15-Type of Massage: Which One Should You Choose?

Massage Therapy

Discover The Types of Massage You Need

Massage is a relaxation-focused forms or styles. During a massage session, a masseur applies soft and gentle pressure on different parts of your body. He or she applies various types of massage to give you complete relaxation from inside out. Massage therapy is good for many different reasons, some of them are:

It has many psychological benefits and health benefits. It is good for back pain, good for blood circulation, and  has many different sensual benefits.

What Are The Various Types of Massage And Their Health Benefits?

Aromatherapy I Anma I Amatsu I Asian I Bio Dynamic I Chair I Deep Tissue I Esalen I Foot I Geriatric I Hot Stone I Indian Head Massage I Oriental I Pregnancy I Pediatric I Reflexology I Swedish I Swedish Sports I Shiatsu I Trigger Point I Thai I

What is Massage and which one is right for you?

People like massage because it is effective for body and mind. It improves your blood circulation and ease muscle tension. There are various types of massage therapy used and focus on different parts of our body. A specific massage targets for one or more body parts. For example, head massage is for head and foot massage is for foot.

Massage therapists use their hands for rubbing and kneading the body. During a therapy session, a therapist or masseur, applies his or her hands gently, gives soft and strong pressure in the muscles and joints of the body to ease pain and tension. Sometimes, it is given only for relaxation. A masseur (male or female) is a person who is certified in massage therapy and trained in giving massage to its clients.

Massage Therapy
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Keep reading to learn more about the types of massage and their benefits. After reading this article, you will be able which type is right for you.

  • Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy massage is best for people who are looking for emotional benefits of massage therapy. It is great for boosting one’s mind. It improves mood, reduces stress and anxiety. It is also good for reducing depression, muscle tension and pain.

Massage therapists applies soft gentle pressure on your body with essential oils he or she will decide which essential oils you need and how much to use on your body. Though you can let your masseur know your preferences. Raw essential oils cannot be applied on the body. They are normally diluted before use.

During the massage therapy session, you will be given a full body massage with essential oils, whilst inhaling essential oils by way of a diffuser and absorbing the oils through your skin. Often an aromatherapy is only targeted on your head, shoulder and back. You would not wear any clothes without underwear. Though wearing underwear is optional. It is normally a one and half hour session.

Aromatherapy Massage
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SUMMARY         

Aromatherapy massage is a combination of Swedish massage. The best thing is – your body will absorb essential oils, which is very good for your inner peace, better to say for your mind and body.

You should not use this massage if you are sensitive to essential oils because essential oils are rich in mild and strong fragrances of different types.

  • Anma Massage

Anma is common form of Chinese Qigong massage. It can be broken into two words. The first part is – “An” that means “To Press” and the second part is – “Ma” that means “To Rub”. Anma massage describes the very basic technique of kneading the skin. It means the healing with hands because the hands calm your body and spread peace.

These days, Anma is used as a form of Japanese massage. It is used widely in some forms of Japanese martial arts. This therapy involves stroke, knead, pressure, vibration, percussion and squeezing. Though the variations of Anma massage therapy has led to the emergence of related therapy, like Shiatsu and Swedish to name a few.

You must know that tension, stress and depression are the common things in today’s life. Tension in our body is caused by a buildup of lactic acid that results from trauma, stress, depression, fatigue, poor blood circulation and more. Anma massage uses some of the special techniques to stimulate key points on the surface of your skin, which helps promote your body’s natural abilities of self-healing.

Anma Massage Benefits
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SUMMARY        

Anma massage stimulates the surface of your skin. It promotes your body’s natural healing abilities.

It reduces muscular tension, improves circulation of blood and energy releasing of toxins from your body.

  • Amatsu Massage

Amatsu massage is no other than a therapeutic bodywork approach. It works with the soft tissue and fascia. Within Amatsu therapy, therapists attempt to harness the natural movement to create very little changes within the structure of the body, like muscles, tendons, soft tissue, ligaments and fascia, to name a few. It is called gentle touch therapy.

However, such natural movements are very, very powerful and create small, subtle as well as far-reaching changes. Amatsu is a holistic massage therapy that can address many different concerns and a good masseur will try to understand his or her client’s need. He or she will be supportive and provide guidance to improve health.

If you want to know the actual massage therapy benefits, try Amatsu. It works by correcting whatsoever symptoms you are experiencing, while reconnecting as well as rebalancing your body back to how it should be. Amatsu is nothing but a physical treatment, in which a series of massage styles are used at the same time to key points on the body.

Amatsu Massage Benefits
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SUMMARY        

Amatsu can help you with back pain, shoulder and neck problems, headaches and migraines, sports injuries, digestive issues, hip pain, sprained ankle and foot pain, knee injury, and postural issues.

If you feel tired and still you have some form of underlying pain, then Amatsu massage could be your best solution.

  • Asian Massage

Asian massage helps to improve blood circulation. It is good for full body relaxation. Among the other styles of massage, it improves the immunity and removes any breathing related issue.

