Massage Therapy

Swedish massage is one of the most common types of massages you can get. Despite current confusion in the industry, "deep tissue" is also technically swedish massage. It is performed to energize the body and improve overall health. This type of massage involves actions like percussion, kneading, vibration, tapping, cross fiber friction, and rolling. Massage oil or lotion is used to protect the skin from friction.

Health Benefits of a Swedish Massage

• Massages are a great way to relax and unwind. A massage involves manipulating the muscles and joints to relieve stress or pain. This is achieved by relaxing tight muscles and promoting blood circulation.

• Getting a Swedish massage can also be beneficial to your heart. A therapist (a person that practices massage) manipulates the body's soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels) and uses strokes that flow toward the heart, improving blood circulation.

• Swedish massage may help reduce symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. Some of the symptoms that could be managed by massage therapy include back pains, headaches, muscle issues, and other chronic pains.

• Massages are also associated with boosting immunity. This can help you in managing conditions like the common cold, asthma, diabetes, and breast cancer.

• Nerve stimulation. By applying pressure and manipulating the muscles, a Swedish massage helps to stimulate nerves located in different parts of the body. The nerves could be stimulated in a way that helps to manage pain and discomfort.

• Mood booster. Massages have been found to improve your overall mood by promoting the production of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. These hormones act to stabilize your mood, helping you feel happy and positive. A Swedish massage could also act to reduce the production of cortisol, a stress-causing hormone.

• Tension reliever. Also known as adhesions, knots can be quite painful. The Swedish massage warms up the muscles and breaks down the binding spots and relieves the tension gathered at the knots. If you have a severe case of adhesions, consider other, more intense types of massages.

• Lymph drainage. Lymphatic drainage occurs naturally when you use your muscles. However, if for any reason you are not moving or using your muscles, the lymphatic fluid could accumulate. This could cause a build up of toxins. A Swedish massage can help manage this problem.

• Improving flexibility. Massages help in relaxing your muscles and joints. This improves your range of motion, which in turn increases your stretching capability.

Swedish Massage Techniques

A Swedish massage incorporates a variety of massage techniques in order to provide and promote healing.

Effleurage is used at the beginning of the massage as a warm up and at the end of the session to soothe the muscles. This technique involves gentle circular or gliding strokes. The therapist applies different levels of pressure on the body to loosen knots. It also helps in relieving tension. There are three classes of effleurage, each based on the amount of pressure the therapist uses. These classes are feather stroking, superficial effleurage, and deeper effleurage. The degree of pressure applied depends on the needs of the individual receiving the massage.

Petrissage consists of a deeper, kneading movement. The therapist manually compresses your soft tissues in a rhythmic fashion. The most common ways of performing petrissage include kneading, wringing, rolling, and lifting. Petrissage helps to stretch and loosen muscles and promote blood circulation. Performing petrissage takes the most time in a Swedish massage. It’s best for people with injured muscles since it provides many therapeutic benefits.

Tapotement means tapping or drumming. The therapist uses a rhythmic tapping to stimulate blood flow across the body. Tapotement involves actions like hammering, slapping, cupping, hacking, and tapping. Tapotement promotes the production of endorphins, which help the body to relax. This technique relaxes tight muscles and helps in lymphatic drainage.

Cross Fiber Friction involves rubbing across muscle fibers using the thumbs or fingers to break up adhesions. This is generally what is implied in "deep tissue" massage.

Vibration involves rhythmic shaking of the massage area. By doing so, the body loosens up and relaxes. The therapist may use their palms to shake your skin and muscles on your back. If the massage area is small or sensitive, like your face, they may use their fingers. Vibration works best for soothing nerves in areas with large scars or knots.

Contraindications of Massage

There are some conditions that are contraindicated locally. That means that the massage therapist can give you a massage but must avoid those areas with those conditions when giving you the massage.

Here are a list of common local contraindictions:

• Cuts or open wounds

• Bruises

• Varicose veins

• Broken bones

• Burns

• Some skin conditions

If you have these massage contraindications and you want a massage you should let your therapist know about them. Hopefully the massage therapist can work around these areas. However, if they prove too severe massage may not be appropriate. In that case, the therapist reserves the right to refuse treatment to ensure maintenance of health standards.

Other massage contraindications are more specific. You cannot get a massage if you have these conditions because massage could cause these conditions to flare up making your problem worse. Here are the conditions that fall into these category;

Fever

Anytime you have a fever, whether from a cold, the flu or some other infection, you should not get a massage. Massage increases circulation that may in turn help the infection increase the severity of the fever and the infection.

Contagious Diseases

If you have a contagious disease you are putting your therapist and even your therapist’s other clients at risk of getting it. Please be considerate to your therapist and cancel your massage if you come down with a contagious condition.

Blood Clots

Massage can loosen blood clots. This could be dangerous because the clot could migrate to the brain, lungs or heart. If you are aware of any blood clots, consult your doctor before massage to make sure that it will not be effected by massage therapy.

Pregnancy

Prenatal massage is an option but it's especially risky in the first 3 months of pregnancy. Try to refrain until you have entered into the second trimester and receive approval from your doctor.

Kidney Conditions or Liver Conditions

Massage can put increased strain on both the liver and kidney if they are not functioning normally. This occurs because massage increases blood flow, increasing the movement of waste through the body. If you are experiencing a health problem with either your kidney or liver it is likely that massage will not be appropriate for you. Talk to a health care professional to see if massage will aggravate any kidney or liver condition.

Cancer

Though massage is good at relieving some of the discomfort caused by cancer, it should only be given by someone trained to work with cancer patients. The patient should obtain a release form from his/her doctor to get treatment. Jikiden Reiki is a more suitable for those struggling with cancer. It's popularity in the west stems from the multiple accounts of people beating cancer through the use of reiki.

Inflammation

If you have inflammation of any kind massage to the area will further aggravate the situation.

Uncontrolled Hypertension

Massage increases blood flow. If you have high blood pressure that is not under control, the increased blood flow that is a result of massage therapy may cause problems.

What you can expect during a massage

You don't need any special preparation for massage. Before a massage therapy session starts, your massage therapist should ask you about any symptoms, your medical history and what you're hoping to get out of massage. Your massage therapist should explain the kind of massage and techniques he or she will use.

In a typical massage therapy session, you undress, only to the point that you're comfortable. You generally lie on a table and cover yourself with a sheet. Your massage therapist will leave the room when you undress before the massage and when you dress after it. Your massage therapist should perform an evaluation through touch to locate painful or tense areas and to determine how much pressure to apply.

Your massage therapist will use oil or lotion to reduce friction on your skin. Tell your massage therapist if you might be allergic to any ingredients.

A massage session may last from 30 to 120 minutes, depending on the type of massage and how much time you have. No matter what kind of massage you choose, you should feel calm and relaxed during and after your massage. Breathe normally throughout your massage.

Your massage therapist will typically play music during your massage or talk to you, but you can tell him or her if you prefer quiet.

If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, ask for lighter pressure. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle that feels like a knot. It's likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out. But if it becomes painful, speak up!