Health, wellness, immunity. These terms get thrown around a lot at a massage therapy office in New Jersey, but are they really a part of your massage therapy treatment? Does science support it? Keep reading to see how self-care, including massage, can improve your health, boost your immune system, and promote wellness inside and out.

Massage Therapists in NJ Discuss “Wellness” and Self-Care

Wellness is a funny word—it means different things to different people. However, most people can agree on the idea of “feeling well” versus “not feeling well.” Your mind may have instantly summoned up images of someone feeling well or unwell, or memories of a time you felt that way, just by reading the words. Massage therapists tend to think of wellness as covering many different areas, including physical, emotional, and mental wellness. There is no “black and white” for wellness—you can feel well mentally, but feel ill physically. Likewise, you can be in the physical shape of your life while your stress levels skyrocket. Self-care is an important part of wellness, and is also loosely defined. Massage can be a part of tapping into this awareness and noticing what makes you feel “well.”

Does Massage Have Any Health or Medical Benefits?

Massage doesn’t just “make you feel good.” Medical research has shown that it can help to improve medical symptoms such as pain, mobility limitations, and recovery from illness. The exact way in which this works is unknown—but we don’t know very much about our bodies’ natural healing systems. While medical massage therapy is different from the deep tissue massage or Swedish massage you get at your massage therapy office in New Jersey, it can still be a part of your recovery.

Can Massage Therapy Improve My Immune System?

Immune concerns are on the rise thanks to much attention in the media! Whether you are concerned about infectious diseases like RSV or COVID, or if you are more worried about autoimmune disease, there is promising news: massage therapy is associated with improved immune function. Does it increase lymphocytes? Flush toxins? Work magic? The best answer seems to be that it combats stress. The medical field has known for years that stress can worsen mental health, increase blood pressure, and exacerbate illness, and massage therapy tends to work as an “antidote” to stress.

If you are worried about your health or immunity, start by talking with your doctor. Then, look at the lifestyle changes you can make to support wellness—including visiting your local massage therapy office in Sparta for a regular session.