Whenever I’m stressed, it goes straight to my back. As I lie down in bed each night, I can actually feel tension moving painfully up and down my spine, settling into my lower back. Since stress builds up gradually, I didn’t actually realize how much had accumulated there until a few days ago.

To combat the build-up, I got a deep tissue massage from a family friend, Maria Schestapalow, a licensed massage therapist. I called her after visiting a chiropractor for my lower back pain. He ran something called an SEMG scan to gauge the muscle tension in my back, and the results were shocking. The tension is ranked on a scale of green to red, with green being mild tension, and red being severe. My reading came out black, which is the most severe stress possible! The net result, my chiropractor explained, is that my spine is out of alignment.

So I was looking forward to my massage with Maria for the relaxation she would provide. Little did I know I’d be getting quite a workout in the process! I’ve used her (as well as other massage therapists) before and have found that only she gives me the deep pressure that I want with her strong, sinewy hands. After warming up my muscles with some effleurage (general massage), Maria pinpointed my areas of extreme tension, which were centralized around my erector muscles in the lower back region. She worked on and around these tender spots until the tightness in them was completely released. It actually hurt quite a bit, but the pain was necessary for therapy, and she balanced that pain with lots of soothing effleurage.

The next day, my muscles were sore as if I’d lifted weights, but my back feels much freer. My range of motion was significantly improved.

Since muscle tightness can cause some of the most serious injuries, massage therapy is much more than just a luxury treatment. In addition to back and shoulder pain, massage can improve digestion, enhance immunity by stimulating the lymphatic system, ease labor, and soothe depression and anxiety. It also spurs the release of endorphins—natural painkillers—so headaches and cramps won’t be so overwhelming. The most important benefit I’ve found is simply the beautiful hour that I take entirely for myself. Maria plays soft music and speaks in soothing tones; her hands are warm, strong, and gentle and it is impossible for stress to enter any room where she is. Since stress is one of the top causes of illness, the relaxation she provides is invaluable.