Massage

Massage is the oldest therapy still in common use today. This fact speaks for itself with thousands of people each week being treated by massage in Sydney alone. Massage not only feels great, it also reduces stress and treats a wide range of conditions.

At Central Coast Body Mechanics we draw on a variety of massage techniques including Sports-Remedial, Deep tissue, Swedish, Acupressure and the lighter techniques of Lymphatic Drainage, Polarity and Cranio-Sacral Therapy to relax and heal our patients.

It relaxes the muscular system, decreasing pain and inflammation, engendering better healing and restful sleep
Stimulates the nervous system - sharper reflexes and increased alertness
Stimulates lymphatic flow – increases immunity
Improves lung function – greater capacity for work and easier breathing
Aligns the skeletal system – corrects poor posture and movement
Stimulates the circulatory system – increases blood and nutrient supply to the whole body

Pain is very direct signal telling us that something is not right in the body. Pain of a muscular origin may come from direct trauma (injury) or muscular tightness and imbalance.

When our bodies are relaxed our muscles are loose and we are generally pain-free. The most basic result of regular massage is a more relaxed body. Because so many conditions are tension related massage has a very broad scope for influence.

Regardless of the cause, it is the resultant tightness and shortening of muscles that is responsible for most of what is referred to as musculo-skeletal pain which includes pain from sports injuries, niggling aches, chronic pain due to poor posture and other tension related conditions such as headaches.

When muscles become tight they put pressure on surrounding structures causing irritation, pain and inflammation. Tight muscles can also place strong forces on our skeleton causing poor posture, further tightening of muscles and chronic pain. If the forces are uneven the skeleton can become noticeably distorted, for example in scoliosis (this is very common). When the forces are uneven due to habitual one sided activities or a difference in bone lengths, muscles compensate for each other doing more or less work than they were designed to do. This leads to tightness, pain and over-development on one side of the body and flaccidity, weakness and atrophy on the other. The good news is that these things can be corrected by massage.

Conditions such as lower back pain, sciatica, neck pain, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, tension headache, pain in the hip, buttocks, calf, hamstrings, forearms, between the shoulder blades, pressure in the joints, can all be treated safely and effectively with remedial massage. Non musculo-skeletal conditions such as sinusitis, PMT, edema and stress can also be treated with massage. Combined with acupuncture and stretching, massage becomes a very powerful therapy.

Massage for relaxation uses oil and includes long soothing strokes that relieve stress and tension. This is an excellent form of maintenance when you have no specific injuries. It is a lot like getting a regular tune up for your car and is recommended about once a month.

Massage to remedy an injury is often deeper and more specific. At Erina Acupuncture we have found time and time again that combining this remedial massage with acupuncture and stretching is the quickest and most effective form of therapy to heal injuries and pain.