Massage therapy is a practice of manipulating muscles and other
tissues of the body which results in functional, physical and
sometimes psychological goals and purposes. This type of therapy can
be dated back thousand of years. It is sometimes a part of
conventional treatments and in some instances involved in
complementary and alternative medicine. Many people use massage
therapy for numerous health-related purposes. For instance a hot stone
therapy utilizes heated stones to relieve muscle tension. Massage
therapy involves the client being treated while lying on a massage
table or sitting on a chair. He may either be partially or fully
unclothed. There appear to be only a few risks to this kind of therapy
if it is properly used by a trained professional. It is a diverse
field and offers different types of massage. To help you figure out
what kind is right for you, here is a guideline on the most popular
types of massage therapy. 1. Aromatherapy massage This is the art and
science of using essential oils in enhancing the body, mind and
spirit's overall well-being. It draws on the healing power of the
plant world which contains medicinal and aromatic characteristics. The
essential oils used are chemically complex and have their own distinct
therapeutic qualities. It involves the use of slow, gentle, and
rhythmic movements. It helps the muscles melt into deep relaxation. 2.
The Swedish massage therapy This is the most common type of massage
practiced in the US. It is typically used for relaxation, stress
relief and to ease muscle tension. Long smooth strokes and kneading
are used by a massage therapist on the superficial layers of muscle.
3. Deep Tissue Massage This massage targets the deeper layers of the
connective tissues and muscle. Slower strokes or friction techniques
are used by the massage therapist to relieve tension in chronically
tight or painful muscles. 4. Reflexology Foot reflexology is a
non-invasive method to bring balance to the body. Although this is
called foot massage, it is more than that. It involves the application
of a specific type of pressure on particular areas of the feet which
corresponds to the different parts of the body. 5. Stone massage This
is an ancient healing process. This involves placing a smooth, hot
stone on certain points of the body to loosen or warm muscles and
balance energy centers inside the body. 6. Shiatsu Shiatsu is Japanese
hands-on therapy that uses localized finger pressure in a rhythmical
series on specific points all throughout the body. Each point is held
for 2-8 seconds improving the flow of energy and helps the body to
regain balance. These are only some of the types of massage therapy
you can consider trying out. Massage fills many different needs,
depending on the person who seeks it. For some it may be relief from a
stressful life. For others, it may mean rehabilitation or treatment of
a specific illness. Either way, massage offers therapeutic and
relaxing effects. If you have never experienced a massage before, then
this is the time you try one. It will certainly provide you with
relaxation and relief from the stress of your job and your life.
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