By Laura Martel

Massage means the rubbing and kneading of muscles and the joints of the body to relieve tension or pain. In the past, people used to go to massage therapists to get rid of soreness or pain and to get a relaxed, more energized feeling. The therapists use their hands, fingers, elbows and sometimes even feet to calm the tense muscles and relieve pain. Different techniques were applied that ranged from light stroking to deep pressure technique. But with the advent of technology new modern luxury chairs were invented that were used to provide comfort and proper posture to the body. In the recent years, the modern technology has designed massage chairs that are equipped with a large number of massage programs for your body. You just have to identify the problem area and select the program according to it. For example, if you have pain in your back you will choose the program that soothes the back muscles to provide comfort. But the question that arises is that what is better a massage chair or a massage therapist. This article will discuss the pros and cons of both to help you better decide what the most effective way is.

Massage therapists
As already discussed, a massage therapist uses their hands and fingers and in some cases also use elbows and feet for the rubbing and kneading of muscles and joints.

Pros:
The benefits of going to a massage therapist are enlisted below,
1. Human touch: Recent studies indicate that human touch is of vital importance in therapy. The physical touch is known to send signals to the nervous system and endocrine system that in turn activate different neurons and release stress relieving hormones to ease the pain and give a relaxed feeling.
2. Warming up: this technique is used to warm up the body by applying some oil or lotion. This method helps the nervous system to relax and activate the neurons that warm up the muscles to prepare for the actual therapy session.

Cons:
1. Availability: If you need a massage in the middle of the night then the problem of availability arises. You might not be able to get to the therapist, or the therapist may not be available at that time.
2. Convenience: This is the second issue faced by most people. They do not find it convenient to take out time from their busy routines and drive to a therapist. Most people find it more convenient to have a chair at home so that they can use it whenever they want.

Massage chairs
The pros and cons of using massage chairs are discussed below;
Pros:
1. Nowadays the massage chairs are equipped with a variety of programs that can help you to target the specific problem area.
2. It is convenient and easy to use at home. Even if you need a massage in the middle of the night, then you don’t have to rush to the hospital.
3. It can be used as the luxury chair that provides comfort and proper posture of your body so that you can enjoy its comfort even if it is switched off.
Cons:
1. Massage chairs don’t provide the human touch. Therefore, the nervous system is not activated in the same manner as with the physical touch.
2. They use electromagnetic radiation that can be connected with cancer. And if this is true then massage chair will cause more harm than good in the long run.
3. The chair is unable to evaluate what level of pressure is required for this particular muscle pain
No case to case assessment can be done to analyze the changes that took place.

If used for an extended period, it can cause inflammation, bruises and can damage the body tissues.

Author Bio:
Laura Martel is a mother of two and a geek at heart. She loves reading books and spending time with her family. She regularly blogs at www.MassageTut.com

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