Understanding massage therapy

Massage therapy is a practice that uses a set of various manual maneuvers to provide relief from pain and also with the aim of ensuring people's physical well-being in general. Various massage procedures are used that have specific purposes, according to what the person receiving them needs.

Therefore, it is important to know about this need in order to find the techniques that will be effective for the specific problem, be it body pain or sensations caused by the daily stresses of life.

With this knowledge, the massage therapist will be able to direct the specific techniques for each problem in order to resolve these issues through the massages adopted, always aiming for the well-being and also the health of the patients who undergo the process.

Find out more about massage therapy!

What is massage therapy?

To understand more about massage therapy, you need to understand what is encompassed by this set of techniques. In this case, the practice has an approach that is always aimed at general health care through massage techniques targeted at each type of problem presented by the people who seek this help.

In addition to well-being, it aims to bring clients a balance in their mental, physical and emotional health through these techniques. There are various styles adopted within massage therapy, which are chosen according to the problem presented by each person.

Origin and history of massage therapy

The practices adopted within massage therapy as it is known today are very old, and the earliest records of these techniques being used come from very ancient civilizations in the East. To give you an idea, these practices were already being carried out around 300 BC.

One of the earliest works published in history, and the one recorded as the oldest, is The Classic of Massage, by Qi Bo and the Yellow Emperor. So these techniques have undergone changes, improvements and some other points have been added, but they have very old records.

What is massage therapy for?

Generally speaking, the purpose of massage therapy is to relieve body aches and strains, but it can also be used for a variety of issues, such as relieving stress caused by problems, exhausting routines, work and many other reasons.

Massage therapy techniques also promote much greater muscle relaxation for those suffering from problems of this nature and tension. There are also some practices within these techniques that promote the release of toxins from the bloodstream, help to combat cellulite, localized fat and other points of this nature.

Benefits of massage therapy

Massage therapy has many benefits, which is why it's important to find a technique that suits what you're looking for first and foremost, as it can improve both the body and the mind through relaxation.

The physical benefits are the most noticeable, but massage therapy also helps to improve mood, alleviates symptoms of depression and gives patients suffering from anxiety a much better quality of life. As for physical issues, it relieves pain, strengthens the immune system and can also treat intense muscle pain.

How does massage therapy work?

The way massage therapy works will depend on the purpose for which it is being used. In this case, you first need to know the type of problem the client is facing when defining what will be done. This way, it works in a targeted way, with techniques that are developed to solve specific problems for each individual.

But in general, massages are given, using resources or not, to provide relief from pain, well-being and even for aesthetic purposes, where some products can also be used that promote better effects. But the basics of massage therapy are to use massage techniques to bring benefits to health in a broad way.

Types and techniques of massage therapy

As we've seen, massage therapy brings together various types of different practices, which are aimed at specific problems, such as stress, body aches, bad sensations and bringing back the well-being lost due to various routine factors to those who need more quality of life in their day.

Therefore, there are various techniques that can be adopted in massage therapy, which differ in their purpose and main objectives. To choose the one that best suits your condition, evaluate each of the techniques that can be found within massage therapy.

See below for details!

Therapeutic massage

Within massage therapy there is therapeutic massage, which aims to eliminate atrophy or other abnormalities. In this case, the main objective of this type of massage is to act to combat pain and tension in the body in general, in a therapeutic way, i.e. constantly.

That's why it's also recommended as a preventative measure, to treat and ease muscle pain and bruising that can cause discomfort. Some of the practices that can be found here are massages that relieve tension and treat the cervical area, torticollis and other more serious problems such as cervicalgia.

Relaxing massage

Relaxing massages, which are also part of the range of massage therapy techniques, are important because they bring benefits for general well-being. They don't necessarily have to be used to treat something specific.

In this case, relaxing massages serve, according to their name, to seek relaxation in the face of exhausting and stressful routines, for example. It promotes both physical and mental relief, thus combating stress, insomnia and other conditions linked to this aspect.

Aesthetic massage

As its name suggests, aesthetic massage is intended to treat issues involving this specific aspect. It is used as a treatment for certain conditions, such as localized fat, cellulite and others. So, for this purpose, the massages carried out here can be done on various areas of the body, even the face.

Some are dedicated to helping with the process of losing weight, losing weight and achieving results in this sense. Thus, the patient together with the professional set a goal to be followed, and techniques will be used to address these issues.

Lymphatic drainage

Lymphatic drainage is a technique that is also part of massage therapy. It is used by professionals in the field for specific purposes that can also be linked to aesthetic issues, for example.

Within drainage, there are some objective practices that will guide the treatment, but in general, the aim of this type of massage is to eliminate excess fluids that remain in the body and also with a clear objective of benefiting blood circulation for people who suffer from these problems.

Massage therapy manual maneuvers

Manual maneuvers are also part of massage therapy, and there are different types that are used according to the practice being carried out by the professional.

Therefore, they need to define the objectives, the type of massage that will be performed so that they can also choose the correct type of manual maneuver to achieve the objectives and efficiency of the process. This definition will also depend on the client and their wishes.

Check it out in detail below!

Surface slippage

Surface gliding is a type of maneuver that is part of massage therapy and is considered to be the professional's first contact with the client when the techniques are applied.

Here, the professional should adopt a softer, slower posture with an even rhythm to perform the massage. This procedure is important so that they can prepare the area that will receive the full massage with the final objective. Therefore, it is important to follow this first step to ensure the success of the whole action.

