The Benefits of Massage for those with Neurological Conditions
Neurological disorders are conditions that affect the Brain, Spine and Spinal nerves. There are over 600 known Neurological diseases such as Stroke, MS, Parkinsons and Cerebral palsy. These conditions are often associated with a change in muscular tone, a loss in flexibility, muscular pain and spasms.
Massage therapy can be extremely beneficial to address these issues and enable the individual to gain a greater quality of life. Its benefits include:
-
Reduced pain
-
Increased flexibility and range of movement
-
Reduced tone
-
Increased sensation
-
Improved muscular performance
High tone in particularly can be extremely restricting and painful for those effected. This is caused when there is damage to the brain or spinal cord which causes a change in the balance of signals between the nervous system and the muscles.
Deep massage can stretch the muscle that experiences spasticity or high tone by resetting sarcomere lengths to a more optimal state (the structure inside the muscle). It helps to break down subcutaneous adhesions and prevent fibrosis, and may lead to improved sensory feedback from muscle spindle receptors. The repetitive stimulation provided by massage can also reduce pain through the gate control theory (blocks pain signals).
Massage increases blood flow which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients brought to the tissue, as well as removing any toxins. It stimulates the autonomic nervous system which also can increase the release of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. These can help reduce pain and stress.
Range of movement can also be improved by an increase in tissue temperature, a decrease in scar tissue and swelling. The massage provided will include stretches that will help improve muscle length.