Posts Tagged ‘swedish massage’
Do you sit at a desk all day staring at your computer, talking on the phone, and dealing with stress-related issues? If so, by the end of the day, you probably feel exhausted and can’t wait to get home. By the end of the week, you’re stiff, achy, and possibly a little headachy. By the end of the year, you may have all sorts of ailments such as tension headaches, shoulder pain, stiff neck, and more. Over-the-counter drugs or a glass of wine or two may relieve your pain temporarily. But wouldn’t you rather find a healthier, long-term solution? Believe it or not, massage therapy may be the answer.
You might think going for a massage is a luxury you can’t afford, but when it comes to your health, you should think of it as a necessity. The staff at the Mayo Clinic in their article: Massage: Get in touch with its many health benefits, reported that having a regular massage can help with stress relief, managing anxiety and depression, pain, and stiffness.
Massage therapists are not only found in spas and luxury hotels anymore. Many clinics, physicians, and hospitals have therapists on staff, like Moyer Total Wellness. The most common types of massage therapy include Swedish, deep-tissue, sports, and trigger point; however be sure to discuss your health issues with your therapist, so he or she can decide what’s best for you.
If you suffer with chronic pain such as tension and migraine headaches, shoulder pain and a stiff neck from your sitting at your desk all day, a professional massage therapist may help you work through the pain in a few treatments. However, a good therapist will also recommend stretching and certain types of exercise between appointments.
Worried about the cost? Most certified massage therapists charge $55 to $85 per one hour session depending on where you live. You should also check with your health insurance. Many will cover massage therapy treatments for medical reasons. But, of course, at Moyer Total Wellness, new clients can get a 1-hr massage for only $49.99 and members get their massage for only $40!
If you suffer from chronic pain, frequent headaches, and other ailments caused by everyday stress in an office environment, try massage therapy. You might be surprised at the outcome.
For some, the notion of a massage conjures up images of spas smelling of lavender, or a special treat the rich get to enjoy to enhance a nap. Though these images are representative of the experience of some, there are massage techniques that can do a world of therapeutic good: ranging from medical diagnosis to relief of debilitating and chronic pain.
With this article I hope to empower you, the reader, to find a massage therapist that will best suit your needs.
In China, hospitals employ massage therapists as part of their intake staff. With the powers of palpitation (feeling), a properly trained massage therapist can detect organ issues, or other problems that help direct the physicians in treatment. Also, by understanding the circulatory flows of the body, a massage therapist can direct the body to send healing elements to the ailing area.
But this is not our typical of massage in the U.S. This is because massage schools in the U.S. churn out “Swedish Massage” therapists. Swedish Massage is your basic rest and relaxation massage technique, and though it is the foundation for American licensure, it is the most elementary form of massage. In addition to relaxation, it increases circulation, can decrease blood pressure, and provide some pain relief–though the relief, if achieved, is usually short lived.
It can be good in conjunction with a chiropractic appointment–if you have a muscle which has become so stressed and tight that it pulls certain vertebrae or your knee out of joint, then before a chiropractor makes an adjustment, massaging that muscle group can make the adjustment more effective and long lasting–but it is my opinion that Swedish massage is so elementary that it is a waste for anything other than indulgence.
Similarly, when a practitioner says that they also can do, “Deep Tissue Massage” it is really nothing more than Swedish. It may be slightly deeper, but it’s still just Swedish. Someone looking for serious therapeutic massage will most likely be frustrated if the therapist only uses those two terms when explaining the techniques that they perform.
That said, there are some locally available massage techniques that, unlike Swedish, have significant therapeutic benefits. Here are a few.
Neuromuscular Technique (NMT)
This method was developed in the 1930s-40s by three osteopathic doctors. In layman’s terms, the therapist finds muscular trigger points and applies a steady pressure which triggers a brain response to relax the muscle. NMT is especially beneficial for people with longstanding pain issues of many kinds. Since muscle attaches (via ligaments and tendons) to bones and joints, a stressed out muscle can be the cause of intense joint, back, knee, or neck pain, as well as pain directly in a muscle. People who have experienced car accidents, sports injuries, or other physical trauma often find great benefit from NMT. The closest NMT Therapist is just over the bridge in Bala Cynwyd. They are few and far between, so it’s great to have one right around the corner!
