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Massage Therapy

Updated on February 12, 2015

Relaxing and Energizing Massage

Massage therapy dates back over 3000 years ago. It is a form of alternate healing.
Massage therapy dates back over 3000 years ago. It is a form of alternate healing.

Deep Tissue Massage

Massage therapy worked wonders for my mother. She went from one doctor to another for chronic neck and back pain, without much relief. Finally her physician recommended massage therapy. Her treatment was a few times a week. After the first week she was pain free. The insurance paid for a few weeks of treatment. My mother felt great for a while.

Like some chronic problems the pain came back. She set up her appointment to find the insurance would no longer pay for treatments. Insurance is all another story. Making appointments when she could no longer handle the pain and knowing she had to pay for it herself.

Massage therapy works on the direct targeted tissues being treated. Various application techniques involving rubbing, kneading, tapping, compression, friction, vibration, and pressure is applied to the muscular structure or soft tissues of afflicted area on the body. This is done manually with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. Or with mechanical aids of various massage equipment with applied manipulating pressure.

Target tissues may include muscles, tendons, ligaments, skin, joints, or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the gastrointestinal system.

Energy and proper circulation is often restored to the areas of chronic pain. A massage has other benefits which include relieving stress, tension, arthritis, fatigue, bursitis and depression. Some therapist claim that it reduces high blood pressure, beneficial on diabetics, helps immunity suppression, infertility, smoking cessation and more.

The type of massage therapy my mother went for is called the deep tissue massage. Deep tissue massage is used for chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems, deeply rooted stress, or recovery from injury.

Read below for other types of massage.

Massage Therapy Types

While there are many more types of massage therapy, here are five of the most popular types.

Deep Tissue Massage: Deep tissue massage targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. Usually takes a few treatments before the body feels complete relief. This is the type of massage recommended for chronic pain.

Swedish Massage Therapy: Most common type of massage therapy in the United States and it also known as Swedish massage or simply massage therapy. Massage therapists use long smooth strokes, kneading, and circular movements on superficial layers of muscle using massage lotion or oil.

Hot Stone Massage: Hot stone massage is good for people who have muscle tension but prefer lighter massage. This involves heated, smooth stones which are placed on certain points on the body to warm and loosen tight muscles and balance energy centers in the body.

Aromatherapy Massage: Along with massage therapy, scented plant oils called essential oils are applied to the body. These oils are relaxing, energizing, stress-reducing and balancing the body. One of the most common essential oils used in aromatherapy massage is lavender.

Shiatsu: A form of Japanese bodywork that uses localized finger pressure in a rhythmic sequence on acupuncture meridians. Holding each point for two to eight seconds to improve the flow of energy and help the body regain balance. It is relaxing yet the pressure is firm, and there is usually no soreness afterwards.

Massage At Home Products

Acupressure Points Inside Hand

Massage Therapy Versus Acupressure

Massage therapy in general involves treating targeted areas directly with pressured motion of hands or mechanical devices on the body. This treatment is applied where the pain is located.

Acupressure is pressure applied to various points on the body. The most common areas are the hands, legs and head. These pressure points are not necessary where the pain is located. Application of finger or hand pressure is applied to points on the body, which are sometimes called acupoints. These points lie along invisible lines of energy flow called meridians. There are four to five hundred named acupoints along the meridians, some of which are associated with specific internal organs or organ systems.

This Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) goes back further than acupuncture and works in the same manner, except with pressure and not the needle.

Read more about these TCM treatments on Acupuncture versus Acupressure.

Sensible Information to Download

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Practical Lessons In Yoga
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The copyright to this article is owned by Sandy Mertens (sandyspider). Content is original and may not be used without permission from Sandyspider. (S. Mertens)

© 2010 Sandy Mertens

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