The Scent of Relaxation
Did you know that the main benefit of chicken soup for someone with a cold isn’t due to the steam it produces, but its aroma? Aromatherapy has skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade, due in part to the ubiquity of stores like Bath and Body Works. Far from the mildly pleasing scent of hand […]
Warm Stones Add a Healing Touch
Warm stone therapy, also known as hot stone massage, is one of the “hottest” massage modalities being used today. Most commonly requested as a relaxation method, this form of massage uses the direct heat and pressure of the warm, smooth stones to relax muscles and allow practitioners to manipulate deep muscle layers that otherwise are […]
All Knotted Up?
Ever feel like you have a knot in your back, neck or shoulder that causes pain elsewhere but is tender to the touch? This concept was first theorized by Dr. Janet Travell in 1942 in her revolutionary work on trigger point therapy. Also known as myofascial trigger points, these nodules in muscle fiber that […]
Prenatal Massage
Perfect for women who are pregnant looking for a bit of relaxation and stress relief, pregnancy massage has been determined to be both safe and beneficial. Studies have concluded that massage specifically given during pregnancy not only decreases stress, anxiety and depression, but also effectively relives pain and has a positive impact on labor […]
Pain in the Neck? Try Deep Tissue Massage
If all of that stress you’re carrying has created some chronic tension or pain like a stiff neck, achy lower back or knots in your shoulders, deep tissue massage may be the solution for you. This modality, or type, of massage is geared toward reliving such tension in and realigning the deep muscles below the […]
Swedish Massage: The Soul of Relaxation
We begin our exploration of the different modalities, or types, of massage with the most famous form: Swedish. Most other forms of massage are derived from Swedish massage techniques. Believed to be the most commonly requested modality, Swedish (also known as relaxation) massage is relatively gentle, and focuses on all the body’s major muscle […]
More Than Just Skin Deep: The Health Benefits of Massage
Once thought to be the domain of rich housewives and NFL athletes, massage has become a standard treatment in the alleviation of many medical issues and physical manifestations of stress. Massage therapy is, at its core, a method of manipulating muscles, tendons, ligaments and skin. Massage therapists typically use their fingers and palms in […]