Cranial Sacral Technique
The Cranial Sacral Technique (CST) was also developed by an osteopathic doctor in the 1890s. In CST, the practitioner takes hold of the base of the patient’s skull and base of the spine at the same time. With careful attention, the practitioner can begin to feel a “rhythm” as bodily fluids pass through the core of the body and creates an energy flow. This rhythm is often faint and varying, but as the practitioner holds the client in this special way, the rhythm strengthens and becomes synchronized.
A practitioner who knows CST may implement it for a few minutes within a therapeutic session, or devote an entire hour to executing the full technique. Either way, what is happening is similar to a chiropractic adjustment, but instead of manipulating the bones by forcing them back into alignment, CST stimulates the bodily fluids and body energy to do the work from the inside out.
The technique also stimulates production of endorphins. This may produce a peaceful or even euphoric state for the client, and in some cases, can be used in conjunction with psychological therapies for enhancing mental clarity and insight.
With Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) in our back yard, you can call them to find an osteopath in the area who practices this technique, or call the Roxborough Health Center which is associated with PCOM.
Myofascial Release
This focuses not on the muscle tissue, but a webbing that exists in between the muscle fibers. Have you ever prepared a chicken breast or thigh for dinner? If so, you may have noticed that the meat has a thin, white, spider web-like substance layered in with the muscle. This is fascia.
The basic theory behind Myofascial Release is that the fascia within the muscle should be lubricated, but is often extremely dried out. This fascia can be effected just as readily (or more-so) than the muscle itself. The practitioner holds an area in such a way that healing fluids and energy come in and lubricate the fascia.
Think of a patch of dried out dirt. When the water is added, what was cracked and cakey becomes life-giving and rich. ”Trauma, inflammatory responses, and/or surgical procedures create Myofascial restrictions that can produce tensile pressures of approximately 2,000 pounds per square inch on pain sensitive structures that do not show up in many of the standard tests,” says a leading myofascial expert. In other words, stressed out fascia exerts extreme pressure on muscle–which causes pain, or causes the muscle to cramp up and pull on bones, joints, and even organs. Dealing with the fascia deals with a core issue, which produces a positive domino effect.
The technique is extremely gentle so it can be used on even the most touch sensitive patients, but it is extremely effective. I used to use this technique on all my clients–from professional athletes to a 55 year old woman who had a heart and lung transplant, and it was just as effective as an intense sports massage.
Massage was once widely regarded as a form of pampering for society’s upper crust, but no more.
While many Americans may still envision little more than the spirited kneading of an oiled, horizontal body, thousands of others—including scads of distance runners—have placed themselves in the healing hands of licensed massage therapists, who offer not only a powerful touch but a scientifically and anatomically based approach to flexibility, acceleration of recovery, and overall muscular maintenance. Massage, which dates back at least to the days of Caesar, promotes endorphin release, decreases soreness by forcefully clearing the waste products of physical exertion from within muscle cells, and both prevents new injuries and helps heal existing ones by increasing the flow of blood within muscles. Massage also promotes proper muscle and tendon functioning by increasing their mobility and range of motion.
“I’m a big advocate of massage therapy,” says Ryan Shay, the 2003 U.S. marathon and half marathon champion. “A good massage therapist knows how to do trigger-point work, or active release. It’s important for a massage therapist to be able to determine the source of muscle tightness, soreness or weakness. It’s also important for the massage therapist to incorporate some active release stretching when necessary to get muscles to relax or ‘let go’ in order to allow access to deeper muscle-tissue levels.”
Though scientific evidence is equivocal, a number of direct physical benefits of massage have been proposed. Pumping and kneading may open up elements of microcirculation (capillaries, small arteries and veins, lymphatic vessels), leading to the clearance of accumulated toxins, by-products of exercise—chiefly lingering lactic acid after an improper post-workout cool-down. Some athletes have reported a decrease in the frequency and intensity of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), post-workout complication resulting from eccentric muscle contractions. Massage may result in decreased muscle tension and greater flexibility, translating into stronger, more injury-resistant movers and levers capable of delivering more on race day. The massage action opens pores in tissue membranes, allowing nutrients to pass into muscles more easily while promoting the egress of toxins. Finally, massage can also break down scar tissue. In essence, it may accelerate processes that would otherwise occur slowly in the body, if at all; this is vitally important to those who train or work out daily and cannot afford to be hamstrung by chronic tightness or soreness. And, as underscored by Shay’s example, the special importance of active release therapy (ART) has come to light in recent years.
