Receiving a hand massage can provide you with significant health benefits. Hand massage typically is quick, relaxing and provides you with immediate health benefits, such as improved finger and wrist range of motion, enhanced circulation and reduction of your trigger points—hyperirritable nodules—in your hand muscles.

Massage is the therapeutic application of healing touch. Massage is an ancient form of healing and relaxation, and the gentle pressure of hands feels good on sore muscles. Not only does leg massage make you feel good, it has significant health benefits that aid relief from stress, disease, and pain.

Massaging pressure points on the human body is both pleasurable and therapeutic. It can help relieve pain, improve circulation and channel the flow of energy. There are hundreds of pressure points all over the human body. Most are found in soft tissue near bundles of nerves and joints.

Feet ache for many reasons -- standing too long, walking too much, poorly fitted shoes or minor injuries. A good foot massage can help feet feel better, but professional massages can be expensive or inconvenient.

Everyone enjoys having a massage, with the relaxation and tension relief it brings. The Patient Education Institute defines massage therapy as "

Cupping is a massage modality that finds its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. The practice uses glass cups to create a vacuum seal on areas of the body. The suction created by this seal brings blood to the surface of the skin and is thought to help expel negative energies from the body.

At times, a massage is more than a mere stress-relief tactic. Therapeutic massage can help people deal with pain, depression and other maladies. In these cases, the massage is deemed medically necessary, and should be covered by health insurance.

Occupational therapists, physical therapists, and massage therapists provide massage to treat, heal, and strengthen your muscles. Therapists must be specially trained to perform massages, and therapists use massages to increase the functional use of your muscles and decrease pain.

Shiatsu massage originated in Japan and utilizes the hands and palms--particularly the thumbs--to massage the body at specific points and treat many different conditions and encourage relaxation.

The pectorals are made up of the pectoralis major muscle, which assists in shoulder and arm movement, and the pectoralis minor muscle, which helps the rib cage rise.

According to the Weight-control Information Network, 68 percent of American adults age 20 or older are overweight or obese with a body mass index of 25 or higher. Treating obesity has become a major focus of health care and people are often willing to try anything.

Massage therapists use deep tissue massage to produce changes in your posture, movement and flexibility. It increases your range of motion, reduces pain and stimulates blood flow. Because of all the beneficial effects of deep tissue massage, it might be hard to believe that there are times when it isn't a good idea.