These days, many people suffer from emotional problems in life. This emotional issue also harms our body. Thus to get rid of this issue, you can take Asian massage therapy. It is very useful for alleviate depression and anxiety. It is one of the best ways for relieving stress and depression and makes us healthy from inside out.

It is roughly estimate that more than 80% people nowadays are having pain related issue in life at many stages. Asian massage therapy is the best way for relieving from body pain and ache. In Asian massage, a therapist or masseur uses normal strokes for removing pain and ache from our body.

Asian Massage
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SUMMARY        

Like other massage styles Asian massage also improves blood circulation, helps relieve joint pain, tones skin, relieves from normal headache, and removes dead cells. If you want to get the overall benefits of massage, choose Asian massage.  

It is one of the best massage types in which techniques of massage are developed in Asian countries. It dates back to 3000 B.C. Masseurs focus on meridian points and the energy line. You can also take other Asian massage, such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Nuru, and Yoga massage.

  • Bio Dynamic Massage

Based on Reichian styles or theories that say mind and body are liked as well as reflect with each other. Bio-dynamic massage was developed by Gerda Boyesen in Norway in the year 1960. Among the other massage types; this style focuses on a holistic modality that works simultaneously on our body and mind towards their integration.

Bio-Dynamic-Massage aims to free energy and emotions that have been trapped in our body and return the body to balance and build harmony. It improves body’s ability to heal itself. Bio-dynamic massage works at different levels, such as muscles, tissues, skin, bones and energy. The masseur applies the required techniques at the time.

Bio Dynamic Massage works across a wide spectrum from deep musculoskeletal to connective tissues, with light energetic touch. If you want to take the benefits of massage, take this at least once, you will surely get the benefits.

Bio Dynamic Massage
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SUMMARY        

Biodynamic-massage combined many styles of massage. These include energy distribution, packing, holding, aura-work, lifting, deep draining, stretching, connective tissue work and basic touch.

For complete full body relaxation, this massage can be energizing, calming, reassuring, grounding as well as affirming.

  • Chair Massage

When you think about chair massage, do you think that you are sitting in a chair and someone is massaging you? Let’s discuss about it. Massage therapy offers scientifically proven relief. It is good for relieving stress and chronic pain. It is sometimes called therapy, which is used worldwide as an adjunct treatment for a wide range of health-related needs.

These days, millions of people in United States of American and in other parts of the world receive massages, but so many more could benefits of massage if only it were more accessible. Chair massage makes it easy to access physical, mental as well as emotional wellness right after your tedious work. Even better: if you apply it in a manner that works for both for your schedule and at your office environment.

It is one of the effective styles that is similar to table massage in most ways, except that in lieu of laying on a table. You will get to see that clients kneel in a specialized chair equipped with a pad as well as face cradle to support their chest and head. Most chairs come with fully adjustable functionality for the person’s height and comfort.

Chair Massage
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SUMMARY

A professional chair massage is performed with the same care as well as precautions as the full table version. Your masseur generally starts massaging with the large muscle groups in the upper back and radiates, afterwards focuses on the lower back, shoulders, neck and arms.

This therapy can be performed anywhere, such as offices, shopping malls, casinos, conference centers, day spas, hair salons, private homes, colleges, libraries etc. It is one of the best styles of massage that is used by corporate professionals for stress reduction, enhancing circulation, increasing physical flexibility, relieving pain, boosting immune system, and better sleep to name a few.

  • Deep Tissue Massage

The names says what deep-tissue-massage actually is. Yes, it is nothing but a technique that focuses on your deep tissues. Unlike other styles that focus on relaxation, it helps to treat muscle pain and improve stiffness.

It will work out the knots from stressed, pain, ache, overworked muscles and connective tissue, which is often called fascia to alleviate immediate pain. It is also useful for chronic joint and muscle pain. It is one of the best massage types that promote faster healing by increasing blood flow and reducing inflammation.

Research has shown that deep tissue helps lower levels of stress hormones whilst boosting those “I am feeling good” neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Not only this therapeutic application helps you feel good but also helps you sleep better. It helps relieving pain and boost in serotonin.

Deep Tissue Massage
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SUMMARY

There must be five reasons to take deep tissue massage. With this, your body will be far more efficient at building muscle.  It is a longer process of getting the muscles to relax so the masseur can get to the lower layer of connective tissue.

It involves applying sustained pressure using very deep but slow strokes to target the inner layers of muscles as well as connective tissues. This therapy will help you break up scar tissue and reduce muscle tension. If you want to take it bi-weekly, then it should be not more than 90 minutes long.

Keep reading, will update more!

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About the Author: Kabbyik

Kabbyik Mitra, a voracious reader and health writer. He is a health & lifestyle journalist. Kabbyik is a yoga enthusiast practicing yoga for last 7-year. He is a certified yoga therapist, a science writer, communicator and journalist. He has been practicing yoga and training people to live a healthy and happy life. Get in touch with him via email: yogatoall2016@gmail.com for any yoga related queries.

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