Massage Styles

You may have noticed that different massage styles are popular at different times. And you may have wondered whether each was just part of a passing fad or the latest, greatest massage technique? Even more important is how can you tell whether the latest style will actually help you? Styles used in massage therapy range from long, smooth strokes to short, percussive strokes. A massage can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours.

Before you can decide which massage style is best for you, you need to ask yourself a question. Do you simply want a massage for relaxation and stress control? Or do you need symptom relief or help with a certain health condition? Before booking a massage, let the therapist know what you're looking for and ask which style the therapist uses. Many use more than one style. Or the therapist may customize your massage, depending on your age, condition, or any special needs or goals you have.

What follows is a list of some of the more popular massage therapy styles:

Swedish Massage

Developed in Stockholm a couple of centuries ago, Swedish massage is the most common and best-known type of bodywork performed today.

The goal is to relax the entire body. This is accomplished by rubbing the muscles with long gliding strokes in the direction of blood returning to the heart. Additional techniques include circular pressure applied by the hands and palms, firm kneading, precussion-like tapping, bending and stretching. Lotion is often used to reduce friction and stimulate the skin.

Swedish massage is exceptional for increasing the level of oxygen in the blood, decreasing muscle toxins, improving circulation and flexibility while easing tension.

Deep Tissue

Deep tissue massage is similiar to Swedish massage but is used to target knots and release chronic muscle tension. Other benefits include reducing inflammation and helping to eliminate scar tissue. The focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints).

Deep tissue massage uses strokes across the grain of the muscles, not with the grain as in Swedish massage. The more intense movements and techniques such as deep finger pressure may be slightly uncomfortable and cause soreness that lasts a couple of days before resulting in the desired relaxation and pain relief.

Hot Stone Massage

Hot stone massage is a specialty massage that uses smooth, heated stones. They are often basalt, a black volcanic rock that absorbs and retains heat well, but they can be other types. The heat is both deeply relaxing and helps tight muscles release.

During the massage, the therapist warms up the body with traditional Swedish massage, then massages you while holding a heated stone. As the stone cools, the therapist replaces it with another.

Cranial Sacral

Cranial sacral therapy is a gentle, non-invansive form of alternative medicine that deals with the movement of the fluid surrounding the skull and spine. Cranial sacral therapists ease the restriction of nerve passages by focusing on the membranes that encase the central nervous system.

Cranial sacral therapy seeks to restore misaligned bones to their proper position and is thought to eliminate the negative effects of stress as well as provide relief from migraine headaches, neck and back pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (the inflammation of the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull) and more.

Trigger Point

A trigger point is a tight area within muscle tissue that causes pain in other parts of the body. A trigger point in the back, for example, may trigger pain in the neck. The neck, now acting as a satellite trigger point, may then cause pain in the head. The pain may be sharp and intense or a dull ache. Trigger points are caused by muscle overuse or injury, and because the aches are associated with moving parts, the pain is commonly mistaken for arthritis.

Trigger point massage (also known as myotherapy) is specifically designed to alleviate the source of the pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release. In this type of massage the recipient actively participates through deep breathing as well as identifying the exact location and intensity of the discomfort.

The result of trigger point massage is the elimination of toxins in the muscles and the release of energizing endorphins. A significant decrease in pain is often found after just one treatment.

Reflexology

Reflexology is a branch of massage the focuses solely on the hands and feet. Originally developed as "zone therapy" in the early twentieth century. Reflexology uses specifically targeted points on the extremities to send signals to the brain and balance the nervous system.

A reflexologist stretches and moves the hands and feet, applying pressure on reflex areas that correspond to specific organs and other parts of the body. Endorphins are released throughout the entire body, reducing stress and returning the body to equilibrium. Reflexology has been known to provide relief from ailments such as tension headaches, arthritis, digestive issues and back pain.

Prenatal

Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health. Benefits of prenatal massage include:

• Tranquil relaxation and reduce stress
• Relief from muscle cramps, spasms and myofascial pain, especially in the lower back, neck, hips and legs
• Increase in blood and lymph circulation which can reduce swelling
• Reduces stress on weight-bearing joints
• Improves outcome of labor and eases labor pain
• Enhances the pliability of skin and underlying tissues
• Provides support for the new mother with physical and emotional strains of mothering

Sports

Sports massage is a special form of massage typically used before, during, or after athletic events. The main purpose is to help alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body's soft tissues during physical activity.

When minor injuries occur, due to overexertion and overuse, massage can break them down quickly and effectively. The massage will help to prepare the athlete for peak performance, draining away fatigue, relieving swelling, reducing muscle tension, promoting flexibility, and preventing injuries.

Sports massage is designed to address specific concerns and may differ according to the athlete's specific sport. Sports massage can help prevent those nagging injuries that so often get in the way of performance and achievement, whether a person is an athlete or once-a-week jogger.

Beauty

Massage is proven to help reduce and prevent the formation of cellulite, minimize the appearance of wrinkles and increase production of endorphins.

Special beauty treatments include back exfoliation treatmant and salf & sugar srub - perfect for stresses.

Cosmetic massage: This facial massage is based on research by Dr. Li Ying at Sichuan Institute in China. It rejuvenates the face by invigorating blood and lymph flow to the skin, making the face feel smooth, vibrant and luminous.