Massage Blog

While most people will know at least a little bit about aromatherapy, the finer details are not too widely known. It is common to wonder whether aromatherapy massages are for you, and if so exactly what you should be on the lookout for. As it is possible to self-massage for aromatherapy purposes, it is helpful to know exactly what essential oils to mix with the massage oil, and how the different oils affect different conditions. Here is a handy breakdown of which essential oils do what: [Read the rest of this entry...]

Although the increasingly competitive market for massage therapy has resulted in a positive result for those of us who require it, it can still add up to a pretty penny if you want to have regular treatments from a massage therapist. For this reason, a number of us are now looking realistically at trying to learn massage ourselves. The idea is that, if you can learn with a friend, then you will have a good massage therapist close by whenever you need one – and for the price of a coffee and a muffin, or a small glass of wine.

It is worth remembering that massage is not as simple as it often looks. As you will know, there is a talent and a knack to delivering a beneficial massage and it is a lot more than just rubbing the affected area. Whichever method you choose in order to learn, it is important to make sure that you learn the theory before you attempt anything advanced. There are many good books on the market which deal with the theory – a good piece of advice is to check the Internet bookstores and read reviews of any book you are planning to buy – and to visit online forums devoted to massage while you are about it. [Read the rest of this entry...]

There is no doubt that one thing that prevents a number of people from going for massage therapy is a perception that it will cost too much. Another reason why people are often reluctant to go to a spa or massage parlour is the concern over intimacy issues and personal space. Therefore it is not that people don’t want to have a massage, simply that they feel they cannot afford it or that they will be embarrassed. Both of these concerns are entirely valid – so is home massage a realistic alternative?

It does depend somewhat on the reason for getting a massage. If one needs a massage in order to deal with pain in a specific area, the location of that area may present a few problems. If you have, for example, pain in your calf, it is possible to self-massage. However, if the problem is in your upper back, you will need a friend or family member you can trust to carry out the massage – while you know what will cause you pain, they may not know until they have hurt you. If you have any concern over a person’s ability to give a massage without hurting you or aggravating the problem, then going to a spa or a physiotherapist may be the only answer.

You may find that discussing a massage option with your doctor is helpful. If you are in the United Kingdom it may be possible to be referred to a massage therapist on the National Health Service should you be unable to fund the treatment yourself.

If your concern over massage is down to personal space issues, then it may be helpful to speak to family members, friends, or your spouse to see if they would be interested in learning to give a massage. There are numerous books about a wide range of different types of massage, and you may choose depending on your needs. If you have lower back pain, for example, it may well be possible to learn the principles of deep tissue massage well enough to at least relieve the symptoms of your condition – but the main thing to remember is to stop if it hurts too much.

There are so many questions that people ask before they commit to having massage therapy, due in no small part to the – largely perceived – intimacy issues surrounding what is, after all, another human being touching your body. Rest assured that the person treating you is a professional and will have heard all the queries you can imagine, and more. However, in case you don’t feel comfortable asking, here are a few you may have asked yourself. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Although it is by now quite common to go for massage therapy or simply for a relaxing massage, there is still some uncertainty and even a modicum of shyness connected to the etiquette of massage. Not helped by the occasional bawdy jokes and aspersions cast by friends, some people may be reluctant to go for a massage without some questions being answered. Here is a selection of those questions, along with some answers.

Do I need to be nude to have a massage?

Obviously this question pertains more to a massage that will take in the majority of the body, specifically those areas of it that might usually be covered by underwear, or areas adjacent to those. Nonetheless, rest assured that you do not need to be fully naked to receive any kind of massage. In some cases, and particularly those which involve massage with oil, you will need to remove some clothing. However, you will have a sheet to cover your modesty. If you are receiving a massage on an area normally covered by underwear, only the specific area being massaged will be uncovered at any given time.

What if I fall asleep during my massage?

It means the masseur or masseuse is doing their job very well! However, this question often pertains to someone’s concern over embarrassing themselves with what they do while asleep. What if you drool, for example? Of course, it may be difficult to avoid being embarrassed by this, but rest assured that the therapist is not. It happens, they’ve seen it before and they won’t be grossed out or amused by it.

