Massage Therapy
Benefits of massage therapy
Massage is one of the oldest healing arts and it can be seen as one of the simplest healthcare practices available today. The benefits of therapeutic massage are multifold and can be profound. It has a positive effect on all systems of the body. The benefits are both physiological and psychological, and include:
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is a simple but powerful form of healing, involving therapeutic touch, movement and energy. Treatments draw from a wide range of massage techniques and include gentle, rhythmical stroking and kneading of the body's soft tissues, stretches, relaxation work and deep tissue massage. The elements combined will be determined by your needs at any given time.
Massage works by improving circulation and lymphatic drainage which encourages the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells whilst at the same time eliminating toxins, releasing muscular tension and boosting the immune system. Relaxing massage will deepen the breath, calm the mind and reduce the effects of physical and emotional stress on the body. Massage therapy is being increasingly recognised as a powerful aid to the body's own healing mechanisms. Therapeutic massage has a profoundly calming effect on the neuromuscular system bringing about deep relaxation and restoring energy. It can be seen as a therapeutic tool for maintaining the body's natural balances.
Deep Tissue
Deep Tissue Massage is a form of massage treatment which targets specific muscles or groups of muscles, and focuses on releasing deeper restrictions of the deeper muscles, tendons and ligaments of the body. It aims at releasing chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas, either following or going across the grain of muscles, tendons and fascia. It’s also called “deep tissue” because it focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. Deep Tissue massage also helps to free trapped nerves, oxygenate poorly circulated areas and allow the spine and joints to relax into alignment.
Deeper pressure is applied gradually and going deeper doesn't mean applying strength or force. When too much pressure is used, the muscle usually responds with more resistance. The key to going deeper is actually relaxing - which applies both to the client and therapist. During the treatment, I communicate with the client throughout the session to establish the main areas of discomfort. Using the client's feedback I am able to use the appropriate amount of pressure, and thus use an 'informed touch'. This way the process of working deeply can become painless.
Neuromuscular Therapy (Trigger Points)
I often use Neuromuscular Therapy in the sessions. It involves using static pressure (applied with thumbs or elbows) over areas of contracted muscles. It specifically targets areas or points of tension along the muscles called trigger points. A trigger point is simply a small contraction knot in muscle which often feels very tender and sore. It can cause shooting pain in other areas of the body when stimulated. Trigger points form characteristic referral pain patterns. They can cause headaches, neck and jaw pain, low back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome, and other symptoms.
