What is Massage Therapy?

Massage describes a range of different techniques used to therapeutically stimulate deep tissues and muscles, enhancing lymph circulation, blood flow, mental relaxation, and reducing motor-neuron excitability. This art has been in existence for a very long time, with evidence pointing to its existence in ancient Chinese and Japanese societies. In modern times the art has continued to be appreciated and is even recommended for medical uses by well-trained practitioners. There are many different types of massage.

Swedish Massage

This is one of the most common massage techniques. It involves five basic strokes that are performed in the direction of blood flow from tissues. This convectional flow helps blood circulation, aiding in the removal of toxins from the tissues and increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood. Other benefits of this technique are improved flexibility, while reducing tension in body tissues.

The strokes mentioned above include effleurage, which involves sliding and kneading, as well as tapotement, which involves consistent tapping using straightened hands. A study conducted and published in the New York Times indicated that people who received this type of technique had reduced levels of cortisol hormone production, which lead to reduced stress. In addition, their immune systems increased the production of white blood cells.

Acupressure

This method utilizes the force exerted by the fingers, hands and the elbow to the main acupressure points in a body. It has been used mostly for medical benefits rather than relaxation or recreational purposes. The main ailments treated by this method include mild headaches and constipation.

Another closely related technique is acupuncture; the only main difference is that this method involves the use of needles instead of hands, and they are placed into the acupuncture points. Ancient articles show that it was used in ancient Asia to treat arthritis and breathing difficulties, but as of right now no medical test can support these claims.

Dry Water Massage

This is an uncommon therapy method that involves using pressure from warm water jets instead of hand pressure as in most other massage techniques. The client may get direct contact with water or be covered with a special plastic to avoid direct contact with water.

Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

As the name suggests, this method of therapy mainly focuses on tissues under the muscles, such as the connective tissues and the fascia. If any of these tissues are traumatized, then serious pain can be the result, to the point of restricted movement in case of connective tissues. This method’s benefits include balancing the fascia and removal of toxins. It is mostly recommended for people who have pain and those who undergo heavy physical activities, like athletes.

Trigger Point Therapy

This is a closely related therapy method to the pressure point method, but with trigger point therapy a lot of emphasis is placed on soothing the local areas causing the pain and related sensations.

Massage is a great way of relieving tension and stress, but care should be taken that it is done by a professional. In case of a visit to a doctor due to an ailment, you should explain usage of any massage because it could have some side effects that the doctor needs to know about.