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Indian Massage Mystery
Indian Massage Mystery
Massage therapy has a long history in cultures around the world. Today, people use many different types of massage therapy for a variety of health-related purposes. In South Africa, massage therapy is often considered part ofcomplementary and alternative medicine(CAM), although it does have some conventional uses.
Although scientific research on massagetherapy - whetherit works and, if so,how - islimited, there is evidence that massage may benefit some patients. Conclusions generally cannot yet be drawn about its effectiveness for specific health conditions.
There are numerous theories about how massage therapy may affect the body. For example, the "gate control theory" suggests that massage may provide stimulation that helps to block pain signals sent to the brain.
Other theories suggest that Indian Massage might stimulate the release of certain chemicals in the body, such asserotoninor endorphins, or cause beneficial mechanical changes in the body. However, additional studies are needed to test the various theories.
The use of massage in India can be accounted for back to the time of the first Indo-Aryan settlements; it's however, likely that massage was already in use during the preceding era of the Indus valley culture.
The important cultural function of the ancient practice of home massage can be seen in that massage was often linked to social, religious or ritual customs.
Massage was considered to be beneficial to health. The classic Ayurveda texts mention massage in this sense and recommend it as an almost indispensible healing factor. To this day, massage is regularly used in India for the promotion of general health and fitness as well as in treating minor health problems.
Ayurvedic doctors also employ massage as a complete therapy to be applied systematically in the treatment of serious illness. Massage is most commonly applied to the entire body or individual body parts with the aid of ample amounts of warmed oils and, at times, other substances, which are specific to the patient's constitution. The usual massage method is similar in some ways to the western method.