Here is Your Complete Guide to Massage Therapy !!

Massage therapy has its roots when many ancient civilizations around the world. The modern form of massage therapy incorporates all of these in some parts or the other to provide a complete package. The Egyptians are believed to be ardent practitioners of massage. We all know that ancient Egyptians had an array of beauty and wellness techniques and massage therapy was one of the prominent ones.

At today’s world, self-time has been a real issue for everyone. From children to a student to adults in earning a living, everyone has a hectic day schedule, with almost no time to rest and relax. Massage is rapidly growing and becoming famous as the best way to rest and relax your body.

“Massage” as a word means “to rub or knead,” which means massage can be defined as to work or act on the body with pressure. The primary use of massage is in the treatment of body from stress and pain. Massage therapy is done through hands, fingers or elbow. But with its increasing demand, machines too have been in use for this purpose.
Today in every part of the world, massage is used as the best way to reduce stress.

Massage not only helps to reduce stress but also have many other benefits. Some of them are listed below:
• It helps to relax not only the whole body but mind too.
• It helps to lower blood pressure.
• It also helps to relax muscles.
• Massage improves blood circulation.
• It also helps to enhance the immune system.
• It helps to eliminate toxins from the body.
• It increases body flexibility.
• Massaging infants help them to grow quickly.

As written above, earlier massage was done manually, but with its increasing demand, many revolutionized changes had been made in massage techniques. Many new machines like Dry-water massage tables, Warm-water therapy pools, Vichy showers, etc. has been started to use to make massaging easy and even more relaxing process. Not only limited to this but, with increasing demand for massage, a massage therapist is also becoming a new option for a career.

Which massage should you consider?

A short guide to finding the perfect massage therapy for your needs
The first thing that comes to our mind when we hear the word “massage” is the beautiful picture of us lying on the massage bed, smitten with oil in a state of pure bliss. That is the standard type of massage therapy. In reality, there are about 80 different types of massages currently being practiced in the world. These have developed over time with its roots in ancient civilizations and traditional systems of medicine.

How can you choose a perfect massage for yourself? Take a close look at your needs. Are you looking only for relaxation or do you want to go for something more like body balance and restoration? For the standard relaxation needs, Swedish massage is the best. It is available in almost any gym, hotel or resort. For muscle relaxation, hot stone massage and deep tissue massage is the best option. It relieves stiffness and knots in muscles. The hot stones are placed over the skin which then gradually release heat and soothe the muscles. Deep tissue massage does not use hot stones but provides a very similar effect in relaxing the muscles.

If getting undressed is an issue for you, go for reflexology. Our hands and feet are believed to have nervous connections with our internal organs. The trained personnel massage the hands and feet focussing on mainly the specific pressure points to provide the best results.
If on top of muscle relaxation, you want to increase flexibility in the body, go for Thai massage. It incorporates passive stretching and yoga in it. It is best for body balance, orientation, and energy flow. It is also great for relieving backaches and other problems associated with sedentary lifestyle and poor posture.

How often should you get a massage ?

If you are someone who gave a shot at massage recently, it’s quite possible that you want to go back there again. It is very obvious that our body would want the same comfort again and again. It is natural. But how often should you go for a massage? Well, it depends on a lot of factors. Here are some of the factors which can influence your decision.

First of all, what is your purpose behind going for a massage? Is it to alleviate a physical condition or is it just for relaxation? Therapeutic massages are usually scheduled at regular intervals by the masseuse or the therapist. It is done to keep the continuity in the recovery process. It is highly recommended that you stick to the schedule given to you by your therapist. Some special categories of people like pregnant women and athletes have to undergo more frequent massages for body recovery and balance.

If you are opting for massages just for relaxation, it entirely depends upon your perception as to when you want to go back to the massage parlor. There are certain times of the year where the stress is particularly at its peak. During these times, it is recommended to get massages often. The more relaxed you are during this time, the more will be your productivity. On other occasions, when life is a little more relaxed, you can have a little more gap between two massage sessions.

Another important factor is your budget. If there is abundant supply with you and you feel you can splurge on a good massage now and then, well, then go for it. If you have a shortage, try to have enough gap between two sessions, enough to help you replenish your stores.

Things to do after a massage therapy :

Massage therapy is a very relaxing experience. You are bound to feel great after all that attention that your body gets. During the massage, everything is pretty easy and standard- you just lay there, with your eyes closed and forget all the worries of the world for some time. You let the masseuse do everything. There is not much role for us to play during the massage. However, what should you do after the massage to reap maximum benefits of the massage that you have undergone? There are certain things you can do. Here are some of them:

1. Get a bath- after a relaxing massage session, it is highly advisable to get a warm bath. It is mainly to remove excess oils from the skin. Baths are also recommended to keep the blood flowing. Benefits aside, getting a bath after massage adds on to the relaxation effects.
2. Do some stretching exercises- One of the main reasons why certain exercises like yoga are incorporated into massage therapies like Thai massage is that it is highly advisable to stretch after a massage. All the knots and tension in your muscles have been relieved. Now, stretching them is going to reset them and make them ready for the day. Remember to keep yourself active after the massage. You do not exactly have to go running or do some strenuous exercise, but just keep the body moving.

It is easy to go home and fall asleep especially because you are stress-free and taking a nap makes perfect sense. However, your body needs something opposite to this. Sleeping would not necessarily help you get 100% out of your massage session. Move around, keep the blood flowing, and when you go to sleep at the end of the day, we bet you will have a good one.