While some people think that hand massage therapy is a recent solution to improving circulation and healing the body, it has actually been around a very long time. Most of us care about how our hands look because other than our face, our hands are one of the body parts that others notice most often. We've all met someone who looks young in their face, but a glance at their hands reveals their real age.

The concept behind hand massage is much like that of a foot massage... every part of our body links to a specific area in our hands. This theory - introduced centuries ago by a doctor in Korea who was trained in acupuncture - eventually morphed into the hand massage technique practiced by trained massage therapists today.

During hand massage therapy, endorphins are released throughout the entire body, thereby reducing stress and returning the body to equilibrium. And in addition to hand massage therapy being very soothing and pleasurable, it goes a long way in maintaining the health of your hands by:

* Mobilizing your joints;
* Boosting your hands' circulation;
* Strengthening the tone of the muscles in your hands;
* Reviving the properties of the skin;
* Preventing ailments such as Repetitive Strain Injury;
* Increases flexibility and relieves stiffness.

In today's world, the popularity of hand massage therapy has increased to combat the stress and strain placed on our hands by all the new hand-intensive activities such as texting, video gaming, computer keyboards, etc. Although traditionally less popular than foot massages, hand massage therapy is built on similar theories and techniques to provide some proven benefits of its own.

Think about how much you really use your hands during the day, especially in the workplace. A hand massage can bring instant relief to the effects of the wear and tear on our hands on a daily basis. 5 - 10 minutes is all it takes to revitalize your hands and the other parts of the body affected by a hand massage, which makes it a popular solution among all age groups.

If you are familiar with the term "reflexology", you know that all the points in our body are connected to various internal organs and other parts of our body. A hand massage, therefore, not only relieves ailments our our arms and hands, but those associated with poor blood circulation, pressure in the neck/head and arthritis. Each area of the body is thought to have "access" through different regions found in our hands and feet. Hand massage therapy - offered by many massage therapists and spas - defines specific zones, pressure points and energy centers located on the palm and back of your hands and targets those areas to provide relief to different organs and functions of the body.

Below are just a few of the health issues that can be treated by hand massage therapy:

* Symptoms associated with cold and flu;
* Back pain;
* Problems with our immune system;
* Addiction and craving;
* Sexual energy reflexes;
* Mental stress and energy.

Though do-it-yourself hand massage is popular, having it done by a licensed massage therapist provides the maximum benefit. Nothing can compare to the hands of a professional.