Benefits of Massage
ELIMINATE PAIN.
Muscles overcompensate to maintain alignment when you are pregnant, working out, doing heavy lifting, carrying extra weight and more. A massage can help take you from seeing red to wearing that positive smile again.
LESS STRESS. FEEL BETTER.
Stress has a lot to do with the tension you feel in your shoulders; it can also affect your heart and your blood pressure. Working out muscle tension during a massage makes chronic pain, as well as acute or short-term stress, much easier to let go.
BETTER POSTURE & CONFIDENCE.
Bad posture can quickly become a bad habit – massage loosens muscles and joints to reinforce the body's natural movements.
INCREASED CIRCULATION & RELAXATION.
Muscle tension constricts your circulation – massage helps release tense and tightened muscles to increase blood flow and help flush toxins out of your body.
Types of Massage
SWEDISH MASSAGE:
Swedish massage therapy is the what comes to mind when most people think about massage. As the best-known type of bodywork performed today, one of the primary goals of the Swedish massage technique is to relax the entire body. This is accomplished by rubbing the muscles with long gliding strokes in the direction of blood returning to the heart. But Swedish massage therapy goes beyond relaxation. Swedish massage is exceptionally beneficial for increasing the level of oxygen in the blood, decreasing muscle toxins, improving circulation and flexibility while easing tension.
DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE:
Deep tissue massage therapy is similar to Swedish massage, but the deeper pressure is beneficial in releasing chronic muscle tension. The focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints).
HOT STONE MASSAGE:
Anyone who is experiencing muscle tension and pain, insomnia, or stress may benefit from a hot stone massage. A hot stone massage is used to help you relax and ease tense muscles and damaged soft tissues throughout your body.
During a hot stone massage, smooth, flat, heated stones are placed on specific parts of your body. The stones are usually made of basalt, a type of volcanic rock that retains heat.
The stones may be placed:
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along your spine
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on your stomach
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on your chest
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on your face
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on your palms
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on your feet and toes
Massage therapists may hold heated stones as they massage your body using Swedish massage techniques such as:
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long strokes
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circular movements
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vibration
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tapping
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kneading
PRENATAL MASSAGE:
Prenatal Massage is a special type of a massage therapy tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women. Many women find that pregnancy massage helps to minimize stress, promote relaxation and help with lower back pain.
Prenatal massages are done only by specially trained therapists who have received prenatal massage training. Pregnant women seeking a prenatal massage should be prepared to be in a side lying position for their prenatal massage.