“Massage has definitely become much more mainstream,” says Tracy Steele of Atlanta, a sports massage therapist since 1988. “I don’t get nearly as many chuckles anymore when I say I’m a massage therapist.” Steele notes that whereas few, if any, colleges had massage therapists on staff a decade ago, access to massage has become commonplace among college athletes.
“In the early days my clientele was more the competitive runner, but now I get a lot of first-time marathoners,” Steele says, noting that most of the Team in Training groups advise regular massage. “I also work with a lot of the local high-school runners,” she says, “and this was surely not the case 10 years ago.”
An initial session with a good massage therapist begins with a relaxed interview that includes a complete medical history and centers on any muscle-related symptoms you’ve experienced recently; the therapist should ask you exactly what you hope to gain from massage. A good massage therapist will start by releasing tension from the entire body. This is usually done by starting in areas that are not the most sore, tender or tight.
“I’ve been to massage therapists who ask where my problem areas are and then go right to work on them, and not only does it hurt like hell, but the muscle never completely relaxes and the deeper tissues are ignored,” Shay says. “Also, the source of a problem is rarely located at the spot that hurts—there’s usually some type of chain reaction going on within the muscles.”
How often should you get a massage? It’s entirely up to you—and possibly your wallet; costs for sports massage range from about $35 to $45 per half hour. Massage is useful both before and after competitive events, although those new to massage should avoid having one the day before a race because of the possibility of mild soreness. Whenever possible, Shay gets a massage after every hard workout, or three times a week, with the frequency dropping to once a week or once every two weeks during training stints in places where finding a qualified therapist is difficult.
Shay suggests looking for a massage therapist who is trained in applied kinesiology, does trigger-point work, and is experienced in working with athletes. Local running clubs and area coaches are good sources of referrals to qualified practitioners.
Given the range of potential benefits, all serious runners should consider incorporating massage therapy into their training regimens—and hitting the table before problems strike, not after.
By Kevin Beck
As featured in the March 2004 issue of Running Times Magazine
With more than 200 variations of massage, how do you know what’s what, and what’s best for you?
By Carol Sorgen
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic – Feature
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario
Almost anyone — from infants to seniors — can enjoy the benefits of a good massage.
Massage is one of the oldest healing arts. Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use. The ancient Hindus, Persians, and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments, and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems.
Today, the benefits of massage are varied and far-reaching, says Les Sweeney, executive vice president of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). Massage therapy has proven beneficial for many chronic conditions, including low back pain, arthritis, bursitis, fatigue, high blood pressure, diabetes, immunity suppression, infertility, smoking cessation, depression, and more. And, as so many of us already know, massage also helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living that can lead to disease and illness.
But with more than 200 variations of massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies, how do you know what’s what, and what’s best for you? First, a definition of the different therapy categories is in order, says Sweeney.
- Massage is the application of soft-tissue manipulation techniques to the body, generally intended to reduce stress and fatigue while improving circulation. It taps into the energy systems in the body.
- Bodywork includes various forms of touch therapies that may use manipulation, movement, and/or repatterning to affect structural changes to the body.
- Somatic, which means “of the body,” is often used to describe a body/mind or whole-body approach as opposed to a physical perspective only.
According to William F. Burton, Jr., a professional massage therapist/bodyworker and co-owner of the Enraptured Day Spa in Philadelphia, most varieties of massage and bodywork therapies can be broken down into four broad categories:
- Contemporary Western massage
- Oriental methods
- Structural/functional/movement integration
- Non-Oriental energetic methods
Here’s a brief explanation of some of the more common techniques of Western and Oriental massage.
