massage therapy facilitates healing

Some history  and facts about Medical Massage:

"The treatment of any chronic disorder of the human body has to include the appropriate method of massage therapy". Prof. A. M . Aksenova, MD Russia

Distinguishing between Russian Medical Massage and Swedish Massage

Quoting from "Therapeutic Massage A Scientific Approach" by Dr. Ross Turchaninov 2000

....some of the techniques are common in the USA but some were developed by Russian scientists and they are quite unique. 

...the main difference is their place in modern society and medicine.  In the USA and some other Western countries massage is considered mostly as a kind of art,spiritual and alternative healing.    

On the other hand in Russia and other East European countries massage is an important part of traditional medicine and the massage therapist sometimes plays a critical role in the final success of patient's treatments.

Many steps from there led to Russian Physician I.Z. Zabludovsky studies on Medical Massage and its clinical aspects.  He worked as the senior medical academy of the Russian Army.  In 1882 he published a dissertation titled "The impact of massage on the healthy human".  From his study, Prorfessor Zabludovsky moved to the clinical research on the medical benefits of massage.  The strong scientific approach of Professor Zabludovsky's works had a deep impact on the Russian and German medical communities.

Medical schools, scientific institutions and hospitals in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev and other major cities were involved in the exploration and application of new methods and techniques of massage.  Today massage is still an important part of the curriculum in every medical school throughout Russia and other republics of the former Soviet Union.

I have obtained certification for Science of Massage Institute's Medical Massage program based on these historically proven clinical protocols.  

https://www.scienceofmassage.com/medical-massage-certification-program/?v=7516fd43adaa

Every country in the world has the saying "Laughter is the best medicine". Now we know it's partly because when we laugh we increase respiration and pressure on the parasternal and paraspinal lymph nodes creating an instant cleansing and regulating effect.  Our natural state really is happiness and joy!

The Autonomic Nervous system consists of the Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nervous System.  “Sympathetic On” makes the body react under stress producing the fight or flight response.  This response helps the body deal with emergencies by releasing hormones into the blood stream causing a number of physiological effects such as: increasing the heart rate, dilating the pupils, constricting blood vessels, and inhibiting digestion.  The fight or flight response initiated by the sympathetic nervous system is critical in our survival and is very effective in increasing our ability to defend ourselves or to escape from dangerous situation. However, in cases  of chronic “mental” stress or chronic illness, the sympathetic nervous system remains active, suppressing the parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest, relax and digestive system of the ANS.  The sympathetic mode creates an unhealthy state in the body and can lead to many disorders and symptoms associated with chronic stress or illness. 

A person can also be in an overly parasympathetic state as well with it's own set of health challenges.

The following is a great explanation of Medical Massage vs. Stress Relief massage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q3W0LU_SWY&t=138s

https://www.scienceofmassage.com/meet-our-cmmps/