Written By Justin Jersey / Reviewed By Ray Spotts
Many times after a long hour of work we feel exhausted and want to get pampered via massage therapy. Massage therapy works wonders for both physical and mental exhaustion.
Therapists are trained to work on different muscles of the body via pressure techniques to release the stress from that point. This helps the brain to release signals to the body, and you will feel renewed vigor.
You will find massage therapy very useful in situations where you are recovering from an injury, enhancing your sport-related stamina, pregnancy-related massage or just need a feeling of comfort after a very hard day.
History Of Massage Therapy
You will find references to massage therapy going back thousands of years. Multiple old documents suggest that it was a renowned practice in India, China, the Middle East and part of Europe, i.e. Greece and Rome. Starting in the 1930s massage therapy has become a well-known practice for athletes all over the world.
Different Types Of Massages:
- Swedish massage: This is one of the most well-known and popular massages and focuses on soft tissues. In this massage a therapist focuses on strokes that involve rubbing, vibration, bending of muscle, kneading and sometimes stretching of muscles to a new level. The whole idea of Swedish massage is to relax your muscles without going deep.
- Deep massage: In this type of massage, the therapist adds more pressure that goes deep inside your skin to release pressure around tendons and muscles. We have many connected tissues in our body which are interlocked to support multiple muscles and organs. This technique is used to release pressure around them. Usually, this is the preferred method of medical massage and can help you get relief from chronic pain coming out of conditions like arthritis.
- Prenatal massage: Women around the world prefer to have massages done before and after childbirth to get relief from swelling, back pain and hip pain. These special massage techniques help them lower the pain and also reduce the risk of complications in childbirth.
- Sports massage: Sports massage, which became popular in the early part of the 1900's, is an essential part of any athlete’s exercise regime. You will find that it's important to all types from professional to people who use it for fitness.
Techniques used in sports massage therapy help in stimulating higher blood flow and preventing injuries. They also help in recovery after an intense game. Many athletes also use it before a game as a warm-up.
- Aroma massage therapy: Oil has been used in many massage therapies for many centuries, including Swedish and deep massage. Using aromatic oil adds an additional benefit to massage therapy. This massage therapy has become very popular as it induces relaxation and rejuvenation.
- Reflexology massage therapy: Reflexology is an interesting technique with the theory that if a certain part of your hand or feet is pressed it will help in reducing pain or stress from another part of the body. This is very much related to acupressure. These techniques act as more of a stress buster and can help in sleep, pain and mental health.
How To Decide On A Massage Therapy That Is Right For You?
All therapies come with their positive and not so positive points. When you are zeroing in on a therapy, do your research and find out what works best for your condition. Besides, you can try a sample session with a therapist who is known in the field, comes with positive reviews and is able to understand your requirements.
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Written By:
Justin Jersey is a journalist, stylist and blogger. He is an aesthetician by heart who often writes about art, fashion, decorating and DIY ideas. He loves sparking creativity and giving them ideas for their own spaces.
Reviewed By:
Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.