You will encounter many different forms of massage depending where around the world you travel. However in this modern age, you can probably find all significant forms of massage within a close proximity.
Are you currently pregnant and struggling with a lot of issues? Pregnancy is something to be thankful for but it does come with a lot of problems including muscle tension, stress, back pain, and surging hormones.
The good thing is pregnancy massage can be a big help. You might be wondering why. Well, let’s dive into nine benefits of pregnancy massage you can enjoy!
1. It Helps Reduce Swelling
Look at your feet. Are they really swollen? Well, you’re not the only pregnant woman experiencing this. Pregnant women usually experience swelling (edema) on their feet and ankles. Swelling can resemble tree trunks and this can be very frustrating.
The swelling experienced by pregnant women is a result of multiple factors. First, your body tends to preserve or retain a whole lot more of water. Plus, your growing belly puts pressure on your body and slows blood flow to and from the heart. This results to blood building up more easily. Of course, your hormones play a part in the game as well.
Pregnancy massages leads to the stimulation of your soft muscle tissues. This aids in draining fluids and promoting healthy blood circulation. Foot massages can be very important as well. In one research implemented, 40 pregnant women received 20-minute foot massages every single day for five days straight. This resulted in a significant decrease in swelling relative to pregnant women who didn’t get massages.
2. It Helps Relieve Back Pain
During pregnancy, lower back pain is very common. According to estimates, about ½ of pregnant women experience lower back pain during the course of their pregnancy.
Aside from physical discomfort, this can result to higher stress levels, sleeping difficulties, and trouble with performing usual daily activities.
Studies state that massage can help for back pain relief. In one specific study, a pregnant women who experienced back pain went through twelve, 30-minute massage session throughout a span of six weeks. The entire four parameters for measuring pain utilized within the study significantly improved after the treatments were administered.
3. It Helps To Relax Muscle Tension
Muscle tension can be described as a rubber band that is pulled to the point that it is very tight. Usually, your muscles can be tight and this can lead to pain. Muscle tension can occur at any area of your body.
Pregnant women can have a hard time to move due to their bodily changes. The muscles tend to struggle when it comes to remaining warm, strong, and elastic especially if they are not used. Massage therapy can help to relax muscle tension. This is because it helps blood circulate better and flow towards the muscles.
Blood flow will warm up muscles and soften them especially when circulation is improved. This results to pain relief. In addition, it can also lead to increased mobility.
4. It Helps To Reduce Depression
A lot of pregnant women experience depression. If you’re one of them, you don’t have to be hard on yourself. This can be a very common experience and you are not alone. The good thing is, massage can help you experience feel-good emotions.
One study involved pregnant women and went through massage therapy for about twelve weeks. Massages were given twice every week. These women were also diagnosed with major depression. At the end of their therapy, the women involved in the study has significant reduction in their symptoms of depression. In addition, the reduction also continued after giving birth.
5. It Helps To Regulate Hormones
Massage can really be beneficial.They help in the production of hormones that make your feel good. Pregnant women experience a roller coaster of hormones and these changes can be very uncomfortable. It can wreak havoc on your mind and body.
To help regulate your hormones, you can opt for a pregnancy massage. Massage results to an increase in dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin levels. All of these hormones produce feeling of peace and joy along with other benefits.
6. It Helps Reduce Stress
There is a hormone associated with stress called cortisol. Increased levels of this hormones is related to numerous health problems including high blood pressure, weakened immune system, and heart disease, among others. Plus, extremely high amounts of cortisol within your body during pregnancy may have a negative impact on your baby.
The levels of cortisol in a pregnant woman’s body normally rises by about 2x to 4x. This is important for the development of the baby. However, high levels can be damaging to both you and the baby.
Studies have shown that massage can lead to a reduction in cortisol levels. It also leads to a decrease in stressful fetal activity during the time you are carrying the baby. In addition, this can lead to feelings of reduced stress as you go through pregnancy.
7. It Helps Improve Sleep Quality
One study has shown that massage can help in the improvement of sleep quality. Professionals believe that massage therapy boost the phase of deep sleep wherein the body is in its restorative state and does the most healing processes. This can be the result of the feelings of pain relief and relaxation experienced after massage therapies.
8. It Helps With Sciatic Pain Relief
The sciatic nerve is located within your lower back. It runs through the buttocks and goes towards the spine. During pregnancy, women usually experience sciatic pain because the nerve is compressed or pinched.
This can be caused by a lot of factors including muscle tension, the weight of the baby placed on the nerve, and pelvic misalignment. Resulting to pain and numbness, this can be very uncomfortable.
Getting a massage can help with sciatic pain relief because it reduces swelling and inflammation relieving the sciatic nerve of pressure. It also helps to put your joints and muscles back towards their appropriate position.
9. It Helps To Shorten Labor
In order to experience a good labor, it is a must to have a strong and healthy body. Pregnancy massages have multiple benefits and that includes enhancing a woman’s labor experience. This is what you’d like to have, right? Studies have shown that pregnant women who opted for massage therapy experienced significantly reduced levels of pain during labor. In addition, they require less medicine. The great thing about it was time on labor was reduced by an average of three hours.
Putting It All Together
Massage therapy has multiple benefits for pregnant women. From pain relief, stress reduction, and regulation of hormones to shortening of labor, this technique can be very useful for those experiencing pregnancy. If you’re currently pregnant and would like to find a massage therapy nearby, feel free to do so. Don’t forget to check with your healthcare professional though. Enjoy!
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