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The Last Time I Got A Stomach Massage Was…..
Never, until 2 weeks ago when I decided to experiment on myself after reading about all the benefits of stomach massage. It’s really weird, but growing up I can always recall my parents and grandparents telling me that massaging the stomach is not something you should do. Everything else was fair game; legs, back etc.
As an adolescent, massage was always part of my life. I can’t tell you how many times a 60-90 minute session helped after an intense soccer match!
During those times I used to visit the therapist at least every 2 weeks, sometimes more. However, stomach massage was never something I thought of trying. I guess as you age, your digestion is nowhere near the same as what it was when you were younger, and so you’re compelled to find a fix that doesn’t require swallowing a pill!
And for me this is one of the reasons I gave stomach massage a try. Turns out though, stomach massage can do way more than just aid with digestion. Actually, you’d be surprised to know that it can do much much more!
4 Benefits Of Stomach Massage You Probably Didn’t Know About!
First things first, let’s clear up a misconception, one that I definitely had and one you probably have too.
Stomach massage is unsafe and will leave your intestines in all kinds of knots. This is so not true!
I don’t know if it’s an age old myth, but stomach massage, if done properly is generally safe. If it’s done in a gentle and safe manner, stomach or abdominal massage is okay for most people (Source: Healthline). The key here is gentle, of course if you apply the same type of pressure on the stomach as you would to break up fascia in the back, you will be in for troubles and then some!
Don’t worry about how to massage the stomach. We’ll look at that a little later on. For now, here are 4 benefits you may be able to experience with stomach massage.
#1 Improves Digestion & May Actually Relieve Constipation!
Were you surprised by this one? I think this is definitely one of the more obvious benefits. There’s been lots of research done to support this claim, but I’m not gonna bore you repeating the same old stuff here. If you’re interested you can check out this study and see what it has to say. Pretty positive stuff though!
Research and study is great, but I prefer being a guinea pig (of course where it’s safe!) and trying things out for myself!
While I don’t suffer from any major digestive illness, I do very often get bouts of heartburn and indigestion. Constipation is something I tend to suffer from occasionally as well. Actually it’s this which led me to trying out stomach massage. I figured a massage is much more natural than popping a laxative pill every time I’m constipated.
Interestingly enough, massage in and around the abdominal region can relax the stomach muscles thereby promoting digestion and improving constipation. At least this is what I experienced for myself when I tried it out. That disgusting feeling of fullness and feeling gassy and lethargic all at the same time, massively improved after completing a stomach massage.
Why not make yourself a guinea pig also and see how it works for you!
#2 It Apparently Also Helps With Menstrual Pain!
I don’t have experience in this area since I’m a male, so I can’t speak firsthand of whether stomach massage actually helps with menstrual pain. However, I wanted to list it down because one, there’s a few different research papers that support this theory, and two, I thought this would prove useful for my female readers.
Important to note that while these studies do shed a very positive light toward abdominal massage, one should note that there will always be limitations.
What I mean by this is that research is not 100% conclusive because every single variable can never always be fixed or constant. Especially when it comes to massage and natural means of healing the body, there’s always limitations in the research studies done.
As long as you’re aware of this, you’re good!
#3 Believe It Or Not, It Feels Awesome!
Contrary to what your mum or grandma might tell ya, stomach massage feels pretty awesome. I can see why it gets a bad rap though!
Imagine having eaten a quarter pounder, some fries, a shake and then immediately laying down to massage your belly. How do you think you might feel?
Not great! I’m no expert when it comes to stomach massage, but even I know that massaging right after a meal is probably not a good idea. A couple hours after food is when you’ll really start to notice how amazing it feels. However, being on a completely empty stomach is probably the best time for a stomach massage, in my opinion.
In any case, this is the way my body works. Try it out and see which works best for you!
Is there some science around why stomach massage makes us feel awesome? There’s a lot of theories out there.
One of them states that the stomach is an important area of the body in which tons of energy, emotion, and information is stored. In that sense, if you massage the stomach region you free up some of these blockages and recreate channels for energy to flow freely instead of stagnating.
Is there science to scientifically support all of this? No! But that doesn’t mean we should discount it!
Never believe, nor disbelieve. Try things out for yourself and see what it does for you. Go by experience, never by someone’s word. This is the mantra I live by.
#4 It Helped Me Sleep Better At Night!
I guess this is testament to just how important our gut is. We many times take it for granted until we have an issue pop up, but a healthy versus an unhealthy gut can make a world of difference in one’s life!
Sleep of course is just one aspect of this, which for me was very noticeable the evening after I had completed a stomach massage.
If I had to describe the feeling, it’s kinda like this: have you ever had a cool, only slightly warm shower at one time before going to bed? The body feels naturally at ease, light, and very able to rest into deep sleep. Not sure the science behind this exactly, so if any of you know, drop a comment and educate me!
Anyways, this was a similar feeling to that. Lightness, relaxed, with hardly any friction, I was able to doze off pretty quickly!
If you’ve been suffering from sleepless nights, this might be worth giving a shot….just saying!
How To Massage The Stomach? Here’s An Easy Tutorial You Can Follow!
There’s tons of content on the internet around how to massage the stomach. I’ve not watched a ton of them so I can’t comment on all of it, but the tutorial below from Inner Dynamics Physical Therapy is one that I did try. It worked wonders for me, so I’m sharing and recommending it to you! (Credit To Inner Dynamics Physical Therapy YouTube Channel)
It’s short, simple, and incredibly easy to follow. You’ll see that there is never a moment where the pressure is too intense, it’s firm, consistent strokes.
Also note the direction being followed. This is exactly why improper stomach massage can be dangerous!
Even though you think you may be able to “wing it” without watching a tutorial, you may cause yourself some more troubles!
You can try out this tutorial and see how it works for you. Feel free to drop a comment down below sharing your experience!
5 Times To Avoid Stomach Massage!
There’s nothing “set in stone” per say, it’s more about being intelligent and knowing your body. Generally speaking though, you can use below as a road map.
And the list could go on, but above are what I would consider the 5 main times one should avoid stomach massage. As I mentioned earlier on in the post, the best way to go about it is to speak to your physician and get his/her buy in. That way you’re making sure, everything checks off in terms of your physical health.
Also if you frequently visit your massage therapist, it might also be wise to ask their opinion. If they’re kind enough, they might even offer you a free tutorial on what strokes to employ and how to do it properly!
I Hope Stomach Massage Can Help You The Same Way It’s Helped Plenty Of Others!
And with that we’ve come to the end of today’s post. If you’ve stuck around till the end, can’t tell you how much we appreciate the support. If you think it’s warranted and deserved, a share on the social platforms would do us a world of good. As always, questions and comments are welcome down below. Until till next time, adios!
