Massage is the practice of rubbing and kneading the body using the hands. During a massage, a massage therapist will apply gentle or strong pressure to the muscles and joints of the body to ease pain and tension. A massage therapist is a person who is an expert in giving massages.
There are different massage types or massage therapy for specific body parts. When you feel tired, stressed, and sore or overwhelmed by life, the massage techniques your therapist will choose to use will greatly influence your recovery.
In this article, we have outlined the different kinds of massage types available to choose from.
Swedish Massage
The Swedish massage is the foundation for most massages in practice today. Majority of the strokes of the Swedish massages enhance blood flow to the heart. However, a massage isn’t quite a massage without these remaining elements:
Gliding
Rhythmic strokes that skim or flow over extended portions of the body in smooth succession to enhance venous and lymphatic flow. Deeper pressure gliding is commonly referred to as stripping.
Feather or Aura Stroking
You just might feel ticklish as this super light or non-contact strokes, sometimes referred to as feathering only affects just the nerves or energy fields around the body.
Feathering will lull you to sleep and is the perfect way to begin or end a massage session.
Kneading or Petrissage
Similar to how you knead your dough at home, here we squeeze, lift, and roll the skin and the muscle. Moreover, firm pressure is also applied for the purpose of stretching muscles and creating deep relaxation.
Friction
Friction strokes create heat and energy in the skin and upper muscle tissue which increases circulation and healing. Stretching the cross-fiber work, through circular movements, rhythmic compression with a pumping action, vigorous shaking, or vibration achieves this type of massage.
Percussion
Percussion makes use of quick but gentle tapping, striking, cupping, chopping and pounding movements that bring a healthy glow to your skin.
Lymphatic Massage
The lymphatic system consists of a series of vessels and nodes that move circulatory fluid. These fluids, however, can become stagnant due to stress, fatigue, lack of physical activity, emotional trauma or accumulation of waste products.
Lymphatic massage helps to enhance movement of these fluids using slow, light, rhythmic, gentle spiral-like strokes to release toxins and stimulate the immune system.
More importantly, it also affects the nervous system, providing deep relaxation and relieving depression, stress, and sometimes even insomnia.
Deep Tissue Massage
Physical and emotional trauma can cause tightening and shortening of connective tissue. Deep tissue massage focuses on the deeper tissue structures of the body, primarily the muscle, connective tissue, and fascia, which is the fibrous tissue that encases the muscle.
It releases the tension and bonds and is commonly associated with a corresponding psychological release of deep-seated tension.
Trigger-Point Therapy
This helps relieve pain from a constricted muscle, obtained through injury, stress, repetitive activity, or trauma. Trigger-point therapy focuses on the problem area without neglecting the surrounding areas.
Using palpitation, you can find the taut bands of muscle and apply trigger-point pressure by a single point (such as thumb or elbow) to the problematic area and held long enough to deactivate the constriction. Though it can be quite painful, this type of therapy is very effective.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral massage therapy enhances the semi-hydraulic system that protects the brain and spinal cord and related bony areas. We use only a very light touch in craniosacral therapy in order to feel and manipulate the cerebrospinal fluid within the system.
Hot Rock Therapy
Also called stone massage, this massage type technique uses stones heated in hot water and then placed strategically on the body to provide heat and enhance circulation. To create a stimulating effect, we can also use cool stones.
Sometimes the stones used are instruments for deep tissue massage, and it is also common for some spas to incorporate the use of essential oils to add to the overall luxury feel of this type of relaxing massage.
Aromatherapy Massage
Aromatherapy focuses on the awesome properties of essential oils to deliver gentle movements of Swedish massage with the active inhalation and/or absorption of essential oils through pores and the nose. If you want to relax and experience healing all round, aromatherapy is the way to go.
A life free from pain and full of relaxation can be key fin helping you achieve and attain success. These massage techniques will help you identify areas you need help and experience the wonderful benefits of massage.
At Ella’s Place, we are always available for you to book a massage session. Visit us today at 16 Ibrahim Jalo Waziri Street, Zone E Apo, Abuja to choose from our range of massage types.