Deep sliding

Deep sliding, on the other hand, has other objectives, in which case the movements will be much faster and have greater pressure, as this process is necessary to achieve a greater effect on the muscles that have been affected.

The purpose of this type of manual maneuver is to ensure that the area is warmed up correctly under the pressure exerted, so that the area can be massaged to achieve its main objectives. It is performed towards the heart, as it also has the purpose of helping venous return.

Kneading

Kneading is a process also used in manual massage therapy manoeuvres to generate greater mobilization in the tissue to be treated by the massages. The purpose of this type of practice is to cause clearance and also to break down and force liquids out of the body.

By eliminating these liquids from the client's body, toxins and waste products are also being eliminated, which can cause problems for health and also for the muscular system. Therefore, this is a technique that aims to eliminate waste products that should not be present in the body.

Friction

The manual manoeuvre called friction is a little more intense, and for it to have the right effects, it needs to be performed much more quickly than other massage manoeuvres, as its effects need to be deep and targeted.

This is also a practice that aims to warm up the area so that other techniques can later have a greater effect on the area. This is therefore a manoeuvre of much greater intensity, with quick and clear objectives.

Drainage

Drainage is generally used for aesthetic purposes, but it also aims to eliminate waste and toxins from the body. The way it is carried out exerts strong, constant pressure, but the process is slowed down in order to force toxins out through the liquids that will be completely eliminated from the body.

Drainage requires the use of both hands, so that the liquids are moved around the body to be eliminated. This is the end of other maneuvers that also cause the liquids with toxins to move, but here they will be eliminated for good.

Percussion

The main purpose of percussion is to activate tone. The process is carried out on the client's muscles on a regular basis, in order to exert the necessary pressure with the aim of activating this tone through a contraction. Thus, the patient will be able to use percussion to complete various other treatments that have been carried out previously.

Therefore, it is important to realize that despite the various techniques and ways of acting, there is also a link between manual maneuvers and the diversity of actions within massage therapy that are found at various times.

Further information about massage therapy

Massage therapy has many benefits that can improve your quality of life and well-being, but it needs to be carried out correctly, with good professionals who will be able to understand what each person needs, their complete needs and which treatments and massages will be the most appropriate for each type of problem presented.

Therefore, it is important to keep these points in mind in order to find a quality place to seek this help. Here are some more details about massage therapy that can help you!

When and for whom is massage therapy indicated?

Massage therapy and its techniques are dedicated to all people, there is no restriction in fact. The only point that should be raised in this regard is that there are some practices that are more suitable for some people while they should not be done by others due to the ways in which the process is done, for example.

That's why it's so important to look for a professional who knows how to direct each person to what they need and are looking for, bearing in mind which practices each person can rely on, due to health issues and other aspects.

Which type of massage therapy to choose?

The type of massage therapy you choose is very specific and depends on what the client wants, but also on what they need. Only a qualified professional will be able to answer this question fully, but some guidelines can make it easier to understand what to do.

In this case, explain to the professional your physical pain and the desires you want to fulfill with the practice of massage therapy techniques. This professional will be able to understand which massages will be suitable for your type of pain or physical and aesthetic needs.

How to do a massage therapy session?

The massage therapy session, depending on the technique adopted, works with touches at strategic and specific points on the body. The professional will be aware of which areas may be causing certain pains or which are being affected by the client's stress and anxiety.

This way, he will know the type of manual manoeuvre that should be used, whether with less pressure or more pressure, to relieve the pain in question. The session is therefore something very particular and very specific to each person and their needs. But the aim is always to use these touches in strategic places to relieve pressure and tension.

Tips for a good session

In order to have a good session with noticeable effects, the patient must not only seek help from a quality professional, but must also be aware that they need to relax and enjoy the moment with a clear mind.

The best thing to do to achieve complete relaxation during a massage session is to rid your mind of thoughts that can cause any kind of irritation or stress, as these can damage the results of the massage. You need to keep your mind free of bad and tense thoughts so that the whole process has a positive effect.

Price and where to have a session

Prices can vary greatly depending on the type of massage used and also its purpose. The procedures can generally be carried out in massage parlors and their techniques as well as in beauty clinics, as in the case of drainage, which is very common in these places.

It's also possible to look for these practices in SPAs, and places dedicated to the relaxation of their clients in general. The prices vary a lot, and there are practices that start from R$70 up to R$180, but they can also be found for higher prices than this. Drainage, for example, can be found for between R$40 and R$100.

Negative points and contraindications of massage therapy

In general, massage therapy has no negative points to highlight. Some people may not find what they expect in the techniques, but they are designed for specific objectives that will be met.

In this case, it may be time to seek professional medical help to resolve issues such as pain that won't stop, for example. There are no contraindications to massage therapy techniques, the important thing is to find out which types really fit your problem before starting the process, but as we've pointed out, this will be guided by the professional.

Massage therapy is a massage technique with numerous benefits!

To take advantage of all the benefits of massage therapy, pay attention to the details that have been described, tips and ways of looking for the best professionals who will be able to provide you with complete and comprehensive care.

Always look for professionals who have extensive knowledge in the area, as they will be able to guide you fully throughout the process as to which technique best suits your physical and mental needs.

This way you will be able to acquire all the benefits of massage therapy and its different techniques, and you will have a much better quality of life and well-being, without pain, tension and which will also help to relieve symptoms of anxiety and stress.