Swedish massage: This is the predominant example of Western massage and is the most commonly used method in the United States. Developed in Sweden in the 1830s, it uses a system of long, gliding strokes, kneading, and percussion and tapping techniques on the more superficial layers of muscles. It is designed to increase circulation, which may improve healing and decrease swelling from an injury. This technique also results in generalized relaxation.
Neuromuscular massage: Trigger point massage and myotherapy are varieties of neuromuscular massage, which applies concentrated pressure on trigger points of pain and passive stretching of specific muscles.
Deep tissue massage: This approach is used to alleviate chronic muscle pain by reaching deeper muscles in problem areas.
Sports massage: This uses techniques similar to deep tissue massage but more specifically adapted to deal with the needs of athletes (both professional and the weekend variety); it’s often used before or after athletic events as part of an athlete’s training and to promote healing from injuries.
Manual lymph drainage massage: This approach improves the flow of lymph fluid with rhythmic strokes and is used primarily in conditions with poor lymph flow, such as edema.
Oriental methods of massage are based on the principles of Chinese medicine and the flow of energy or chi through the body’s meridians, or energy points, says Burton. In Oriental massage techniques, pressure is applied by finger or thumb tips to predetermined points rather than by the sweeping broad strokes of Western massage.
“There are more than a dozen varieties
of Oriental massage and bodywork therapy.”
There are more than a dozen varieties of Oriental massage and bodywork therapy, but the most common forms in the U.S. are acupressure, shiatsu, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and Jin Shin Do Bodymind Acupressure.
Acupressure and shiatsu: These are similar varieties of finger pressure massage, with pressure applied to specific points that correspond with acupuncture points. In acupressure and shiatsu, pressure is applied to specific points with the thumb, finger, and palm to release muscle tension and increase circulation. Acupressure is the more generic term used for this approach and shiatsu is the Japanese version.
Jin Shin Jyutsu: This approach comes from an ancient Japanese healing tradition that uses touch to restore the internal flow of energy through the body by releasing energetic blockages. In this therapy the touch is very light a holds each pressure point for several minutes.
Jin Shin Do Bodymind Acupressure: Developed by a California psychotherapist, this approach applies stronger acupressure on the points and for a longer period of time than does Jin Shin Jyutsu. It focuses on the deep release of muscular tension through gentle yet deep finger pressure.
Thai massage: At least 2,500 years old, Thai massage focuses on balancing energy. If you’re receiving a Thai massage, you’ll be placed into yoga-like postures while the “Sen” energy lines are compressed rhythmically with hands, thumbs, forearms, elbows, knees, and feet.
Tui Na: Tui Na has been used in China for more than 2,000 years. The combination of massage and manipulation techniques is designed to improve the flow of energy so the body can naturally heal itself.
The strokes that massage practitioners use also vary, as do their effects, says Burton. A few of the more common strokes and their effects include:
- Feather stroking: soothing/sedative (may be ticklish)
- Fan stroking: soothing
- Circular thumb stroking: loosens tight areas
- Kneading: loosens and stimulates
- Skin rolling: stimulates
- Compression/pressure: breaks down muscular adhesions
- Percussion: stimulates (fast); relaxes (slow)
Legally blind since birth, with only 10% vision, touch has always been a part of Kyle’s life. Though still a fairly new therapist, massage has been a part of Kyle’s life for over the past 10 years, both giving to friends and family as well as being a guest on the table. Trained in the Ayurvadic practice of relaxation and relief while staying connected and present Kyle has a gently firm touch.
I absolutely love massage! I graduated from the Arizona School of Massage Therapy in October 2009. I am passionate about and love to give all types of massage. I tend to have a firm, therapeutic touch so I specialize in deep tissue massage. My goal for each session is to provide a custom and detailed massage designed to address each client’s needs and to help alleviate or reduce tension and pain associated with stress, injury or just the wear of daily activities. To me, there is nothing more rewarding than helping someone to feel their best. I look forward to working with you.
Robert Alexander is a licensed and insured Massage Therapist. He is passionate about massage therapy and strives to provide professional care, educate clients about massage, promote wellness and continually develops his skills by providing quality massage therapy. He is trained in numerous Eastern and Western modalities all which are tailored to an individual client’s need.
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