Description

Therapeutic (Medical) Massage 

Massage is a therapy method which creates physiological
and psychological effects on the body by mechanically stimulating soft tissues.
Therapeutic, in other words medical massage, activates the self-renewal or
healing characteristics which are intrinsic to the body. It protects physical
condition, increases muscle tone, provides relaxation, stimulates circulation,
creates therapeutic effects on cardiovascular system and nervous system and
balances interaction between whole body systems. Furthermore, it elevates
endorphin levels which have pain-reducing effects in the circulation, and it
has a positive effect on autonomic nervous system responses. It has a wide
range of application in medicine.  Some of them are as follows:

• Myofascial pain, regional (neck, back, waist and
headache particularly seen in office settings) muscle pain

• Functional insufficiencies in the muscle, active and
passive constraining

• Arthroses, joint calcifications

• Fibromyalgia, soft tissue rheumatism

• Cellulites  

• Regional edema treatment

• Headache (nape and facial massage) 

• Scoliosis and other postural disorders

• Sleep disorders

• Psychological problems such as stress and anxiety
disorders and depression

In massage, which is a part of rehabilitation and medical
treatment applications and a complementary method, the health of the person
should be evaluated by a specialist physician prior to application and a
massage technique should be selected accordingly.  Medical massage can be
combined with other physical medical methods when necessary, however it is
often accompanied by exercise applications specific to the person.. Regular massage
applications to be performed throughout the spine before or after exercise
shall contribute to making body movements much easier and less painful.
Therapeutic massage can as well be safely applied to back, waist and foot pain,
which are frequently observed in pregnant women. Regular massage improves
overall health, provides relief, soothes muscle tension, reduces anxiety and
tension, supports maintenance of wellness in healthy people, and protects
body-mind-spirit health balance.

The whole body massage should last 30-45 minutes.
Regional massages can be applied for 15-20 minutes. Such period depends on the
type and indications of the massage to be performed on the patient. The
frequency of treatment may vary according to the pathological findings in the
tissues, the general health condition of the patient and the respond given by
the same. Massages can be applied every day, particularly on the persons
working in the office environment, with back, neck, headache complaints and in
lymphedema until favourable results are obtained.  It is sufficient to
apply a whole body massage 1-2 times a week.

In addition to the diseases mentioned above,
“oncology massage”, which is accepted as a subgroup of therapeutic
(medical) massage in oncologic patients, gained its place among medical
applications as a supplementary treatment that increases the quality of life of
patients before, during and after the cancer treatment and reduces the side
effects of such challenging treatment process. While starting massage therapy in
these patients, simple but critical points should be considered, for example
the lymph nodes might have been removed or radiation therapy might have been
applied, or the patient may have bone metastasis. Therefore, in such patients
pre-assessment should be made by the physical therapy and rehabilitation
specialist before treatment, and appropriate massage technique and issues to be
considered should be determined. Oncology massage is used as a part of the
treatment in many hospitals and institutes today and we can enumerate  its
benefits which have been revealed by many scientific researches as follows:

Reduces the state of distress (anxiety)

Soothes the pain. Patients who receive massage treatment
report that especially acute pain associated with cancer is lessened.

Reduces nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy. In the
studies conducted it was demonstrated that the massage applied in the form of
stimulation of acupressure points (applying pressure on acupuncture points)
alleviated nausea and vomiting and thereby diminished the cost of treatment.

Regulates sleep, reduces fatigue. 

In the course of the massage therapy in our hospital,
techniques such as classic massage, deep connective tissue, trigger point,
acupressure (massage applied on acupuncture points), reflexology and
aromatherapy are applied by drawing up a personalized program through
directives of the specialist physician and in the form of various combinations
mostly depending on the needs of the patient.

Classic massage

Classic massage is the most frequently used curing
(therapeutic, medical) massage. Classic massage is a traditional western
massage which is a whole of various manipulation techniques applied by hand on
the surface muscles tracking the direction blood flow towards the heart.

Aromaterapy

Aromatherapy is completely a natural method contributing
the healing process by benefiting from the chemical compositions and energy
supplied as a result of penetrating herbal oils into the body through massage,
vapor and similar methods.  Aromatherapy is a therapy that deals with mind
and body as a whole and provides support for solution of both physical problems
and stress-related emotional problems. 

Ayurveda

It is a traditional medical system that emerged in India
and which is practiced throughout the world today. Ayurvedic massage on the
other hand is only a part of this holistic treatment system. In this therapy,
the ayurvedic body type (dosha) of the person is determined and different
vegetable oils are used accordingly and the type of massage to be performed is
determined. It is not a massage for muscles as being done in classic massage
but a massage for the general system.  Generally sesame oil and mixtures
of different herbal oils are applied warmly.  

Reflexology

Reflexology is the technique of applying pressure on
specific points on the feet, hands and ears. It is mostly applied to the feet,
because there are many nerves passing through the feet and they are very
sensitive.  On the feet there are reflex areas and reference points where
internal organs (brain, liver, lung, etc.), endocrine glands and
musculoskeletal system are reflected.  When pressure and massage are
applied to such points, the blockades in the relevant organs are opened and
free energy flow is provided. Reflexology can be applied to all age groups,
ranging from small children to very old age. Healthy people as well can take
regular reflexology sessions to protect their health and prevent diseases that
could emerge.

Peloid

pallid (medical sludge) is refers to the sludge used for
therapy and having a rich mineral and/or organic content, on the other hand
peloidotherapy (medical sludge treatment) is called the treatment performed
with plaid. In this treatment, application of hot / cold plaid is performed
on the target region.  Peloidotherapy could be used in degenerative joint
diseases (joint calcification), fibromyalgia syndrome, waist and neck pain, and
post-traumatic healing process.