A massage can be a great way used to pamper oneself, relieve stress, or address any medical condition. A massage therapist in Christchurch can provide you with a range of massage services, depending on your need and focus area. You can also try self-massaging at home (or have someone else do it for you at your place).
Massage therapy for recovery from an injury is more common, but it’s also a good idea to indulge in self-pampering, stress-relieving therapy sessions.
What’s the ideal thing to do?
The form of massage you need and the area you want to focus on will determine how frequency (how often) and duration (how long) of the massage. For example, studies have shown for treating underlying health concerns like pain or injury, deep tissue massage is one of the most effective treatments.
If you’re unsure, you can consult your doctor or talk to our therapist at BodySense to know which massage therapy will suit your need and how often you should take it.
Types of massages
Lymphatic drainage massage
This massage is beneficial for clearing lymph nodes that have been affected by any recent surgery or a medical condition. It helps clear the passage for a smooth flow of fluid through your lymph nodes, releasing any kind of build-up.
You may need this type of massage on a regular basis in the beginning, but after some time, you can reduce it to two or three times per month (consult your doctor). Make sure that it is delivered by a professional massage therapist only. However, they can also teach you how to do certain parts of the massage technique yourself.
Deep tissue massage
Deep tissue massage is designed to penetrate deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, using slow yet strong (deep) strokes. This type of massage focuses primarily on repairing muscular damage caused by injuries or heavy workouts.
Deep tissue massage can be taken on a weekly or monthly basis, depending on the severity of the pain. Your therapist will let you know the frequency and duration of this form of treatment, based on the underlying health problem that triggered the issue in the first place. Feel free to reach out to our massage therapists in Christchurch to know the frequency and more.
Scalp massage
A scalp massage can be extremely calming, and it can even help to reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
In a study conducted in Korea, women who worked in offices for 10 weeks received significant health advantages from 15- to 25-minute scalp massages twice a week.
You may discover that giving yourself a scalp massage on a regular basis helps you relax and enhances your mood.
Swedish massage
Swedish massage is, often, referred to as a full-body massage. This type of massage promotes relaxation and can be taken once every few weeks, or once a month to help you feel more focused and less stressed.
Massage chair
A massage chair can give comfort from sore muscles or help in relaxation. Healthy individuals have benefitted from sitting in the massage chair for about 20 minutes at a time, according to pilot research.
You may be able to have this sort of massage at home if you buy a massage chair, or you might be able to locate a place, outside of your house, where you can avail yourself this unique experience (commonly found in shopping malls in various parts of the country).
Hot Stone Therapy
Hot Stone Massage therapy involves warming smooth stones and then placing them on different parts of the body. The hot stone massage therapist can place these stones on specific “stress” points on your body and keep them like so while giving you a massage.
The stones' localised heat and weight warm and calm muscles, helping the massage therapist to apply deeper pressure without adding pain to certain regions.
Trigger Point Therapy
Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy (MTrP) or "trigger point therapy" (TrP) is a treatment for myofascial trigger points (MTrP) or "trigger points" (TrP) in muscles and fascia. Myofascial trigger points are stiff, painful regions in the muscles. Muscles and fascia are affected by MTrPs. Myofascial trigger points are one of the most prevalent causes of persistent musculoskeletal pain, also known as myofascial pain, and may be located anywhere on the body.
For conditions
Massage therapy can help you in the relief of certain painful symptoms as well as the relaxation of stress and anxiety. It may be beneficial throughout pregnancy as well. For pain treatment, you may need more frequent massages, or you may find that less frequent but regularly planned massages are beneficial for your mental well-being.
Back pain
A massage on a regular basis can help to relieve your back pain. Deep tissue massage conducted daily for 30 minutes for 10 days decreased pain in patients, according to studies. Massage as a therapy for lower back pain has been demonstrated to last up to 12 weeks in studies done in the United States.
Neck pain
Massage may help reduce neck pain in the short term, and receiving massages on a regular basis can be very beneficial. According to research, receiving a 60-minute massage two or three times a week was more beneficial for those suffering from neck pain than getting a 60-minute massage once a week or a few 30-minute sessions weekly.
Anxiety and stress
A massage once or twice a month may assist to relieve tension and stress. Consider taking a 60-minute massage that’s specifically meant to help you relax. This has the potential to reduce cortisol levels by 30% while increasing serotonin levels by 28%. This will help you relax and boost your mental health.
Pregnancy
According to 2010 research, frequent, gentle massage conducted at home or by a prenatal massage therapist may help people maintain a good mental state while also reducing leg and back discomfort.
A professional 20-minute massage once a week, or two 20-minute massages at home, may be enough to alleviate anxiety and stress, as well as physical symptoms of pregnancy.
According to the research, 15-minute massages during every hour of labour can help save time and the number of medications you need.
Benefits of massage therapy
Massages can lead to many benefits, including:
stress reduction
pain reduction
lower blood pressure
release of muscle tension
Cautions
If you have specific health conditions, massages may not always be the safest activity. If you have any of the following, you should proceed with caution:
broken or fractured bones
a bleeding disorder
open wounds or burns
cancer
osteoporosis
other serious medical conditions
When you’re conceiving (first trimester), have high blood pressure, are in high-risk pregnancy, or recently underwent surgery - your doctor or a massage therapist should advise against it. If you’re pregnant it’s mandatory that you get only a certified prenatal massage therapist who specialises in treating moms-to-be and guarantee you a treatment that’s both healthy and safe for you and your baby.
Other reasons such as experiencing blood clots or having a history of blood clots are assured reasons for avoiding massage services. Take approval from your doctor before you do so. Blood clots may form during a session and move through the veins to the heart or lungs. This may result in a heart attack or a clogged artery.
If you are in pain, you should not continue the massage or seek more massages.
To conclude
There are a variety of reasons to have a massage on a regular, semi-regular, or occasional basis. You may need to address a medical condition or just want to unwind and escape the stresses of daily life.
Whatever your reason, from unwinding from a stressful day or experiencing stiffness, taking a massage service can always help you switch to a happy and healing mode. Contact us to book a session right away!
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