Massage is part of integrative medicine and can be used for various medical conditions. In massage therapy, a therapist rubs and kneads the body's soft tissues, including muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and skin. The therapist varies the amount of pressure and movement. Individuals often start feeling the effects right away. One of the benefits is increased temperature. Increased temperature amplifies blood flow and circulation, enabling muscular and connective tissues to release restriction, and muscle tightness, relieve tension, and improve movement. A massage therapist will use different techniques to increase the temperature to treat various conditions.
Increased Temperature
Some patients want to know why their muscles heat up or burn during a massage. Muscles burn because of the accumulation of waste in the cells. The waste products are released as a result of massage. The muscles release lactate, a byproduct of glucose. The effects of deep tissue massage are almost the same as the effects of exercise. During the massage:
- The demand for oxygen in the tissues increases.
- Because of this, blood flow circulation to these tissues increases.
- This is necessary to supply oxygen and glucose.
- It excretes waste substances and toxins.
Muscle heat or burn during massage differs for everybody. Some individuals don't feel it at all. The session can be so intense that the muscles can't clear the lactate/toxins fast enough, causing the burning sensation.
Fascia Circulation
The temperature of the fascia can also be increased. Fascia is the thick, fibrous layer of connective tissues beneath the skin that can often become restrictive. Increased temperature in the superficial and deep tissues releases, relaxes, and loosens tight, tense, shortened, and/or injured areas, allowing muscular tissues to increase in elasticity, flexibility, and relaxation. Heart rate is raised, improving circulation and increasing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas and the rest of the body.
- Myofascial release involves slowly applying pressure to the area using flattened hands and fingers.
- The slow, soft pressure increases the temperature of the fascia.
- As the hands and fingers get deeper within, they slowly move around, spreading the fascia.
- This releases the tightness and relieves the pain.
- An individual's posture can improve when the temperature is increased. Muscular tension and tightness can cause increased pain symptoms, not allowing healthy posture.
Muscle Burn Relief
Rehydrate
- Drink plenty of water after the session is over.
- Water maintains proper circulation for excreting waste products and nourishes the muscle cells with fresh nutrients and oxygen.
- Avoid coffee and alcohol as they increase urination and blood osmolality and dehydrate the body.
Stretching
- Stretching before and after a session can relieve muscle soreness.
- Stretching exercises increase blood flow.
- Stimulates the release of synovial fluid around the joints.
Sleep
- Get plenty of rest after a session.
- The body knows how to restore itself; during sleep, it reduces cortisol secretion.
- It increases the stimulation of antioxidative hormones to go after free radicals.
Herbal Remedies
- Herbal remedies like ginger, garlic, cloves, and cinnamon increase blood circulation, reducing pain and swelling.
Essential Oils
- Essential oils like peppermint oil can help relax the mind.
- They have anti-inflammatory properties that help with muscle burn and soreness.
- After a session, a little peppermint or CBD oil can relieve the sore parts.
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The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
References
Dion LJ, et al. Development of a hospital-based massage therapy course at an academic medical center. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. 2015; doi:10.3822/ijtmb.v8i1.249.
Massage therapy: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/massage-therapy-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed Jan. 5, 2021.
Rodgers NJ, et al. A decade of building massage therapy services at an academic medical center as part of a healing enhancement program. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2015; doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.07.004.
