What Is Deep Tissue Therapy?
Deep tissue massage therapy is a specific type of massage therapy that focuses on the deep tissue of muscles. It is usually performed on the back where nerve damage can easily occur to the spine and alignment can easily be disfigured. When the spine goes out of alignment the muscles surrounding it will often tense to such an extreme level that chronic pain develops and regular classical massages like the Swedish massage are not able to aid the pain. A deep tissue massage is needed to relieve pain and even realign the spine.
How Does A Deep Tissue Massage Work?
If you are considering deep tissue work you probably have chronic pain in the shoulders, neck, or throughout the back and a regular massage is not able to relieve the tension. You may seek chiropractic aid and the chiropractor will probably suggest you get deep tissue therapy whether or not he can give you temporary relief. When you go, the massage therapy techniques which are used by your therapist will focus on the deep tissues of the muscles by stroking slower and applying more pressure to specific areas surrounding the source of the problem. A deep tissue therapist will not give you a full body massage and the experience will probably not include extreme special affects like incense, dim lights, or soothing music that you might experience at a spa. Deep tissue work will often leave you feeling sore and exhausted, especially around the area where work was done, but the long term affects will be astronomical in comparison to leaving the pain to be soothed by a regular massage.
What Are The Requirements To Becoming A Deep Tissue Massage Therapist?
The requirements to being a deep tissue massage therapist are similar to those of any other massage therapist. You have to go to school and receive certification after completing specific course requirements. There are many schools that offer the courses that once you pass, you can earn a certificate or license depending on your state’s jurisdiction. You want to research different schools because some might specialize in specific massage techniques. Massage schools are often expensive an do not offer financial aid or extensive scholarships, but it is possible to find less expensive schools or even community colleges that offer a massage program. Also, it is not uncommon to see deep tissue therapists with PhD’s because many of the are chiropractors considering both studies of work go hand in hand.
Related Posts:
Massage is frequently very helpful for individuals having problems with muscle pain and rigidity, but it is not cheap to regularly see a massage therapist. Many of the very same benefits are readily available to the consumer through the use of handheld massage therapy devices. These machines have gotten better and better over time, and it is now possible to get a top notch therapeutic massage all by yourself.
Muscle pain is possibly the single most common complaints that patients tell their doctors about. Usually, there is nothing abnormal about these feelings. These things just happen. But any kind of discomfort could significantly interfere with your ability to live normally and enjoy your life.
Massage therapy is easily among the most simple and direct remedies for these symptoms. Many people find that it can reduce the pain and help you regain your full range of motion. Most patients also report that it is profoundly relaxing and rejuvenating. Naturally, there is little need to remind you that you should check with your doctor right from the beginning to get some assurance that the pain is not being caused by some unknown illness. And when you are sure you are in good health, massage may be a suitable answer for you.
Again, the major problem is that professional massage therapists is too expensive for many people to justify, particularly in this poor economy. If you could benefit from regular professional massage, the bills can really add up. However, you’ll be happy to know, a lot of people find that home massage equipment is almost as good. Here’s a quick example: Dr. Scholl’s DR7537QVC All Around Massager
Home massagers range from little handheld and portable massage therapy devices that simply vibrate in your hand, to larger machines which are designed to massage specific parts of the body. You may find, for example, that you can find specific head and neck massagers, massagers that only focus on the feet and calves, or special pads for back massage. Although certain people might balk at the upfront cost of high end massage devices, you will find that these machines can pay for themselves pretty quickly when you end up going to the masseuse less frequently. Again, there are plenty of examples but a good one is here: Sunny Health Fitness Foot Massager
The ideal method that you can know whether a certain make and model of massager will do the trick is to test it on your own body. A select few retailers will have working massage therapy machines that you can test out on yourself to see if the way a specific machine works will do what you need it to do. If you can’t get access to try them out, look at the reviews online and pay special attention to see how the machines are working on pain that sounds similar in nature and origin to your own, and use that information to decide whether a given massager may be able to help you with your problems.
