Different Types Of Massage

Massages have been performed for centuries providing numerous health benefits from simple relaxation and stress relief to treating specific medical conditions and injuries.

Depending on the specific techniques used, a massage can be soothing or extremely sore. If performed by a qualified therapist it not only treats physical conditions but also improves your mood and overall sense of well-being.

Here’s a look some popular massage techniques and the benefits they bring.

Swedish

A combination of long sweeping strokes, kneading, tapping and chopping result in a relaxing and pleasurable massage that will leave you feeling revitalised and relaxed. A Swedish massage is particularly effective at relieving tension and stress.

Hot Stone

Heated volcanic stones are placed along the vertebrae and other key points on the body then rolled by the therapist to provide a soothing massage. The heat from the stones is deeply relaxing and helps to improve circulation and alleviate stress.

Aromatherapy

A light and soothing massage is performed using essential naturally fragranced oils to ease tension, relax the body and mind and relieve stress. Different oils are used for specific benefits such as lavender to calm and help you sleep better and rosemary to improve circulation.

Deep Tissue

Deep pressure is applied to the deeper layers of muscles helping to reduce chronic pain, relieve high blood pressure, break down scar tissue and relieve stress. Deep tissue massage improves blood and lymph flow, increases mobility and helps speed up injury recovery time.

By its very nature, deep tissue massage can be painful and will leave you feeling sore afterwards. However, the health benefits greatly outweigh the initial discomfort.

Sports Massage

Primarily used on athletes, sports massage is also beneficial for those performing other strenuous activities such as gardening and heavy lifting.

It improves circulation by delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to the injured area, therefore speeding up recovery times.

Sports massage can be used to treat a specific injury but also to keep athletes in peak condition by improving muscle flexibility and preventing further injuries from occurring.

Tuina

Tuina is an ancient form of traditional Chinese massage, similar to deep tissue therapy. It concentrates on specific acupressure points to increase positive Qi energy flows by unblocking the Meridian channels throughout the body. Tuina is particularly beneficial in the treatment of whiplash, frozen shoulder, sciatica and digestive disorders.

The qualified and expert therapists at Bristol Chiropractic Clinic offer a range of therapeutic and rehabilitation treatments including deep tissue massage and sports massage. Contact us today or visit us online for more information.