A Brief Overview to Different Types of Massage Therapies

February 21, 2020 3 min read

A Brief Overview to Different Types of Massage Therapies

You may have heard of different kinds of massage therapies focusing on different body parts or healing tactics. Massage involves the exercise of rubbing and kneading your body with hands. During the massage, the therapist put on intense or mild pressure to body joints as well as muscles to ease tension and discomfort. The therapist is an individual professional in offering massages.

Let us talk about different massage therapies and see what is best for you.

Swedish Massage

Best for: People who are sensitive to touch, have tension, or new to massage.

Benefit:It assists in releasing the knots of muscles, and it is the best choice when you need to relax your entire body during the massage.

Process: For Swedish massage, you need to remove the clothes. There will be a sheet covering the body, and you need to lay on a massage table. The therapist will prefer a mix of passive movement techniques, tapping, vibration, circular motions, and kneading.

Required Time: 60 to 90 minutes.

Hot Stone Massage

Best for: Those individuals having tension and muscle pain, or those who need to relax.

Benefit:The hot stone massage relieves pain, increases blood flow, promotes relaxation, and reduces muscle tension.

Process: During this massage, the heated stones are positioned on multiple parts of the body. The therapist can grip a stone while massaging different body parts using techniques of Swedish massage with gentle pressure.  

Required Time: 90 minutes.

Aromatherapy Massage

Best for: People who need to have a healing component to the massage.

Benefit: This massage can aid in relieving pain and muscle tension, reducing anxiety, stress, and depression, and boosting your mood.

Process: During the aromatherapy massage, you will be offered a massage while breathing essential oils in with a diffuser and helping them to absorb through the skin. This massage focuses on your head, shoulders, and back.   

Required Time:60-90 minutes.

Trigger Point Massage

Best for: People having specific issues or conditions, chronic pain, or injuries.

Benefit: The trigger point massage assists in reducing pain by relieving the trigger points.

Process: During this massage, the therapist uses flowing and broad strokes that are relaxing and mild, combined with more in-depth and more forceful pressure. It can include your whole body or a specific part that needs to be relaxed.  

Required Time: 60-90 minutes.

Deep Tissue Massage

Best for: People having chronic issues of muscles such as imbalance, wound, or tenderness.

Benefit: The deep tissue massage helps to release anxiety, muscle pain, and tight muscles.

Process: During this massage, the therapist will use deep pressure of fingers and slow strokes to release tensions from the inner layers of connective tissues and muscles. Do not prefer this massage if you are highly sensitive to pressure.

Required Time: 60-90 minutes.

Sports Massage

Best for: People having repetitive muscle injury, for instance, what you can get a wound after playing any sports.

Benefit: You can prefer this massage to relieve muscle tension, anxiety, and pain. It also increases performance and flexibility.

Process: This massage includes a full body or any particular part that requires attention. Depending on the needs, the therapist gives you some soothing strokes.   

Required Time:60-90 minutes.

Conclusion

Massage is the best way by which you can feel better emotionally, physically, or mentally. In addition to these basic types of massage, you may have heard about other kinds. Don’t forget to talk about your intentions and expectations with your massage therapist before choosing the massage you want to have.