When our lives get tangled up in stress and we are finding it difficult to think rationally as a result, there are many ways to de-stress and release the pressure of daily life.
However, one of them, therapeutic massage, remains a constant in many people’s lives for its ability to release bad energy and make one feel very relaxed despite a long day’s work.
Therapeutic massage combines the art of touch therapy, which has been around for thousands of years, together with science, to provide people with pain relief and overall well-being and relaxation.
There are many different kinds of therapeutic massage available today, but one thing they all have in common is the use of hand strokes, and usually with lubrication such as oil or lotion, with pressure applied on various parts of the body to manipulate muscles and soft tissue.
The therapeutic massage practitioner may use just their hands, or other parts of the body to achieve the desired effect, such as fingers, elbows, feet, or forearms.
Types and benefits of therapeutic massage
Therapeutic massage is also recognized for its healing qualities and health benefits.
Although it has been around since ancient times, countless studies have verified the effectiveness of massage and touch therapy as a tool and complement for a person who is undergoing healing.
Some of the most common types of therapeutic massage are the following:
- Deep tissue massage pertains to the use of patterns of strokes and the use of fingers to apply pressure deep into the muscles to fix knots and problem areas.
- Swedish massage involves long strokes, kneading, and adding friction to muscles to remove tied up bunches of muscles, stress-related areas, and to increase flexibility within joints. It is a common type of massage for those who want to simply relax and unwind, as well as those with serious blockages or pains in their muscles.
- Shiatsu massage is based on the principle qi, a vital energy, to flow freely throughout the body for one to have mental and physical well-being and balance. The massage applies pressure and rhythmic movements to unblock anything that may be causing the qi to have a stopped flow in the body.
- Pressure point massage is a more intensive type of therapeutic massage, prescribed for those who commonly use certain muscles such as athletes. The therapist uses deeper strokes to reach deeper into muscles that have formed knots, and these areas will bring about pain or discomfort during the session when treated however will disappear in a few minutes.
Therapeutic massage has been proven to aid in healing a number of health problems. These include issues with sleep, weight, heart problems, blood pressure, depression, post-surgery healing, trauma, damaged blood vessels, circulation and breathing problems, digestive disorders, and many others.
If you have serious health ailments, therapeutic massage works best when used in complement with alternative medicine and treatment. It’s important to know that you should never self-medicate or self-diagnose.
However, if you simply want to relax and unwind from a long week of work, you can always count on therapeutic massage to make you feel better in just a few minutes.
