Massage Techniques....?!
Question: can someone explain the different techniques used in massage..such as "swedish"..hot stone"...etc. and what each ones benefits are.... or some helpful websites. I am trying to decide what type I should get.
Answers: can someone explain the different techniques used in massage..such as "swedish"..hot stone"...etc. and what each ones benefits are.... or some helpful websites. I am trying to decide what type I should get.
As a former massage therapist, I can say that a great website is www.amtamassage.org. This is the website of the American Massage Therapists in the US. I agree with the others that it is good to speak with a massage therapist, but because there are so many different modalities out there I commend you for wanting to figure out which one might work for you. Here is a short break down of the most common ones.
Swedish- Commonly known as a "relaxation" massage and most often found in spa's etc.
NMT (NeuroMuscular Therapy) - This includes triggerpoint therapy. This type of massage can be tough for certain people, but a great therapist can start off slowly to release muscles to bring relief. This is a great compliment to chiropractic adjustments.
Sports Massage - This is a very active massage that includes a lot of compression and fast strokes to bring blood to the muscles.
Cranial Sacral - This specifically works with the Cranial-Sacral Fluid in your body. A balancer and equalizer of the body, it promotes relaxation and helps "reset" a body to promote healing. This often is a great therapy for children.
Hope this helps you on your quest. Good luck!
You want the best massage you can get?? Go to a massage therapist and let her/him evaluate and analyze you. You're posture gives you away. If you have areas that needs work, the therapist will be able to tell just by looking at you. I'm a massage therapist, I have people all the time ask me how to make them feel better so I look at them, tell them whats going on, work the area, and they feel like a million dollars. Hot stone is nice, but not very therapeutic. Just talk to your therapist, see what he/she recommends and you'll be glad you did!!
Just like our Moonie said, let your therapist make a few suggestions for you to think about. If you need deep tissue massage, it will hurt a little and you'll feel better after the pain goes away.
Don't let a little pain scare you, if you don't need the deep tissue it won't hurt.
Swedish is a generic term for a great massage from a qualified therapist. Most of what is taught in massage school is Swedish.
I would probably start you off with a good Swedish and maybe throw in a few other modalities as needed.
Go and have a great massage. Let us know how it went. And drink plenty of water after wards to help flush the toxins from your system.