Massage Therapy Epiphany

I have been having lower back pain issues for some time now, 3 weeks +.

I decided to go to a massage therapist for my first time ever to see what could be resolved.

After the session, I'm a little sore, and also much more relaxed physically and mentally; and excited about my next session next week. Thinking about the session and what I received from it I realized that part of me received some satisfaction from "touch" almost like "cuddling".

I found this interesting article that talks about the power of touch:

http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php/article_id/1123/The-Power-of-Touch

Until I read this I always thought about "feeling" with my hands and never really thought about "feeling" with my skin.

I wonder if a massage therapist receives the same satisfaction by providing "touch".

I don't have any formal training but I do absolutely love the feel of my hands pressing into and along someone's body during a massage. It is an awesome feeling. I like to sense that every molecule of my hands is melting into the molecules of the body of the person I am massaging. It bring soothing and healing to my own self.

Just sitting here thinking about it makes me want to massage someone now!

My favorite activity is the nude-reverse massage parlors of Mississauga. On the menu thanks to Ms. Hazel for decades mayor into her 90s. If we in the U.S. would just adopt the harm reduction model of Canada without the big issues for consenting adults.

My favorite adult activity is massage, giving as well as receiving from an attractive naked women, and the positive reaction I usually get very quickly after getting my "hands on her." Also why I enjoy contact lap dances at strip clubs (especially in Canada). I've been trained in Esalen, taught couples classes, and have a 10-minute routine for the nude-reverse parlors, which I call more loving touch - very sensual but not directly sexual (no penetration).

There is a scientific reason we enjoy caring touch done by someone we trust. The trust is usually established quickly by the right kind of touch - not groping and grabbing as I am told lots of men do.

While I prefer an attractive women, it is the same principle why therapy dogs are becoming popular or why we enjoy petting a dog or cat.

Dogs have been used to help stress in long lines at airports and recently been allowed to sit next to children testifying about sexual abuse. When the dog senses stress (cortisol hormone) it nudges the person and the dog wants to be petted. It has been shown that the petting then releases oxytocin in the human. Most dogs like petting. Most women or men, like to be lovingly massaged or caressed. Cuddling with an adult companion is also one of my favorite sports and legal even in the U.S.

While human contact with a woman (for us straight men) is far nicer for most of us than a dog, the science is similar. It generates the calming feel-good hormone oxytocin which adds to the enjoyment of "sensuality".

In stress situations, a therapy dog has very sensitive smell for human cortisol which is the stress hormone when we are under stress. Dogs can also detect low blood sugar levels in diabetics and often have warned their humans to wake up or amazing other things, even detecting cancer in some patients and even if not trained can act alarmingly - pawing etc - on a part of the body that has cancer growing.

In stress situations (waiting long lines at an airport or testifying in court about sexual abuse, for example), oxytocin counter acts the cortisol. But even without stress, it can be released as in nice massage or just when petting a dog or cat.

Medically, the peptide hormone oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released into the circulatory system and the brain in response to sensory stimulation via a network of OT-containing nerves.

I had a similar epiphany. I'm nowhere near as experienced as some of the people on this board, but I work an extremely high-stress job, started developing lower back pain, and started going to MAs occasionally as a way to help cope.

Then one MA just voluntarily gave me a bodyslide (I didn't ask for it, it was just a nice extra), and at that moment I felt like I was 16 again. It sounds a little corny/lame, but it made a huge, huge difference in my mental state to have someone voluntarily touch me like that. I think we underestimate the importance of touch.

Just a touch or a whisp of hair caressing your body as you are being massaged is very exciting as I've been told. Lol

Is that ever true! It feels so nice to have a woman with long hair intentionally let her hair fall across your back.

Like BossMan44, my work position is one of high responsibility and stress and I've found that the massage therapy is dramatically reducing the level of stress that I feel.

The last couple years of my life involved some events that rocked the core of my being, and has provided me an expanded outlook on day to day life. However, at times I still feel plagued with these events contributing to some anxiety.

Massage therapy is now something I look forward to as its effects are lasting days afterwards, my spirits are lifted and my body feels younger.

After my last session yesterday, even though the therapy has no sexual intentions, I thought wow, could this be better than sex?

And yes, Nicolette, "a touch or a whisp of hair caressing your body as you are being massaged is very exciting" and also comforting and relaxing.

In my opinion, massage therapy not only helps the muscles it nurtures the soul via positive touch, where it is very personal for the client whom has to place a lot of trust in the therapist.