The word 'massage' generally conjures up images of soothing and relaxing gentle pampering, maybe by the beach, with a tall glass of chilled, rejuvenating lemonade by your side.

But did you know that massage therapy is a more serious science than just holiday relaxation? A treatment oriented massage, medical massage varies in type and provides fitness recovery solutions for injuries and muscle tempering. A massage that requires a referral from a doctor or a chiropractor, massage therapy calls for a high level of training. Let's understand the concept of medical massage therapy in detail, and see how you can benefit from it too.

What is medical massage therapy? It is a therapy in which a massage therapist uses a wide gamut of modalities and procedures to give a massage in order to sooth the painful area of the body. The massage therapist closely follows the doctor's prescription and works on all the touch receptors in your skin by restoring suppleness and rendering strength to your muscles. By alleviating stress and inflammation, the main aim of a massage therapy session is to improve blood circulation of the body.

Types of medical massage therapy. A session of medical massage therapy can be extremely therapeutic if done by a certified and knowledgeable therapist with the right technique. Popular types of medical massage therapy are trigger point therapy, stretching procedures, myofascial release, muscle testing, neuromuscular therapy and positional release. However, please note that it is different from ordinary relaxing massages as it is an amalgamation of art and science, which combines the intuitive and scientifically proven principles.

The practice of massage therapy. Medical massage therapists work in many settings such as nursing homes, spas, hospitals and sports and fitness centres. An authentic therapist will always ask the patient about his symptoms, medical history and desired results, before starting the session. Generally, the therapy is done when the patient is comfortably lying on a table, wearing loose-fitted or no clothes. Special massage oils and hand movements are performed in an hour long session to alleviate the pain from the body.

Benefits of medical massage therapy. Some of the main benefits of a medical massage therapy session are:

- Releasing the tight and sore muscles of the body by removing inflammation from the body.
- Working on the painful trigger points and working on the areas of high neurological activity.
- Helping release toxins, such as lactic acid that is produced by muscle tissue when one is exercising.
- Scientifically speaking, medical massages are also beneficial for the digestive system of the body.
- It also helps in calming the nervous system by working on better posture and coordination of body parts. And not to mention, massages are always overall relaxing.

Things to take care of when going for medical massage therapy. Here's a low-down of a few things you should keep in mind when going for medical massage therapy:

- Ensure that you do not skip any doctor or general medical care sessions because the medical massages make you feel better.
- Be sure of your therapist's credentials and authenticity. Ask about your therapist's experience, cost, on-job training and testimonials.
- Also, consult your doctor about your health condition, before paying a visit to a medical massage therapist.
- If your therapist is recommending herbs or other home remedies, always consult a doctor before trying them out. Massage therapists are not meant to prescribe any drugs or remedies as this is not part of their qualification or permitted practice.