If you think that a warm massage is a nice way to unwind after a hectic day at the office, you are really missing the point.

There’s no doubting that more and more people are turning to massage – be it a simple facial massage or a more complicated massage treatment – for more and more reasons. Between the hectic schedule dictated by stressful jobs, bad diet and mounting stress, massage as a form of therapy is breaking new grounds. Massage is used to treat aches and pains, sleep disorder and some psychological problems too.

In some parts of the world massage is therapeutic – a non-invasive, hands-on form of treatment that seeks to restore the balance in the body. These practices are widespread in most ancient cultures like China (Acupuncture), Japan (Shiatsu) and India (Ayurveda). Massage therapy, as practiced in these areas, is more than 4,000 years old. In the West too, many of the recently developed forms of holistic healing are dependent on massage to varying degrees. Examples are Rolfing, Chiropractic healing, Reflex massage etc.

In the West, mainstream medicine is just beginning to recognize the effectiveness of massage for therapeutic purposes. Instead, it is considered simply as a method to rejuvenate and rebuild. Doctors reason that since the masseur is applying pressure to various points in the body that are at best forgotten and ignored, blood circulation throughout the body is enhanced. Since blood supplies much needed oxygen to various parts of the body, this increased flow has a therapeutic effect. Thus massage enhances the functional mobility of the organs and repairs the wasted tissues. When the body is properly massaged with scented oils and special care is taken of neglected areas, it is natural to feel lighter, happier and calmer after massage.

Some of the proven benefits of massage include:

- It keeps the Blood Pressure within normal confines and even relieves high Blood Pressure.

- Offers great relief in case of stress related disorders like insomnia and headaches.

- Alleviates depression and anxiety.

- Removes indigestion, flatulence and constipation. It thus improves the general digestion of the body by invigorating the internal organs.

- By facilitating blood-flow, it tones up the muscles and joints, increases flexibility and mobility. Thus it is very beneficial to people suffering from back ache, arthritis and body pain.

- Increases the efficiency of the heart by activating the cardiac rhythm.

- Lessens labor pain and length and reduces the likelihood of postpartum depression.

By stimulating the lymphatic system, massage also aids the process of elimination and helps remove toxins from the body.

With all the above-mentioned benefits, it is no wonder that the number of adults who are getting massages have nearly tripled in the last decade. There are different kinds of massage:

- Chinese massage

- Connective Tissue massage

- Corporate massage

- Deep Tissue massage

- Hawaiian massage

- Infant massage

- Mobile Service massage

- Pregnancy massage

- Remedial massage

- Sports massage

- Stone Therapy massage

- Swedish/Relaxation massage

- Thai massage

However, massage as a form of therapy is not something that just about anyone can provide. There is a specific technique to each form of massage and one has to be trained and competent enough to give the ‘healing touch’. The rising popularity of massage is evident in the number of corporations – from Pepsi to NBC to Reebok – offering massage as an employee benefit that increases the morale and thus the productivity of its employees.