When we hurt ourselves it is instinctive to rub ourselves where it hurts. We have always used touch to reassure and calm ourselves and others. In the 19th century Heinrich Ling, a Swede, travelled in extensively in China and was impressed by their form of treatment based on massage. He developed a scientific system of massage that became accepted in the west as a form of treatment. Swedish Massage is still in use today and has improved through the years with the increase in knowledge about the body and how it works.
Constant stress can cause hormonal imbalances within the body.
You might think that stress is a relatively new phenomenon, this has been caused by recent recognition of the importance of handling stress and improved health. Stress has now been linked as a major causative factor with serious medical conditions. Stress is an inevitable part of life, how we handle stress is so important. We take most situations in our stride but unresolved stress can build up over time and can cause us physical and emotional problems. A course of massage can help the mind and body to deal with stress on a day to day basis, and promote a feeling of well being.