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Massage menu

1/ 7/2002

I WOULD like to draw your attention to some of the amazing massage therapies there are out there. A brief outline of each one will enable you to make a more informed choice of what therapy your body needs.

The history of massage can be traced as far back as the Greeks and Romans who used massage as a muscle conditioning treatment for sports and beauty. The ayurvedic traditions in Asia combined massage with herbal oils while the Japanese introduced Shiatsu and pressure point techniques.

The benefits of massage are many. Massage can have an effect on the major physiological systems of the body as well as giving numerous psychological benefits. It can help a wide range of conditions depending on the type of massage the client is in need of.

It can aid relief from neck and shoulder tension, mental stress, muscle fatigue and improve the range of movement. It is very easy to walk into a salon and book a massage but until you are aware of what different types there are you will not be able to make an informal choice.

So what follows is as useful guide to some massage therapies.

Acupressure
This is the ancient Chinese total body treatment for many kinds of ailments. It involves applying pressure with the fingers of the thumb to known pressure points on the body. These points stimulate the flow of energy and will improve circulation. Acupressure uses the same points and healing principles as acupuncture but no needles are used.

Chavutti Thirumal
Developed by practitioners of the South Indian martial art of Kalan, this full body massage is given with the feet. This allows long continuous strokes to be made with controlled pressure, covering all muscles and ligaments. Chavutti stimulates the circulatory and immune systems, relaxing the muscles and encouraging energy and blood flow.

Deep tissue massage
This is used to release chronic build-ups of muscular tensions and can involve a number of techniques including frictions across muscle fibres using the thumb, fingers or elbows. Advice on remedial exercise and stretching may be given as part of the treatment.

Lymphatic drainage
The lymphatic system is concerned with helping the body removing waste, often called the plumbing system of the body. This massage consists of light pumping movements. This was developed in Europe and is perfect for general fluid retention, sinus congestion or as a way of maintaining good health.

These are enough to be getting on with. I'll describe some more in by next column - meanwhile why not give massage a try?