WHAT IS MASSAGE THERAPY?

Massage therapy is one of the oldest ways of healing, considered to be the manipulation of the soft tissues which includes joints, tendons, muscles and ligaments. It uses an alternate form of health care which allows alleviation of the discomfort and pain in the muscles and tissues that come from every day stress, it also relieves muscle spasms. It is used to improve the circulation in the veins and joints. This will aid in speeding up the rate of recovery from injuries and illnesses.

Massage therapy can cause some slight discomfort which will subside. It is not harmful to you. The therapist will discuss with you the level of comfort (pressure used). The massage therapist will work within your limitations. Do not be afraid to tell the therapist when you feel uncomfortable.

These are different therapy categories:

Massage—soft tissue manipulation, reduce stress and fatigue while improving circulation

Bodywork—joint play and rhythmic mobilization

Somatic—holistic body approach

Different types of massage and definitions are:

Trigger point massage—or neuromuscular, applies pressure on specific points of pain and muscles

Swedish—relaxation massage, very good for those that just like to relax

Deep massage—used to relieve chronic pain by reaching deeper muscles

Sports massage—more specifically designed for sports athletes and uses same technique as deep massage

Lymph massage—used to improve the circulation of the lymph glands to treat individuals with edema

Different types of strokes used by massage therapists are:

Circular thumb—used to loosen tight areas

Kneading—used to loosen and stimulate areas

Compression—used to break down muscle adhesions