Massage Techniques Esalen Massage Developed in the 1960’s, this style originated at the Esalen Institute in the Big Sur, CA, and is based on a combination of Oriental and Swedish massage techniques. Esalen is light and gentle in nature, emphasizing nurturing and empathy. The strokes are soft, easy, and slow, prompting deep relaxation. It is used to reduce stress, relieve pain, improve sleep, aid digestion, and promote healing.Screamin’ Feet The mother of all foot scrubs. When it comes to dry, scaly feet, this get to the nitty gritty of the matter. Loaded with pumice, walnut shells, soothing seaweed extract and apricot kernel oil, this heavy duty scrub keeps your feet in the butt. Cool and smooth your screamin’ Feet. Exfoliating gel massaged into your feet and followed by warm moist towel and peppermint lotion to finish the treatment. Russian Sports Massage This technique alters the basic strokes of classical massage so each stroke provides the client with the least invasive and most comfortable treatment. Each stroke in Russian Sports Massage has a known physiological effect on a healthy or dysfunctional body. Therapists don’t use their wrist or single digit pressure, instead opting for shoulders or elbows as the primary sources of strength for deep work. Myofascial ReleaseMyofascial release is the three dimensional application of sustained pressure and movement into the facial system in order to eliminate fascial restrictions and facilitate the emergence of emotional patterns and belief systems that are no longer relevant or are impeding progress. First, an assessment is made by visually analyzing the human frame, followed by the palpation of the tissue texture of various fascial layers. Upon locating an area of fascial tension, gentle pressure is applied in the direction of the restriction. Myofascial Release is an effective therapeutic approach in the relief of cervical pain, back pain, Fibromyalgia, Scoliosis, neurological dysfunction, restriction of motion, chronic pain, and headaches. Reviving Body Treatment A relaxing, renewing and reviving body treatment that is sure to bring you in from the weather that damages your skin. During the cold weather your skin can dry out. During the warmer weather can lead to sun damage. This treatment can help replenish your skin. Combining 4 step process is essential for good skin care.1st Step: Exfoliate Begin with 15 minutes Sugar Scrub Treatment on your body. This will take away dead skin. 2nd Step: Detoxify Massaging Soy Body Facial to the full body. Wrapping in warm moist towels for 10 minutes. 3rd Step: Moisturize Massaging Body Oil on the body that acts as a moisturizer and protective barrier for the skin.4th Step: Final Step Body Butter is applied for the final step. Seals in Botanical benefits and leaves skin with a healthy sheen. Hot Stone MassageThe use of heated stones applied to the body in various ways to bring about relief to stiff and sore muscles. A Stone Massage helps with the alleviation of chronic and acute problems that many of us deal with on a daily basis. The Stones are between 120 – 130 degrees, one stroke with the stone is equaled to six strokes with the hands. When receiving a Hot Stone Massage it feels like your muscles are being ironed. After a Hot Stone Massage your muscles feel like pudding. Acky Breaky Hands & Feet Acky Breaky Hands and Feet are a relaxing way to help heal your dry cracked skin while feeling pampered. The first step is to dip your hands/feet into paraffin wax and then wrap them in plastic and mitts to promote warm healing to go to the joints of your hands/feet. When the Wax is removed your hands/feet are treated to a reflexology treatment to complete the session. The session take 30 minutes and if you wish to treat yourself and do both your hand and feet that will take 1 hour. |
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Chronic Pain and Massage The pain cycle is a complex chain of events which reinforce each other. It often begins with injury or illness, but each element, especially stress, can add to or even start the cycle. Massage is unique in addressing most of the pain cycle elements. Pain: You perceive pain when your body releases chemicals that stimulate nerves to send pain message to the brain. These are difficult and dangerous to ignore. Always look for and treat the cause of your pain. At the same time, you can use massage to directly affect how you experience chronic, persistent pain. Research suggests that massage stimulates release of natural pain-relievers such as endorphins. It can also reduce the devastating grip of pain as you focus on the pleasant sensation of relaxation. Muscle Tension: Muscles automatically contract around any painful site to support and protect the area. If pain is resolved quickly, muscles relax. If pain persists, muscles can become habitually contracted. Sometimes contractions press on nerves causing tingling, numbness and more pain.Reduced Circulation Like a sponge that is squeezed, a contracted muscle can’t hold much fluid. Tight muscles reduce circulation, allowing waste products from inflammation and normal muscle function to accumulate. This can leave you feeling fatigued and sore, reducing your energy reserves. It can also irritate nerves, causing pain to spread throughout the tense area. Massage release contracted muscles and pushes circulation toward the heart. Also, as massage relaxes the nervous system, blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow. Waste products are flushed away and replaced with healing oxygen and nutrients. Trigger Points Over time, areas with poor circulation form trigger points – highly irritable spots that refer pain, tingling or other sensations elsewhere in the body, usually in a predictable pattern. As muscles tense around referred pain, the pain cycle spreads. Trigger points respond well to standard massage techniques.Muscle Shortening Eventually, the body lays down connective tissue throughout any contracted area with poor circulation. While helpful for healing injuries, this natural reaction can “glue” muscles and their connective tissue covering into a shortened state. Massage increases circulation, dehydrating and softening connective tissue so it can be lengthened by stretching and kneading. Restricted Movement Irritating waste products, painful trigger points and shortened muscles make even simple actions difficult and tiring. As your capacity for movement and exercise decreases, you lose the most important means for maintaining good circulation throughout your body, risking pain in new areas. Massage helps restore normal movement by releasing trigger points, removing waste products, and stretching shortened muscles. In addition, because you feel better after a massage, you may discover renewed energy and motivation for physical activity. Massage and Stress Massage acts on the nervous system to counteract the body’s response to stress, relaxing muscle tension and allowing heart rate, blood pressure and circulation to return toward normal. Many people sleep better after a massage, which helps the body heal and renews emotional reserves. To the extent massage relieves pain, even temporarily; it reduces stress by giving you some control over your situation. How much massage is right?This depends on your general health, when the pain started and what caused it. For long-term benefits you usually need a series of massages. Follow-up massage in times of stress can help keep old pain from flaring up. You may find massage so beneficial that you make it a regular part of your life.
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