Therapeutic (Medical) Massage

Massage is a treatment method that creates physiological and psychological effects on the body by mechanically stimulating soft tissues. Therapeutic, also known as medical massage, activates the body’s natural ability to renew or heal itself. It maintains physical condition, increases muscle tone, provides relaxation, stimulates circulation, creates therapeutic effects on the cardiovascular system and nervous system, and balances the interaction between all body systems. It also increases endorphin levels in the circulation, which has a pain-reducing effect, and has a positive effect on autonomic nervous system responses.

Its application area in medicine is quite wide. Some of these are as follows:

• Myofascial pain, regional muscle pain (especially neck, back, waist and headache seen in office workers)
• Functional deficiencies, active and passive strains in the muscles
• Arthrosis, joint calcifications
• Fibromyalgia, soft tissue rheumatism
• cellulites
• Regional edema treatment
• Headaches (neck and facial massage)
• Scoliosis and other posture disorders
• Sleeping disorders
• Psychological problems such as stress and anxiety disorders and depression

In massage, which is a part and complementary method of rehabilitation and medical treatment practices, the person’s health must be evaluated by the specialist physician before the application and an appropriate massage technique must be selected. Medical massage can be combined with other physical medicine methods when necessary, but is often accompanied by individual-specific exercise practices. Regular massage applications along the entire spine before or after exercise contribute to making movements much easier and reducing pain. Therapeutic massage can also be safely applied to back, waist and foot pain, which are common in pregnant women. Regular massage improves general health, provides relaxation, reduces muscle tension, reduces anxiety and tension, supports health maintenance in healthy people and maintains body-mind-spiritual health balance.

A full body massage should last 30-45 minutes. Regional massages can be applied for 15-20 minutes. This duration depends on the type and indication of massage to be given to the patient. The frequency of treatment may vary depending on the pathological findings in the tissues, the patient’s general health condition and response. Massage can be done every day until results are obtained, especially for those who work in an office environment and have back, neck, headache complaints and lymphedema. A full body massage 1-2 times a week is sufficient.

In addition to the diseases mentioned above, “oncology massage”, which is accepted as a subgroup of therapeutic (medical) massage for oncology patients, is a complementary treatment that increases the quality of life of patients before, during and after oncology treatment and reduces the side effects of this difficult treatment process. has taken its place in medical practice.

Simple but critical points should be taken into consideration when starting massage therapy in these patients, for example: lymph nodes may have been removed or radiation therapy may have been applied, or the patient may have bone metastases. Therefore, a preliminary evaluation of these patients should be made by a physical therapy and rehabilitation specialist before treatment, and the appropriate massage technique and issues to be considered should be determined. We can list the benefits of oncology massage, which is now used as a part of treatment in many hospitals and institutes, as revealed by many scientific studies, as follows:

Benefits of Oncology Massage:

• Reduces anxiety
• It regulates sleep and reduces fatigue.
• It reduces nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy. Studies have shown that massage by stimulating acupressure points (application of pressure to acupuncture points) reduces the cost of treatment by relieving nausea and vomiting.
• It relieves pain. Patients who receive massage therapy state that their acute pain, in particular, is reduced.

In the massage treatment applied at Anadolu Health Center, techniques such as classical massage, deep connective tissue, trigger point, acupressure (massage applied to acupuncture points), reflexology and aromatherapy are used by drawing a personalized program with the guidance of the specialist physician and often in various combinations according to the needs of the patient. is applied.

Massage Types:

Classic Massage

Classical massage is most often applied as therapeutic (therapeutic, medical) massage. Classic massage; It is a traditional Western massage and is a set of various manipulation techniques performed manually by monitoring the direction of blood flow towards the surface muscle masses and the heart.

aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a completely natural method that contributes to the healing process by penetrating herbal oils into the body through massage, steam and similar methods, and by benefiting from the chemical compositions of these oils and the energy they provide. Aromatherapy is a therapy that treats the mind and body as a whole, providing support for the solution of both physical problems and emotional problems caused by stress.

ayurveda

It is a traditional system of medicine that originated in India and is practiced all over the world today. Ayurvedic massage is only a part of this holistic treatment system. In this treatment, the Ayurvedic body type (dosha) of the person is determined, different herbal oils are used accordingly, and the type of massage to be performed is determined. It is a massage for the general system, not for the muscles as in the classical massage. Generally, sesame oil and mixtures of different vegetable oils are applied warmly.

reflexology

Reflexology; It is a technique of applying pressure to specific points on the feet, hands and ears. It is mostly applied to the feet because many nerves pass through the feet and are very sensitive. There are reflex areas and reference points on the feet where internal organs (brain, liver, lungs, etc.), endocrine glands and musculoskeletal system are reflected. When pressure and massage are applied to these points, blockages in the relevant organs are opened and free energy flow is provided. Reflexology can be applied to all age groups, from young children to the very elderly. Healthy people can also receive regular reflexology sessions to protect their health and prevent possible diseases.

peloidotherapy

Peloid (medical mud) refers to mud rich in mineral and/or organic content used for treatment, and peloidotherapy (medical mud treatment) refers to the treatment performed with peloid. In this treatment, hot/cold peloid is applied to the target area. Peloidotherapy can be applied to degenerative joint diseases (joint calcification), fibromyalgia syndrome, waist and neck pain and post-traumatic recovery process.