Massage therapy is not just for athletes after a strenuous workout or the self-indulgent people seeking youthful rejuvenation. Racheal House, a Longview resident, is a Licensed Massage Therapist who works at the Touch of Health Wellness Center specializing in Therapeutic Swedish Massage, pre-natal massage, hot stone and tension headache stress release.
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Racheal House, a Licensed Massage Therapist who works at the Touch of Health Wellness Center
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"A touch, especially skilled touch, is one of the biggest universal things that can affect us," Racheal said. "I don't think there's anyone that couldn't benefit from a massage."
Immune system booster
Cold and flu season is upon us once again. We all spend a good amount of money each year trying to prevent the sniffles by buying products off the shelves that promise a quick fix to our winter woes. Yet, unknown to many, a massage is a medically-proven way to reduce your visits to the pharmacy, and it feels great, too.
Therapeutic massage enhances the body's natural defense system to fight infection. Here's how it works: During the massage, the lymph flow becomes stimulated, increasing the elimination of pesky micro-organisms, i.e. viruses. Blood circulation also increases, keeping cells healthy with oxygen and nutrients.
Stress buster
Doctors estimate that up to 90 percent of disease is stress-related. Stress also makes us age faster mentally and physically — and who needs that? Regular massage appointments are essential in our non-stop, fast-paced world.
"Stress can be caused by physical, mental or emotional problems, and massage is the biggest thing to help," Racheal said."
She recommends regular weekly or bi-weekly appointments for stress relief, general relaxation and overall well-being.
Pregnancy and playgrounds
Pregnancy is a glamorous experience for some women; however, for the rest of us, we feel tired, swollen and ... are those stretch marks? Yes, massage therapy can help with all of this, too! However, pregnant women need to get permission from their obstetrician and consult with their massage therapist to make sure they are properly qualified to perform pre-natal massage.
Massages can lead to shorter and easier labor for expectant mothers and shorten the maternity hospital stay. Racheal used massage therapy for pain relief instead of pain medicines by having a friend massage pressure points that help during contractions. In as little as 24 hours after birthing, massage therapy can be rendered to reduce post-surgery adhesions and swelling. Here's the best part — massage treatment promotes tissue regeneration, which reduces scar tissue and stretch marks.
Beneficial for all women, massage therapy can decrease water retention and cramping associated with premenstrual syndrome.
Children can also greatly benefit from the use of therapeutic healing. Research shows that asthmatic children show better pulmonary function and increased peak air flow with massages. Massage habilitation is becoming an integral part of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Preterm infants have improved weight gain and alertness from the use of massage practitioners.
In this upcoming year, remember to budget time and money to include massage therapy into your wellness plan. One last reason to consider a regular massage:
"One of the greatest benefits is that it helps with skin tone," Racheal said. "Massages improve your overall physical appearance. Plus, you lose 90-100 calories just by receiving a massage."
Sounds good to me. Sign me up!
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For Racheal House the art of massage therapy has always been a family affair. At a young age, she learned firsthand the numerous therapeutic benefits of massage and started developing her own style. Her mother, the late Donna Walls House, was voted Best of East Texas eight years in a row in the 1990s for her massage therapy techniques.
Racheal never had a problem helping a friend or family member relax with a good rubdown, but she finally decided to formalize her training in 2006 and attended Texas Massage Institute of East Texas, formerly Hands on Therapy, in Longview. There she took over 300 hours of study and practice to obtain her massage therapy license.
"If you go into massage therapy you have to like what you do," she said. "There has to be a love for people and dedication toward helping people."
Outside of her patient load, Racheal regularly massages her dad, who suffers from severe back pain after falling 53 feet off of Pine Tree High School in 2003; grandmother, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia; and her two children, for general relaxation and well-being. Her three-year-old, Brycen, is already following in her footsteps, helping his mom massage whenever he can.
Racheal truly loves what she does and believes, "that?s my form of stress release."
