Urban life is pretty synonymous with chaos, worries, and stress. Cities, where sparing a minute out of your hectic schedule seems impossible, are often known to make humans “living robots” whose lives revolve around fulfilling their personal and corporate responsibilities.
In such a scenario, spending an hour with yourself, relaxing, away from all the chaos of this stressful world seems like a great deal, doesn’t it? If it does, then the different types of massages pop out as saviors to protect you from drowning in responsibilities and forgetting yourself.
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Stress: A Major Reason To Get Different Types of Massage Therapies
Stress has become a widespread health issue, not only among adults but also holds strong roots among teenagers. Around 33% of the people in the US have been recognized as victims of extreme stress, says the American Institute of Stress.
The best type of massage helps in overcoming stress to an appreciable extent, and thus, it’s an excellent way of rejuvenating your dampened spirit and beginning your routine afresh. Besides battling stress, here is a list of different types of massages and their benefits that may compel you to go for something as refreshing as deep muscle tissue massage.
Benefits of Different Types of Message Therapies
The world has already accepted the therapeutic benefits of different types of massages therapies and is trying to embed them into their lifestyles. In fact, different kinds of massage therapies date back to ancient times, when the ancient Greeks, Chinese, and other civilizations emphasized them due to their immense health benefits.
Thus, here are some reasons behind calling different kinds of massage therapies a wholesome health package.
- It relaxes you physically and psychologically
- It has proven results in reducing the level of stress hormones in the body, which lowers down anxiety, depression, and stress.
- It helps in the relaxation of muscle tissues and enhances flexibility and mobility
- It improves blood circulation in the body
- Prevents muscle injuries by reducing muscle tension
- Stimulates your reflexes to make your mind alert and improve promptness.
- Enhances skin quality
- Works on bones and joints to make them strong, flexible, and mobile.
- Helps the muscle recover from minor injuries (even advised by doctors after a considerable recovery)
- Stimulates the lymphatic system of your body
The health benefits of deep muscle tissue massages aren’t confined merely to the above-listed benefits and thus, going for different deep tissue massages will actually take your body to a new league.
You can check out some incredible massage tables that will help you with massages.
Different Types of Massage Therapies – The Proven Results and Key Trends
We talked about the growing popularity of all types of body massage therapies around the globe. This section justifies this popularity with some key global statics and trends concerning different types of massages techniques.
- According to the statistics, there’s an expected growth of 21% in employment in the massage therapy sector in the US by 2029.
- A significant percentage of the population has accepted massages as an incredible way of pain-relieving and minor recoveries. Around 62% of the US population has resorted to different types of massage therapies for various health and medical purposes.
- Migraine control, pain management, injury rehabilitation, and overall wellness are the prime reasons for receiving a massage. Around 43% of the people in the US received a message for these reasons.
- Body massage has been categorized as an exceptional pain reliever. Around 88% of the people in the US claim it to be extremely effective in pain-relieving.
- There were 214 million massages in the US alone in 2018 with nearly 50 million Americans consulting about massages with their doctors
List of Different Types of Massage Therapies (7 Types of Massages)
Here is a list of different types of massages therapies that are insanely popular all around the globe along with what these massage therapies are all about.
1. Swedish and Hot Stone Massage
Though Swedish and Hot Stone are two different types of full-body massages, both of them revolve around the same style of massage. The only difference between the two is that Hot Stone massagers use heated stones, while Swedish ones use hands for massaging.
These types of full-body massage therapies are pretty sought after as they offer the following benefits:
- Improve blood flow
- Promote muscle relaxation and remove muscle knots
- Overcome stress
Hot Stone massage involves placing hot stones on different parts of the body and applying gentle pressure, while Swedish is a common hand-done massage.
2. Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is a way of physical and mental healing by using rich, aromatic natural oils. The type of oils used will vary from person to person, but you can also go for your desired oil. Aromatherapy is an abode to several health benefits, some of which are:
- Reduces stress, anxiety, and depression
- Relaxes the muscles
- Boosts mood
- A great pain reliever
It is a type of full-body massage where the therapist aims at making the oils absorbed by your skin so that they can begin the healing process.
3. Trigger point massage
Trigger points are those areas where muscle tightness has occurred in the body. These points are responsible for pain in several parts of the body, and thus, trigger point massage helps in relieving trigger points to reduce pain.
This massage involves focusing on trigger points by combining gentle and deep strokes and surprisingly, massaging merely the trigger points will work on your whole body.
4. Deep tissue massage
Deep tissue massage is an intense version of Swedish massage, which is pretty effective in tackling chronic muscle soreness, imbalance, or injuries. The therapist emphasizes high pressure so that the force can relax the muscle from deep inside. This is achieved by deep finger pressure into deep muscle layers and connective tissues.
Deep tissue massage is a process of 1-1.5 hours but surely, this time will take you to a different world.
5. Shiatsu massage
Shiatsu is a Japanese way of relieving pain, stress, and anxiety by focusing on the whole of your body. The therapist focuses on some parts of the body that need extra attention and massages them with the palm, thumb, and fingers.
You can go for Shiatsu massage therapy if you crave the following:
- Reduced muscle tension
- Low levels of stress and anxiety
- Relief from headaches
- Relief from depression
- Physical and emotional relaxation
6. Sports massage
Sports massage is an excellent solution for recurring injuries or if your muscles are prone to injuries (like when you play any sports). This type of massage is also a great way of improving your flexibility and performance in sports.
Sports massage comprises focusing on areas demanding more attention and the therapist may replace deep pressure with light, soothing strokes based on the condition of the muscles. The process would last about 60 to 90 minutes, and thus, you can relax and enjoy this soothing time with yourself.
7. Thai massage
Different Thai massage types are much more active than other massage therapies and show an incredible impact on relieving stress, anxiety, depression along with muscle-related problems. it may help you enhance the following.
- Blood circulation
- Flexibility and mobility
- Energy levels
Similar to yogic stretches, different Thai massage types use a sequence of movements using your palm and fingers to relax your muscles. The therapist may also twist and stretch you for better relaxation.
FAQs
Here are some common questions that may arise in your mind before going for different types of full-body massage therapies.
What type of massage is safe during pregnancy?
It’s recommended to go for Swedish massage during pregnancy as it has proven impacts on relieving common discomforts that women may face during pregnancy, which include circulatory changes, skeletal discomforts, etc. All these discomforts are the consequences of hormonal changes during pregnancy.
What type of massage is good for Parkinson’s disease?
Massage has proven results in reducing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Though there are different types of massages for catering to different symptoms of this disease, still almost every type of massage therapy is effective in reducing fatigue and muscle stiffness.
Massage therapies help in reducing stress levels, relaxing the body, and much more, thus, giving visible relief from Parkinson’s disease.
What type of massage is best for lower back pain?
These are some of the best types of massages for lower back pain:
- Swedish massage
- Structural massage
The Takeaway
- All types of massages therapies have been proven to be effective in physical and mental relaxation.
- The massage industry is a rapidly growing industry throughout the world.
- Swedish massage may be effective in reducing discomfort during pregnancy.
- Swedish and structural massage can cure your lower back pain.
In the end
All types of massages therapies are a great way of relaxing. If you too feel your bliss and mental health are getting lost somewhere, massage therapies are what you need!
Hi, I am Valerie. I love working out and trying out various products which help me maintain my fitness. I love reviewing products related to posture and pain relief that will help people in some way. I like to spend my extra time swimming, Running and Wall Climbing. I am a physiotherapist and have helped countless people lead a pain free life.