May I request a male / female massage therapist?
Certainly. The goal of a massage is that you are able to relax, and if you do not feel comfortable with a massage therapist of the opposite (or the same) gender as yourself, then you do not need to just live with it. Some spas and treatment centres may not have therapists of both genders – there is no rule saying they need to, anyway – but if you want to choose the gender of your therapist, simply phone ahead and request it.

Massage therapy can be the cure for a wide range of ills, from stress to back pain and from headaches to depression. Even if one requires other treatments to bring a halt to their condition, massage therapy can make management of these conditions so much easier that it is a great option. However, few things ever work perfectly without feedback, so it is important to make a massage therapist aware of your needs, your concerns and the overall effect of what they are doing for you.

For the sake of courtesy, so many of us are reluctant to really say what we feel at any given time, especially if there is a danger that it will hurt someone’s feelings. Nonetheless, a massage can go badly wrong if the person receiving it stays quiet. Even if the massage therapist is highly qualified and very intuitive, there is a danger that things can go wrong. Different bodies react in different ways to different treatment. Unless the therapist is made aware of how what they are doing is working for you, they can still make mistakes. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Hot Stone Massage

To the uninitiated, the idea of carrying out a relaxing massage with the use of heated rocks may appear to be a bizarre and potentially dangerous treatment. However, the truth is that hot stone massage is an increasingly popular method of dealing with tension, aches and pains. Although not as conventional as Swedish massage, it is widely used in Scandinavia as an offshoot of the region’s popular sauna culture. However, it is practised far more widely than that.

The idea behind hot stone massage is that – unsurprisingly – suitably-sized stones or rocks are heated to a point where they can be placed on a person’s skin to relieve tension without causing any injury or major discomfort. It is important to use the right kind of stone. Usually, these will be smooth, flat rocks which have been taken from a river bed. This texture means that they can be pulled over the skin without causing any injury to the individual. It also means that they can lie flat against the skin, giving the maximum surface contact and the maximum resulting benefit. [Read the rest of this entry...]

It is an unfortunate fact that there are numerous forms of massage which – sadly – are not appropriate for expectant mothers. Although relaxing and soothing, two things which are more than welcome during pregnancy, some massage can be somewhat too much of an exertion for the body to deal with when you are carrying another human being inside you. Therefore, it is important to find a form of massage that works for you while you are pregnant. Fortunately, there are numerous forms which work for an expectant mother.

The best way to go is to take a specific pre-natal massage. One of the most important aspects of pre-natal massage is that the lady should be well-supported with padding before the massage even starts. Not only does this provide a vital level of comfort for the mother, it also provides protection for the child in the womb. Both of these elements are essential. Think of how punishing a massage can be at the time it is in progress, no matter how relaxed you feel afterwards. Now think of how tender a pregnant woman feels emotionally and physically, how conscious she is of the new life that is growing in her womb. [Read the rest of this entry...]

It is notable that of the many types of massage offered all over the Western world, a high quota are actually from an Eastern source – namely Asia. Among these popular types of Asian massage, one of the most popular and innovative is actually a Japanese / Chinese hybrid form of massage by the name of Shiatsu. Although in line with the classic principles of massage – that health problems can be cured by physical manipulation – Shiatsu is a very different kind of massage, and one that appeals to many people for a number of reasons.

There are many of us, for example, who are reluctant to go to a massage therapist for reasons of shyness – put simply, we do not want to be asked to remove our clothes. With Shiatsu, this is not necessary. nor is it necessary to use oil for the massage, something that puts a lot of people off more classic, conventional Western types of massage. For this reason it is considered less luxurious by many people, and there are those who criticise it as being “painful”, but it is a “good pain”. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Although often frowned upon by people who are sceptical about “alternative” forms of medicine, aromatherapy is an increasingly popular complementary therapy which can make a big difference for many people, particularly sufferers of stress-related conditions. Aromatherapy works on the basis that the human nostril is connected to the part of the brain known as the limbic system – which controls our emotions and also influences our hormones and nervous system. With the use of scented oils, it is possible to engender a sense of relaxation and well-being just when we need it.

There are several different essential oils which can be positive contributory factors to an overall sense of relaxation. For example, camomile has long been considered to be hugely beneficial in respect to relax and de-stressing. Many people find that drinking a cup of herbal tea before going to bed helps them to relax to the point where they can drift off into sleep – camomile oil has similar relaxing properties. Lavender oil can be equally helpful in this capacity. [Read the rest of this entry...]