Risks of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is a kind of touch therapy that relaxes you mentally and physically. It enhances your senses, eases all the tension, and even helps you in meditation.

Apart from its positive effects, massage therapy poses some risks also. Massage therapy is not for everyone and if anyone undergoes the therapy, he must make sure it’s performed by a trained therapist. Massage therapy is not at all suggested for people suffering from cancer, blood clots, arthritis and fractures and pregnant women.

Nerve Injury

Massage therapy can cause strain in nerves resulting in nerve damage. It happens when the massage therapist applies a lot of pressure on a single area causing the nerves to contract, thereby interfering with the blood flow.

Fractures

Massage therapy can cause bone fractures to people suffering from arthritis and osteoporosis. Women suffering from osteoporosis have weak and brittle bones. They tend to break from the pressure applied during massage. Bones that are in the process of healing are also very prone to fractures during massage.  Even people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy have brittle bones. They should also avoid massage therapy.

Internal bleeding

Massage therapy given to haemophilic people can cause internal bleeding. This can prove lethal to them as their body doesn’t have any clotting mechanism. The pressure can cause rupture of the blood veins and leakage of the interstitial fluids causing oedema.

Apart from the above there are other massage therapy risks also.

• Continuous pain in the muscles due to pressure applied. This is a temporary problem.

• Swelling and bruising can also happen during massage therapy.

• Person may develop allergies to the oils used in massage therapy.

• It can develop muscular cramps if not given properly. This can cause muscular stretches too.

Massage therapy is highly beneficial to make you stress-free both physically and mentally. It gives you internal relaxation. Massage therapy if not given properly can cause serious health problems too. So while going for a massage therapy make sure that the massage therapist is properly trained and you are medically fit enough to take the therapy.

Read more articles on Massage Therapy.