5 Types of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is very popular in this day and age of stress and fast moving lifestyles. Massage therapy can be effective at relieving tense muscles and aches and pains. It is also used in sports for sport injuries.

Massage therapy involves manipulating the body with pressure using various movements including kneading, chopping and rubbing. These techniques are mainly applied by the hands, but some therapies including using elbows, knuckles, forearms and feet and are used when the hands can not give an effective massage.

Massage is popular for its calming effect on the body and release, however does not solve a tension issue. Usually tense muscles come about due to bad posture and these days many massage therapies, including rolfing, include postural alignment within their therapy.

There are several different types of massage therapy, in fact hundreds, and it would be impossible to list them all here, so this article goes over 5 of them.

Aromatherapy massage - Aromatherapy massage is a form of massage that uses essential oils added to the massage oil. Essential oils are inhaled and messages are transmitted to the limbic system that affects your stress levels, heart rate and numerous other things. Essential oils are also absorbed through the skin. Each essential oil has a different effect and have different healing properties. Some oils calm, some are uplifting and others give energy. This type of massage is suited to problems of stress and emotion. So if you are emotionally charge or/and live a stressful life this type of massage is perfect for you.

Indian Head Massage - This type of massage works on the head and neck. Traditionally it was a head and hair massage but has been extended in the Western world to incorporate neck, shoulders and upper back. The Indian head massage helps relax the thin layer of muscle covering the head helping to alleviate stress and anxiety.

Rolfing (Structural Integration) - This is a massage that manipulates the body to bring into alignment. There are ten sessions in all to complete to get the best benefit. If you have poor posture and chronic muscle tension this is the perfect type of massage to go for to correct problems for good.

Sports Massage - This is specifically designed to help loosen muscles so you can regain flexibility. It also helps prevent strains. It is also suppose to help you with muscle fatigue after exercise by releasing toxins from the muscles giving you a quicker recovery rate. The type of massage used is usually fairly deep.

Thai Massage - Thai massage is a gentle type of massage. It involves gentle stretching, pulling andalso bending to help and manipulate the flow of vital energy in the body. Thai massage focuses on massage channels and points and this is a massage that the therapist will use feet and elbows as well as hands.

These are only a few massage therapies among hundreds, so before choosing one make sure you have a good idea of what you would like to achieve from it.