drain magnesium from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.

Dosage
Hot baths are not appropriate for everyone. Those with high blood pressure, sensation impairments, or anyone under bathing restrictions from their doctor should consult with them first.

• For soaking, add two cups of Epsom salts to your bath. Bathe three times weekly, soaking 15-20 minutes. Be sure to drink a couple glasses of water during or after your bath.
• For a foot bath, add a cup of Epsom salts to a tub of warm water as a treatment for aching feet. This application may be more suitable for hypertensive individuals.

Our bodies possess more innate healing power than we often give them credit for. If I sometimes forget this, then certainly others do as well. Of course, there are circumstances where a bath cannot be substituted for manual therapy, but in this instance, I personally needed to look within and harness my own rejuvenating powers.  I will still be going for a massage this week.

See you in the clinic,
Dana


Sources:

1. www.epsomsaltcouncil.org
2. An Introduction to Heat & Cold as Therapy, Laurel Fowlie RMT, BA, MEd, Curties-Overzet Publications, 2006
3. Chemistry image: http://www.worldofchemicals.com/wochem/pub/chemmagnesium-sulfate.html
4. Bathtub image: http://roysquest.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/dr-roys-10-tips-to-have-a-good-nights-sleep/