Related Posts:
Massage is one of the oldest healing arts: Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use; the ancient Hindus, Persians and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments; and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems.
Today, the benefits of massage are varied and far-reaching. As an accepted part of many physical rehabilitation programs, massage therapy has also proven beneficial for many chronic conditions, including low back pain, arthritis, bursitis, fatigue, high blood pressure, diabetes, immunity suppression, infertility, smoking cessation, depression, and more. And, as many millions will attest, massage also helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living that can lead to disease and illness.
What Is Massage Therapy?
Massage is defined as the application of various techniques to the muscular structure and soft tissues of the human body. There are more than 200 variations of massage therapy, and many practitioners utilize multiple techniques. The application of these techniques may include, but is not limited to, stroking, kneading, tapping, compression, vibration, rocking, friction, and pressure to the muscular structure or soft tissues of the human body. This may also include non-forceful passive or active movement and/or application of techniques intended to affect the energetic systems of the body. The use of oils, lotions, and powders may also be included to reduce friction on the skin. Click here for more information on what to expect.
The Benefits of Massage.
Massage provides relief to people of all ages, from infants to seniors, and from all walks of life…the weekend or competitive athlete to the home gardener or overstressed, overworked executive.
Treating the Body
Massage therapy addresses a variety of health conditions, the most prevalent being stress-related tension, which, experts believe, accounts for 80%-90% of disease. Massage has been proven beneficial in treating cancer-related fatigue, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, low back pain, immunity suppression, spinal cord injury, autism, post-operative surgery, age-related disorders, infertility, eating disorders, smoking cessation, and depression, to name just a few.
Bodywork offers a drug-free, non-invasive and humanistic approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Massage has many physiological effects, such as:
-
Increasing circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
-
Stimulating the lymph system, the body’s natural defense, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
-
Relaxing and softening injured and overused muscles.
-
Reducing spasms and cramping.
-
Increasing joint flexibility.
-
Reducing recovery time for strenuous workouts and eliminating subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
-
Releasing endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. For this reason, massage is being incorporated into treatment for chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
-
Reducing post-surgery adhesions and edema and reducing and realigning scar tissue after healing has occurred.
-
Improving range of motion and decreasing discomfort for patients with low back pain.
-
Relieving pain for migraine sufferers and decreasing the need for medication.
-
Providing exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reducing shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
- Contributing to shorter labor and reduced tearing for expectant mothers, as well as lessening the need for medication, minimizing depression and anxiety, and shortening hospital stays.
It’s important to note that there are some conditions where massage is not recommended. For example, massage is contraindicated in people with:
-
Certain forms of cancer
-
Phlebitis
-
Some cardiac problems
-
Some skin conditions
- Infectious diseases – Your practitioner should ask you about your specific health conditions and determine if massage, bodywork or somatic therapies are a good idea. In some cases, the practitioner may need your doctor’s permission before providing services.Treating the Spirit
Massage also provides another therapeutic component largely absent in today’s world: tactile stimulation, or, more simply, touch. In 1986, the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami published groundbreaking research on the effects of massage on premature babies. The preterm babies who received massage therapy showed 47% greater weight gain and six-day shorter hospital stays than the infants who were not receiving massage. But is this study evidence of what loving touch can do spiritually, or rather what massage can do on a physiological level? Regardless, babies are not the only benefactors.
Many adults have reported cathartic experiences on the massage table. As a therapist carefully unwinds a client’s stressed and tired muscles, the therapist may very well be unwinding the taut, pent-up emotions that one doesn’t always have time to process in the middle of the day. And the feeling of being touched in a safe, caring, compassionate manner can be a very powerful experience, reminding the client that she or he is not alone in the world.
As studies continue to reveal the link between kinesiology and physical and emotional health, the effects of massage will be further documented. However, one need only experience a good massage to know it’s beneficial to body and soul.
Related Posts: