Which Massage Should I Get?

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question, I would be able to retire comfortably. There are so many types of massages and what is right for you may change. For example, a pregnant woman will need a different type of massage than an athlete. If you are getting a Gift Certificate for someone from me, I will always recommend getting them my Signature Massage since I can tailor that to the recipient's individual needs. "But Ashley, I don't live near you and need to know what to get someone." Okay, okay, I'm going to go over all of the modalities that I do, and hopefully, that will help you figure out what would work best for you or the person you are purchasing a gift certificate for. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Swedish Massage

This is probably the most common type of massage and is sometimes referred to as a regular massage. It involves a lot of gliding and kneading strokes. It is what most people think of when they imagine a relaxing massage. This is a good option if you're not sure what to get or if you are new to massage. It tends to be the best option for people just starting to get massages as it tends to be fairly gentle.

Deep Tissue Massage

This is another one that people are fairly familiar with, but in my experience, very few people need a Deep Tissue Massage. Deep Tissue Massage can be fairly painful as the whole point is to get deep into the muscle tissue. I will never go deeper than what your muscles will allow as that can cause more damage. Usually, only serious athletes and bodybuilders need a Deep Tissue Massage.

Sports Massage

Most people don't think about Sports Massage or they just don't know about it. Sports Massage tends to be more geared toward athletes. It involves a lot of stretching and vigorous rubbing to increase blood flow to the muscles.

Pregnancy Massage

This is exactly what it sounds like, a massage specifically designed for mothers-to-be. This massage is done with the pregnant woman lying on her side, supported by lots of pillows. It is great for helping with lower back and other aches and pains associated with pregnancy. Sadly, some areas need to be avoided during a pregnancy massage, like the feet, as there are pressure points that can stimulate contractions. Now, pregnancy massages can only be done after 16 weeks. For the most part, they are safe for everyone, but if you are having any complications please let both me and your doctor know that you want to get massages. Depending on the type of complications, I may require a doctor's note saying you are cleared for massage.

Reflexology

Most people think that Reflexology is just a fancy foot massage. This isn't quite the case. Now, while Reflexology is done on the feet, it is not so much a foot massage as it is stimulating specific points in the feet to help relieve tension elsewhere in the body. A foot massage usually involves more rubbing and feel-good parts. Reflexology is pressing on specific points on the feet to see what hurts and what needs to be worked on. Not as relaxing, but still beneficial.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release tends to be very slow and very deep. The goal is to slowly get as deep as you can into the tissue. Then maintain that depth while moving to other areas. If not done correctly, it can be painful. Personally, I don't like to do this unless I have to. It tends to be too slow-paced for me. But it is useful in working out those deeper knots and areas of tension.

Acupressure

This one I learned back in massage school, and I think I remember 5 acupressure points off the top of my head. We learned at least 100, but for some reason, I only remember those 5 that I use constantly. This is just using your finger to apply pressure to specific points to help muscles or body systems. I'm hoping to learn more about this when I go to Acupuncture School, but for right now, I need my cheat sheet to help me remember.

Shiatzu

Shiatzu literally means "finger pressure". Instead of using gliding strokes to work out the muscles, you use your fingertips to press along the muscle at regular intervals. This can leave you feeling sore afterward, but the soreness should only last a day or two. This technique is very similar to Acupressure but instead of focusing solely on specific points, you work the whole muscle.

Lymphatic Drainage

I rarely do Lymphatic Drainage by itself. I mostly do it alongside other modalities. Lymphatic Drainage is very gentle and meant to move the lymph around the body to keep it from pooling in one area and causing swelling. This requires a very light touch and is usually very repetitive. Since lymph nodes store white blood cells and tend to swell when your body is fighting an illness or infection, do not come in for any kind of massage if you are sick. Most kinds of massage move lymph around, but Lymphatic Drainage does it even more so. If you have swollen lymph nodes, talk to your doctor about what is causing the swelling before coming in for a massage.

Infant Massage

Most people don't think about babies getting massages, and that's fine. But massage can help infants with tummy issues, poor circulation, or weak muscles. These sessions tend to max out at 30 minutes and, in my opinion, feel more like playing than giving a massage. But who doesn't love getting to work with adorable little babies?

Cancer Massage

Since massage has pain relieving benefits, it can be helpful for people going through cancer treatment. You have to have special training to do cancer massage because of how cancer cells can spread. If you or someone you know wants to try a massage to see if it will help you, first clear it with your oncologist. Depending on the type of cancer, the stage it is in, and what your treatment plan is, massage may or may not be the best option. Make sure that you let all of your care providers know what you are doing so that we can give you the best treatment possible.

Cranial Sacral

Cranial Sacral therapy uses gentle pressure to move the bones of the skull and sacrum to align them with the body's natural rhythm. I use this one a lot in my practice as it is very relaxing and useful for relieving headaches and sinus pain. On the outside, it doesn't look like I'm doing much, but this is one of the most common times people fall asleep on me.

Core Synchronism

I tend to use Core Synchronism and Cranial Sacral at the same time since they are so similar. The main difference is that Cranial Sacral only works with the skull, spine, and pelvis, whereas Core Synchronism works with the entire body. Both use the same natural rhythm in the body, and the same light pressure to affect the bones and tissues. And both are very soothing and relaxing.

Polarity

Polarity is a type of energy work that aims to balance the energies in the body. It uses a lot of rocking motions and specific points to help balance the body and align the energy in the body. Polarity is easily worked into any other type of massage and can be done on anyone as there are no physical risks.

BARS

BARS is another kind of energy work that mainly uses points on the head. Activating these points allows energy to flow more easily throughout the entire body. This is a very simple treatment and can usually be done in about 30 minutes. It is very relaxing and can help clear negative ideas and thinking. This can also be done on anyone as there are no physical risks.

TBM (Total Body Modification)

TBM was introduced to me by a Naturopath back in New Mexico. She was treating my mother and my mother loved it, so naturally, I gave it a try. TBM uses a combination of acupressure points and kinesiology to affect different areas and body systems. The first treatment normally takes about 90 minutes, but the results can be amazing. TBM aims to help the whole body.

Wow, okay, I never stopped to think about how many modalities I have learned over the years. But there they are. If you have any questions about any of these, or you want to try one out, please let me know. And if you made it to the end of this blog post, congratulations! This was a long one. But I hope that now you have the information you need to make a decision about what type of massage to get.