What Constitutes a Great Massage?
Often
times, people will call and ask questions about massage. What type of massage do
you do? Is it Swedish, deep-tissue, do you do reflexology, etc.?
Our
philosophy has and always been to provide a therapeutic massage that encompasses
many techniques and serves each individual differently depending on their needs.
We don't really do much Swedish or light touch as a majority of our clients
prefer a rigorous massage that is healing, not just pampering. Our therapeutic
massages can include:
Deep-tissue: incorporating massage techniques that stimulate and aid in the
repair of muscle and connective tissue. This technique is especially helpful for
chronic neck, shoulder and back pain. Deep tissue massage works by physically
breaking down these adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement. To do
this, the massage therapist often uses direct deep pressure or friction applied
across the grain of the muscles.
Reflexology: Applying thumb and finger techniques to certain "trigger
points" on the body to aid in recovery, usually via hands and feet.
Cranio-Sacral: Involves massage of the head/ scalp in which bones are
sometimes realigned via massage to treat mental strain, neck and back pain.
These can be of particular use for those people with migraines.
Stretching: Patients often come in with pulled muscles such as hamstrings,
etc. The therapist may incorporate stretching into their routine depending on
the needs of the client.
Hot
Rocks: Smooth, salt rocks from the ocean are applied to the body. Minerals
are released naturally from the rocks to penetrate the body. The rocks are often
aligned directly onto the spine after first being massaged onto the body. The
rocks remain on the body for at least ten minutes to allow penetration of
minerals.
Before
any massage, always tell the therapist openly and honestly what is going on with
your body (even your mind). Please also inform them if you have had a massage
recently as this can severally affect the body if excessive massage is given in
a short period of time.
The
above techniques can be included individually or as a combination depending on
the needs of the client and also the years of training and experience of the
therapist. Please ask about techniques and levels of therapist before your
massage.