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I've
been asked this question many times by people who 1) have either never
had a massage or 2) have only had a few, but weren't sure exactly what
type of massage they had. So I decided to write this article to define these two types
of massage as much as possible and explain the differences.
What
exactly is a Relaxation Massage?
Relaxation Massage
may also be called Swedish Massage or Swedish Relaxation Massage. This is the type of massage that's most popular in movies,
TV shows, and printed advertisements. When people think of a massage, they think of the pampering, lighter touch
massage that's given at spas, health clubs, resorts, and on cruise ships
and Relaxation Massage fits perfectly into those settings. It's commonly
the type of massage that someone will have as their first massage.
Relaxation
Massage is beneficial for
relieving everyday stress, loosening any general tension in the
muscles, and giving an overall feeling of well-being.
To
be considered relaxing, this type of massage is not intended to
work on many conditions that people have, such
as chronic neck pain, back pain, wrist pain from keyboard overuse, old
injuries from sports or automobile accidents, limited range of motion in
the neck, arms, or legs, etc. These conditions are typically caused by
tension that is buried deep within the soft tissue (muscles, tendons,
ligaments, and fascia).
Depending
upon the condition that you have, a Relaxation Massage may not give you
the long-term relief that you're looking for. If the tension that's
causing the problem is deeper
into your tissue or it requires therapeutic techniques and a more firm
pressure to release that tension, you would most likely need a Deep
Tissue/Therapeutic Massage.
What exactly is
a Deep Tissue/Therapeutic Massage?
Deep Tissue Massage is also known as Therapeutic Massage. This type of
massage uses special techniques that are not used in a Relaxation Massage session. In
order to release the tightness in the soft tissue, the massage therapist
needs to work deeper into the tissue and will use whichever therapeutic technique
is most effective for the condition. In working deeper into the tissues, it
requires a more firm pressure and an expected level of discomfort.
Throughout a Therapeutic Massage session, the massage therapist must "check in" with
the patient on the amount of pressure being used so that only as much pressure as is needed in each
area is used. Therapeutic Massage does not need to cause
intolerable or excruciating pain to get results.
For more
information on some of the conditions that may be improved with Therapeutic
Massage, go to
Benefits
of Therapeutic Massage.
What else should
I know about the differences?
Which massage is
best for my first massage?
If you've never had a
massage (or have only had one in a
massage chair), it's best to get a
Relaxation Massage first. During your first massage, you'll find out
what type of pressure you like and which areas of the body you like
worked more and which areas you'll like worked less. Also, many people
find that their first massage "stirred up" waste products or
toxins that were trapped in their tissue, so it's best to not go too
deep into the tissue during the first massage or it may possibly bring
on unnecessary soreness or even nausea over the next day or two.
How often can I get massage?
It is perfectly fine to get a
Relaxation Massage every day, if you can. In fact, when Bob Hope's
daughter was asked what helped him live to the age of 100, she said that
her father always credited his daily massage as part of that!
Unfortunately, a daily massage is not affordable for most of us, so we
have to find a plan that fits both our budget and our schedule. Most
people find that a once-a-month Relaxation Massage is ideal to keep
stress and tension under control and at the same time, fit into just
about any budget.
As for Therapeutic Massage, it is not a good idea to get this
type of massage every day. Since it involves working deeper into the
soft tissue, that tissue will need a day or two of rest and recovery. A
typical Therapeutic Massage schedule is for two to three sessions a week
for a week or more to get the most progress and the best results.
Is there such thing as
a combination of Relaxation Massage and Therapeutic Massage?
Many people can't imagine a full
sixty-minute session of deeper, therapeutic techniques, since there is
an expected level of discomfort involved. In this case, it's best to set
a limit on the amount of time that you want deeper, therapeutic work
done, then have the remainder of the session done with a more relaxing
pressure.
In reality, a Therapeutic Massage is
not always a full session of deeper, therapeutic
techniques. Typically, it will start with a more relaxing pressure to
warm up the tissues, then get deeper with therapeutic techniques, then
end with relaxing pressure to "flush" the tissue. This type of
session is still considered a Therapeutic Massage, so it will be priced
at a higher rate than a full session of Relaxation Massage.
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