Sometimes, a person “getting under your skin” can be just what you need. A licensed massage therapist is trained to provide the right touch to help you relieve stress and pain, eliminate toxins and facilitate increased circulation and blood flow throughout your body. Massage is a tried and true way to assist the body in coming into a state of optimum health.
As more people discover the rejuvenating, healing and calming effects of massage therapy, the practice is cropping up everywhere. From spas to airports to hospitals and businesses, licensed massage therapists are ready to rub away your anxiety, aches and muscle soreness. A good massage promotes greater flexibility, deeper sleep, and a general feeling of well-being.
The clear scientific evidence of the benefits of massage therapy, reports the American Hospital Association, has led to a growing number of medical clinics offering it to patients. Patients feel less stressed, more flexible, and better able to sleep soundly, even in an unfamiliar hospital environment. Massage relaxes patients prior to and following a surgical procedure, gentle massage increases blood flow to speed healing.
While most of us immediately think of massage as a therapist’s hands and fingers kneading our skin, new variations continue to expand the field. Some of the most popular options are:
- Swedish Massage Therapy – With kneading, long strokes and circular movements, this form can be quite gentle, and is one of the most requested massage techniques.
- Aromatherapy Massage – A massage therapist utilizes one or several essential oils to promote relaxation, stress-reduction, rejuvenation or other specific needs. For instance, lavender oil calms, while peppermint cools aching muscles, rose oil is used for balancing hormones and treating PMS, and clove oil helps teeth and gum issues and stomach aches.
- Hot Stone Massage – Particularly effective for people holding a lot of stress in their bodies, this method involves strategically placing smooth, warm stones on various body parts to melt away tension. The massage therapist can also apply gentle pressure to the stones, or use them to stroke the body.
- Deep Tissue Massage – Practitioners use slower strokes to more deeply penetrate layers of muscle and connective tissue. It’s effective in providing relief for painful muscles, or recovery from an injury.
- Shiatsu – This technique targets acupressure points with steady finger pressure, opening up energy points to balance the body.
- Thai Massage – Unlike other forms of massage, where the client lies motionless on a treatment table, Thai Massage therapists move and stretch you to manipulate specific energy points on the body. It’s popular for increasing range of motion.
- Reflexology – for every point on the body, there’s a corresponding point on the feet. Foot Reflexologists massage the feet to relax you, then apply deep, penetrating pressure to specific areas of your feet. Even a short reflexology session leaves your entire body energized.
- Lymph Massage – With feather-light strokes and circulation motions, massage therapists work on lymph glands throughout the body to help drain accumulated fluids. This technique is particularly important when lymph glands become inflamed or enlarged because of an infection, surgery or illness. In those cases the lymph glands are unable to drain naturally, trapping toxic waste in your body. That’s when a gentle lymph massage is the only way to effectively drain the fluids.
- Sports Massage – This method helps reduce or prevent inflammation and muscle soreness after a demanding workout. It also increases flexibility and can enhance an athlete’s performance.
- Back Massage – Particularly requested by people who spend hours daily hunched over a computer, this technique soothes and de-stresses tense, knotted muscles in the neck, shoulders and back.
Massage, along with other services to help you cleanse your body, quiet your mind and rejuvenate your spirit, are offered at the Optimum Health Institute in San Diego and Austin, Texas. We can help you achieve your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual goals for optimal health. Visit our website at www.optimumhealth.org , and call us at (800) 993-4325 to make your reservation.