Massage therapy has been widely used in both Eastern and Western cultures for many years. It is generally used for reducing muscle tensions, pain relief and relaxation. It involves the manipulation of soft tissues of the body through kneading and rubbing by hands.
Throughout the massage, a massage therapist applies a combination of strong and gentle pressure to muscles to ease tension and pain.
This article enlists different kinds of massages and their purposes.
The Swedish Massage
If you’re new to massages, this is the ideal massage for you. It involves gentle strokes and is fit for people who are sensitive to touch. That being said, the Swedish massage eases muscle knots perfectly and offers lasting relaxation.
Like all massages, you’ll have to lie on the massage table while a sheet will be put on top of you. Your massage therapist will then move the sheet to uncover the parts of your body that they will be working on.
This massage involves:
- Flowing, long strokes towards your heart
- Kneading
- Tapping and vibration
- Circular motions
- Techniques involving passive joint movements
Aromatherapy Massages
Aromatherapy massages are quite popular due to their emotional healing tendencies. These use a combination of Swedish massage techniques with the addition of essential oils. The essential oils are first diluted before being used on the skin. Usually, this type of massage focuses on the head, the shoulders and the back. Essential oils are also added in the diffuser so the client is able to inhale it for relaxation.
This massage usually lasts for 60-90 minutes and is perfect for:
- Boosting the mood
- Reducing anxiety and stress
- Reducing depression symptoms
- Relieving pain
- Relieving muscle tension
Hot Stone Massages
The hot stone massage is ideal for people with muscle tension r those people who just want to relax. This massage is similar to the Swedish massage but incorporates heated stones in addition to or in lieu of hands.
This massage may help in:
- Easing muscle tension
- Alleviating pain
- Improving blood flow
- Relieving stress
- Promoting relaxation
The hot stone massage involves placing heated stones on different areas of the body. The massage therapist will use Swedish massage techniques with heated stones to promote blood flow. As your preference, you can ask for cooled stones as well.
Sports Massage
Sports massages, as the name suggests, are ideal for those people who play a sport, as repetitive use of a muscle can cause pain and injury. This massage helps in relieving the pain from playing a sport, or to prevent a sports injury.
Moreover, this massage is also for people who are looking for relieving anxiety, pain and muscle tension.
A sports massage typically involves deep pressure with a combination of soothing strokes to all parts of the body or those parts that need attention.
Deep Tissue Massages
This massage involves more pressure than a typical Swedish massage and is for alleviating chronic muscle issues, such as pain, injury, soreness or imbalance. It may also help with anxiety and tight muscles.
While this massage is intense, incorporating slow strokes with deep pressure with fingers, it shouldn’t be painful or cause soreness afterwards.
Massage therapy is a great way to relax, ease muscle tension and pain. If you’re looking for a massage therapist in Toledo, OH, get in touch with Select Salon Studios who have a host of experienced massage therapists who guarantee a relaxing massage session for their clients.
