Asian and Swedish Massage Therapy
A Bit of HistoryMassage is recommended in the "Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" dating back to 2500 BCE or earlier. Hippocrates and Asclepiades, Greek physicians, described how massage can cure disease by allowing tissues to be nourished more effectively as vital fluids travel through the body. Galen wrote on the topic of massage as a sleep inducer.
Massage became more popular around the 17th century, due to the work of Per Henrik Ling. He was a Swedish fencing master and gymnastics instructor who suffered from rheumatism, and he traveled to China and studied massage and martial arts as treatments for it.
Swedish Massage See a demo of hand massage >>Swedish Massage is therapuetic manual manipulation of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia, in order to enhance circulation and thus restore/maintain health and overall well being. Increased circulation aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all cells, and cleanses the tissues of cellular metabolic waste.
How Massage Can Help You Hear about it here >>Massage can help alleviate your low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and general muscle ache, and it increase range of motion.
It improves the functioning of your immune system and the condition of the skin (your body's largest organ) and assists in removal of toxins from the tissues. It relaxes tense or spastic muscles, improves joint flexibility, and soothes the nervous system. It pumps oxygen and nutrients into your tissues and vital organs, improving circulation, and it reduces swelling (prevents the accumulation of fluid) in the extremities. It can be instrumental in increasing fertility, as well as in reducing discomfort during pregnancy.
Read more on prenatal massage here >> Massage releases endorphins, your body's natural pain killers. It eases depression and anxiety. It will help you sleep properly, reduce fatigue, improve your concentration, and increase your energy!
AcupressureAcupressure is similar to acupuncture; Instead of needles, however, I use my fingers and hands to apply pressure to the acupressure points. This is more geared to visitors with systemic health concerns than to those who wish to alleviate pain and sooth muscles. I can also press local points to alleviate pain in specific areas.
Trigger PointsA trigger point is a tiny area of irritation in a stressed muscle. It is a band of tissue clumping together and forming a "knot". The key indication that it is a trigger point is that it refers pain, weakness or numbness to adjacent or distant areas. Some unexplained headaches and other pains can be alleviated with ischemic compression (sustained pressure) on trigger points.
Deep-Tissue MassageThe primary purpose of deep-tissue therapy is to reduce the level of stress imposed on the body by shortened muscles. Lengthening techniques are used, in combination with slow compressive strokes along the length of a muscle to reset the nerve receptors which allow muscles to stop reflexing and start relaxing.
The tissue is slowly encouraged to give up holding patterns and you will experience a "melting" sensation. Hot-Stone MassageFor this treatment, smooth flat stones are heated and placed on key points on the body. Hot stones have been used since ancient times but this type of treatment has caught on since Mary Nelson introduced her technique.
Basalt stones smoothed by river currents are usually used; they retain heat because of their high iron content. The stones are immersed in water and heated in an electric heater to a selected temperature range. The heat relaxes the muscles to allow for deeper pressure. It increases blood circulation by dilating (enlarging) the blood vessels, and increases the body's metabolism. It decreases stress and tissue stiffness, and calms the nervous system Cold-Stone MassageMarble formed out of limestone is used for cold-stone therapy. This is especially effective when the cold stones are applied on inflamed areas. Treatments can relieve swelling, muscle spasm, headaches, sprains and strains, and they can increase muscle tone.
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Filling out a Medical FormProviding background medical information is necessary, as there are certain conditions that preclude massage, and other conditions that warrant exercising caution or altering the treatment.
The information helps the therapist to know what health concerns to focus on, or what muscles to focus on, and which techniques to use. In Acupressure or Reflexology it helps in determining what pressure points/reflexes to activate in order to ameliorate your health issues. ConfidentialityAt our Center, you can be assured that what you talk about during the session is confidential.
What You Need to Wear (or Not)For Asian Massage/Acupressure or Reflexology, you will be not be required to disrobe.
For Swedish massage, you will be requested to disrobe completely or remove all but your briefs. The therapist uses a towel and sheet in order to ensure proper draping and keep you warm. If Discomfort is Felt During a Session...You are in control of how much pressure is used. If the pressure on muscles or other tisses is too hard, or not intense enough, or if you are feeling cold, just let your therapist know that you are uncomfortable so that he/she can adjust their massage accordingly.
and If You are Ticklish...With constant firm pressure, this problem will most likely be alleviated.
Further ReadingBenefits of Massage
Good Medicine Originally published in Body Sense magazine. Source: Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. As you lie on the table under crisp, fresh sheets, hushed music draws you into the moment. The smell of sage fills the air and you hear the gentle sound of massage oil being warmed in your therapist's hands. The pains of age, the throbbing from your overstressed muscles, the sheer need to be touched – all cry out for therapeutic hands to start their work. Once the session gets underway, the problems of the world fade... and all you can comprehend right now is not wanting it to end. ... Access the full article here >> |