Masseur

The masseur is a specialist in the mechanical impact on the human body with the help of special techniques: pressure, rubbing, vibration, twisting.

This effect is called massage, and can have a healing or cosmetic effect.

In addition to mechanical techniques and techniques, the massage therapist can use special oils, medicinal ointments and gels, massage devices and devices.

Despite the fact that this specialist in the course of his work with the patient does not affect the joints and bone apparatus, the effect that he has on muscles, tissues, skin and tendons can have a significant therapeutic effect.

Massage: wellness or relaxation treatment

Many people have a question – is massage exactly a remedy, or is it more a cosmetic procedure, a way to relax? And who is a massage therapist – a doctor or just a master who knows how to massage the body?

There are several varieties of massage: there are therapeutic (it is also called medical), cosmetic, sports and hygienic massage.

The first type is used in hospitals, sanatoriums, medical institutions for the purpose of rehabilitation or treatment of various health and well-being problems. Such massage can only be performed by specialists with the appropriate secondary specialized medical education received at the appropriate educational institution.

Basically, similar requirements are put forward for sports massage therapists who work with professional athletes in gyms or fitness centers, however, their special education can be obtained not only in medical, but also in a sports college or higher educational institution.

The concepts of “cosmetic massage” and “hygienic massage” have nothing to do with medicine. The first type of procedures is important mainly to improve the appearance of the skin, and the second is aimed at strengthening the overall well-being, bringing the body into tone and state of vivacity. A specialist who provides such services may work in a beauty salon or spa center, may open his own massage parlor or perform a procedure at home, but he is not authorized to practice medicine, diagnose or prescribe treatment for any diseases.

What Can a Massage Therapist Do?

Based on the level of qualification, a specialist can, for example, exercise only cosmetic or restorative purposes, provide therapeutic massage services as prescribed by a doctor, or independently diagnose health problems, develop treatment regimens for them and treat ailments.

The masseur not only determines the methods and techniques of influence necessary in each specific case, but also must calculate the strength of their influence, the “dosage” of massage services, which should help the patient or client.

What does a specialist diagnose and treat?

Of course, only a professional doctor has the right to diagnose and, moreover, treat diseases. Therapeutic massage has a positive effect on the functioning of the organs and helps to get rid of many troubles. If we are talking about a massage therapist, its impact can be on:

• muscles and tissues;
• organs of the digestive tract;
• organs of the genitourinary system;
• liver;
• respiratory system;
• heart and vascular system.

The masseur affects the bone apparatus and joints only indirectly, through the impact on the muscles and tissues around them.

Massage therapist levels and qualification requirements

Specialists of this profile are assigned one of four categories. It all depends on the level of education and experience:

• the third category of qualification means that the masseur has graduated from the relevant courses or an educational institution of a non-medical profile, knows some massage techniques, can perform hygienic massage of the body or its parts;
• the presence of the second category indicates that the specialist has completed the relevant courses, possesses the skills and techniques that he has the right to apply for certain health problems in the patient, for example, fractures or blood pressure disorders, as therapeutic measures;
• the first category indicates that the massage therapist has the necessary education and the level of knowledge, experience and skills in order to independently diagnose health problems, prescribe a treatment regimen, and carry out appropriate procedures;
• the highest category gives the right to create their own massage techniques and techniques, take students, open and establish their own schools and courses, write scientific papers.

The assignment of each of the categories is preceded by passing the appropriate training and passing exams, obtaining a certificate or diploma.

In addition, the qualification level periodically needs to be confirmed or increased.

Injuries and diseases treated by a massage therapist

Using the technique of special therapeutic massage, a doctor with appropriate qualifications helps the patient to get rid of various health disorders.

Including:

• hypertension, dysfunction of the cardiovascular system;
• joint diseases (eg, arthritis, gout);
• congenital clubfoot and muscular torticollis;
• inflammation of the prostate;
• diseases of the respiratory tract and ENT organs;
• diseases of the digestive tract, kidneys, liver;
• obesity, metabolic disorders;
• rickets, umbilical hernia, scoliosis, cerebral palsy, consequences of fractures.

