What is massage therapy?
Massage therapy is the act of manually manipulating and rubbing muscles and tissue to reduce pain.
There are more than 80 different massage techniques to target your unique discomfort, whether you feel chronic pain, tension, or stress. A professional massage can help you relax and unwind, leading to a better quality of life overall.
How can massage therapy help me?
Patients turn to massage therapy to alleviate pain and reduce the symptoms of countless conditions. Some common massage therapy benefits include:
- Stress relief
- Reduced anxiety
- Relaxation
- Decreased nausea
- Pain relief
Massage therapy can also help improve the symptoms of:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic headaches
- Migraines
- Fatigue, nausea, and pain caused by chemotherapy
- Arthritis
- Depression
- Lyme disease
- Scoliosis
- Herniated disc
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
When used in combination with your doctor-prescribed medications and therapies, massage therapy has been shown to reduce pain and improve mobility for many patients.
Are there different types of massage techniques?
While there are dozens of specific massage techniques that specialists practice, the four main types are:
Sports massage
A sports massage targets muscles, tendons, and ligaments that can cause you pain during or after strenuous activities. Many patients choose a sports massage to recover from an existing injury or to prevent them in the future.
Swedish massage
The most common type of massage, a Swedish massage involves deep kneading and long strokes to promote relaxation and relieve muscle tension.
Trigger point massage
A trigger point is a tight knot in your muscle that typically forms from overuse or injury. To avoid injury and chronic pain, the Cornerstone Acupuncture Institute team kneads out these painful knots with a relaxing trigger point massage.
Deep tissue massage
Similar to a Swedish massage, a deep tissue massage uses the same techniques but with added pressure. These targeted techniques help release tension in the deepest layers of your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to reduce pain.
If you suffer from chronic pain, tight muscles, or stress and anxiety, massage therapy can help alleviate your pain and reduce tension, so you can get back to the activities that you love.
Find out if massage therapy is right for you by calling Cornerstone Acupuncture Institute to book an appointment today.
