01/30/2023
WHAT ONLY SPECIALISTS KNOW ABOUT MASSAGE.
As if everyone knows what a massage is. I dare say that the majority of readers know only the “tip of the iceberg” about the effect of massage on the body.
The "visible to the eye" part of the information is the mechanical action of the massage. Everything is clear here. Carrying out massage techniques, the massage therapist rubs, kneads, squeezes, stretches, compresses, shifts, etc. tissue of the patient's body.
These actions enhance the circulation of lymph, blood, interstitial fluid, remove sloughing cells of the epidermis, etc. The mechanical effect during massage eliminates congestion in the body, enhances metabolism and skin respiration in the massaged area of the body.
And now I will reveal to you a "secret" known only to specialists. The mechanical effect of massage is not the main thing. There are also so-called reflex and humoral effects. And here the most interesting begins.
First of all, massage has an effect on the central and autonomic nervous system. At the initial stage of the massage, irritation of the receptors embedded in the skin, muscles, tendons, articular bags, ligaments and vessel walls occurs. Then the impulses caused by this irritation are transmitted to the central nervous system and reach the corresponding areas of the cerebral cortex. There, a general complex reaction occurs, causing functional changes in the body.
This mechanism was described in detail in the works of the Russian physiologist I.P. Pavlov. Any stimulation of the nerve receptors is transformed into a nerve signal, which runs through the nerve fibers, as if through wires, to the central nervous system and from there, through other wires, is brought to the working organ, transforming, in turn, into a specific process of the cells of this organ.
What does this mean? Yes, with the help of massage techniques, you can control the functions of the organs of the human body. Carrying out one or another massage technique, the specialist causes a completely definite and predictable reaction of the patient's body. And with the right influence, the result will be beneficial.
The second "secret" of massage. The fact is that under the influence of massage, biologically active substances (tissue hormones) are formed in the skin and enter the blood, with the help of which vascular reactions, transmission of nerve impulses and other processes occur.
Under the influence of massage, histamine and histamine-like substances are rapidly formed, they are carried by the blood and lymph throughout the body and have a beneficial effect on blood vessels, internal organs and systems. So, histamine, acting on the adrenal glands, causes an increased release of adrenaline.
Acetylcholine acts as an active mediator in the transmission of a nerve signal from one nerve cell to another, which creates favorable conditions for the activity of skeletal muscles.
In addition, acetylcholine promotes the expansion of small arteries and improves breathing. It is also believed to be a local hormone in many tissues.
In other words, with the help of massage we use our "internal pharmacy". Massage helps us to cope with health problems without drugs, using our body's own reserves.