In some cases, massage alone may be enough to successfully combat the disease, but often it is part of a general medical therapy, which may also include medication, surgery and various procedures.

Sports massage therapists can perform procedures to restore the musculoskeletal system after injuries caused by sports.

For example sprains, tears, dislocations, bruises, fractures.

Symptoms for visiting a doctor

In addition to the fact that for most people massage procedures are prescribed as a strengthening therapy and for the prevention of certain diseases, there are times when the body begins to signal that it needs help. In what cases can a massage therapist provide such assistance? It is necessary to contact this doctor if a person has the following symptoms:

• chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances;
• nervous excitement;
• headache;
• excess weight;
• posture disorders: kyphosis, scoliosis, lordosis, others;
• respiratory diseases, tendency to frequent colds, bronchitis;
• signs of osteochondrosis.

For those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, massage is prescribed for general strengthening of the body and bringing it into tone.

Contraindications to massage

Although the procedure is usually allowed for both children and adults, there are exceptions in which massage can exacerbate existing health problems and cause more harm than good to the patient.

Among the contraindications to the procedure:

• high temperature and fever;
• bleeding and a tendency to thrombosis;
• infectious and fungal diseases of the skin and nails;
• acute inflammatory processes in the blood and lymphatic vessels;
• allergic diseases with skin rashes, Quincke’s edema;
• tuberculosis, syphilis, gangrene, trophic ulcers
• malignant tumors and blood diseases;
• state of hypotonic or hypertensive crisis.

Some types of insufficiency (for example, pulmonary, hepatic) in a state of exacerbation, acute respiratory viral infections, complications after surgical operations, as well as being intoxicated also impose a ban on massage.

Methods of treatment and diagnostics

A patient who is referred to a massage therapist by another doctor has often already passed the stage of diagnosing health problems. In other cases, when a massage therapist is the first person to whom a person with certain symptoms turns, the doctor must first diagnose and establish what kind of problem the patient came to him with. The diagnosis is usually preceded by a survey of the patient, his examination. Laboratory and other studies may also be prescribed, for example, a general analysis of urine and blood, radiography, echocardiography.

The massage therapist, having received and analyzed the results of the examination, determines the diagnosis and decides on the need for treatment with massage courses, or on redirecting the patient to another specialist.

The main method of treatment used by this doctor is a mechanical effect on the human body. The classical school of massage distinguishes several basic techniques used for such an impact:

• trituration;
• stroking;
• divergence;
• shock and vibration.

Non-classical types of massage also involve the use of twisting, stretching and some other techniques. Using such techniques, you can achieve muscle relaxation, warming up and increasing the motor ability of the joints, it turns out to activate metabolic processes in the body and increase blood circulation. In addition to the technique of manual massage, there is also a hardware one, namely with the use of special devices and attachments: massage is carried out by exposure to a directed flow of heat, air or water, electric discharges or vacuum.

Popular massage techniques used by a doctor are classical, preventive, children’s, rehabilitation, sports massage. Each specific technique is selected taking into account the underlying disease and the patient’s complaints.

In addition to mechanical impact, a massage therapist of the corresponding category can prescribe medication, for example, anti-inflammatory and pain medications (ointments, tablets, injections), general strengthening therapy (taking vitamin and mineral complexes). The doctor can also decide on the need for surgical treatment, for which he refers his patient to the appropriate specialist.

The profession of a massage therapist requires a developed sense of responsibility, goodwill, and a high level of physical endurance from a person. Also important is the constant desire for self-education and improvement of one’s qualifications. The massage therapist must know the basics of anatomy, physiology and medical diagnosis.

Strict requirements are put forward to the hands of a specialist, as to his main tool for treating patients. In addition to being clean, warm and dry, with short-cut nails, there should be no abrasions, scratches, fungal or other lesions on the hands. There are recipes for special hand baths, as well as gymnastics complexes that help keep the most important “toolkit” of the massage therapist in a normal aesthetic and physical condition.

A qualified massage therapist is a specialist who can help to cope with chronic fatigue, swelling, insomnia, as well as more serious problems and diseases such as metabolic disorders, rickets, malnutrition, and certain types of inflammation.