Ayurvedic Massage

Also known as Abhyanga Massage originates in India and has been used by this culture for more than 5,000 years. Generally this form of therapy will be carried out by 2 therapists who through the use of a blend of heated herbal oils will be aiming to establish a balance between a person’s mind, body and their spirit once more.

Traditional Persian Massage

Also referred to as Cachunga (pronounced Ka Khn Ga) it was introduced to the Persians by Darius III. This particular type of massage works and focuses on the breasts of women. This is a deep tissue massage therapy and is performed to help improve circulation of the body.

Chinese Tui Na Massage

This particular form of massage therapy from China will push, stretch and knead the muscles in the body. It has been seen to be effective in helping to treat such disorders to a person’s digestive, respiratory or reproductive system. Plus helps to treat many kinds of musculoskeletal problems as well.

Deep Tissue Massage

This type of massage therapy will be used to work on specific joints, muscles or muscle groups in the body. Often the therapist will start with the higher levels of softer muscle tissue before working there way down into the depth of the muscle that is causing the problem. This in turns much more freedom of movement after the therapy session has taken place. It is important however that the therapist does not rush the treatment by applying pressure too quickly or deeply as this in turn can cause the muscle to tighten in order to protect the area it covers. This in turn can cause damage or inflammation to the area that is being treated. Little if any massage oil is used during this therapy as the pressure being applied should not travel too far over the person’s skin.

Shiatsu

This form of massage therapy originates from Japan and uses the thumbs to apply pressure to a person’s body. Often a person remains fully clothed whilst they are laying flat on a mat on the floor.

Stone Massage

Usually with this form of massage therapy the therapist will place hot or cold stones on to particular parts of the body. Often it is hot stones that will be placed on the body and these help the muscles to relax more easily. Which in turn allows the therapist to actually work deeper in to the person’s muscles but will not feel as uncomfortable as if you were having a deep tissue massage carried out.

Above we have looked at a few of the different types of massage methods a person can now use to help treat them. But there are plenty of others available also and these you can easily learn about on the internet today.

Allison Thompson a work from home mum, now living in Spain who has been looking at ways of living a much healthier kind of lifestyle. After years of suffering from problems relating to her back and neck through work as a secretary in the UK she has found that massage therapy helps. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of using massage therapy for yourself then please visit http://www.massagetherapyhandbook.com

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On June 17th, 2007 Texas Governor Rick Perry signed House Bill 2644. The bill amended Texas Massage Therapy law in a very positive manner. Effective September 1, 2007, candidates for massage therapy licensure must now have completed a more comprehensive training program of at least 500 hours in length, a significant increase over the previously required 300 hours. The new 500 hour training programs will meet the following requirements:

1) 200 hours taught by a licensed massage therapy instructor and dedicated to the study of massage therapy techniques and theory and the practice of manipulation of soft tissue, with at least 125 hours dedicated to the study of Swedish massage therapy techniques;

2) 50 hours of anatomy;

3) 25 hours of physiology;

4) 50 hours of kinesiology;

5) 40 hours of pathology;

6) 20 hours of hydrotherapy;

7) 45 hours of massage therapy laws and rules, business practices, and professional ethics standards;

20 hours of health, hygiene, first aid, universal precautions, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and

9) 50 hours in an internship program.

Additionally, the bill eliminated the practical (hands-on) examination requirement. The elimination of the 6-minute practical exam eliminates the requirement for all massage therapy licensure candidates to travel to Austin to take the exam. Therefore, all massage therapy licensure candidates may take the written licensure exam near home instead of having to travel to the state capitol.

As written, the new law’s requirements do not affect any of the approximately 20,000 currently licensed massage therapists. The law also does not affect any massage therapy student pursuing a massage therapy training program provided the student was enrolled in the program before September 1, 2007.

The new requirements are meant to improve the quality of massage therapy provided in the State of Texas and to improve the professional image of Licensed Massage Therapists in the state. The new requirements also bring Texas’ massage therapy regulations more in line with other states regulating massage therapy and with the National Certification Exam for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB). So, it is likely that the new laws will improve license reciprocity, allowing Texas Licensed Massage Therapists to more easily relocate to other states and separately licensed municipalities.

Ben Crabtree is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Neuromuscular Therapist, and Neuromuscular Therapy Instructor in San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Crabtree’s practice is dedicated to relieving pain and dysfunction using Neuromuscular Therapy, Medical Massage and other bodywork techniques. Mr. Crabtree may be reached through his website http://www.sanantoniomassage-therapy.com

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Benefits of Alternative Massage Therapy for Arthritis Patients

Patients suffering from Arthritis get the following benefits out of alternative message therapy:

o Deep muscle and tissue relaxation
o Stress reduction
o Release of toxins from the body
o Increase in muscle flexibility
o Improved blood circulations
o Reduction in blood pressure
o Reduction in nervousness
o Tension and pain relief
o Heightened mental and spiritual awareness

While the benefits of alternative message therapy are numerous, it should also be noted that there are different types of physical massage therapies that tackle arthritis in their own way.

Deep Tissue Massage – Therapeutic Alternative Therapy

Deep Tissue massage includes aligning the deep layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is extremely helpful for tense and contracted areas such as sore shoulders, stiff necks and backs. It is also associated with acupressure which has therapeutic benefits to the body and eases arthritis pain and discomfort.

Swedish Massage – A Popular Choice

This massage technique is very popular. Physical therapists use massage oils and a techniques such as kneading, tapping and stretching in order to reduce muscle tension in arthritic patients. Swedish massage uses firm but gentle pressure to promote relaxation and is widely regarded as the most enjoyable type of massage without any side effects such as soreness.

Shiatsu Massage – Alternative Therapy from Asia

Shiatsu massage, also known as acupressure massage, is a finger pressure massage technique derived from ancient Asia. It involves the use of pressure points on specific parts of the body. Acupressure shares its similarities with acupuncture in that acupressure uses the same points that are stimulated in acupuncture.

Reflexology Massage Therapy – A Different Approach

Most massages techniques focus more on the neck, back and shoulders than the rest of the body. Reflexology Massage Therapy involves applying pressure to specific points on the hands, ears and feet in order to release tension. Since these organs are also connected to other parts of the body, the relaxing effect spreads throughout the body.

Myofascial Massage – Ignore the Muscle

Aside from Arthritic patients, this alternative therapy is very popular among sports athletes. It differs from all the other massage therapy techniques because it does not target the muscles itself. Rather, it targets the Fascia which is a membrane surrounding the muscles responsible for body structure and protecting internal organs.

Alternative Therapy and Arthritis Today

Today, the use of massage as an effective alternative therapy treatment for Arthritis continues to grow as more and more people learn about its benefits. Alternative therapy has been acknowledged by the medical establishment as a less invasive method of therapy for chronic conditions and is successfully being used as healing therapy at many medical facilities across the country. Furthermore, it breaks the cycle of pain that often goes along with arthritis. More and more people suffering from Arthritis are learning to experience pain relief as they are treated to the miraculous healing power of alternative massage therapy.

Alternative physical therapy

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In my San Antonio Massage Therapy and Bodywork practice, Massage By Ben, I answer each and every one of these questions by saying “You should come in every day”. My answer is, of course, tongue-in-cheek. I then explain that getting massage therapy everyday would be nice but unnecessary and maybe cost prohibitive. Further, when and how often you get massage therapy is based on the goals you would like to achieve with massage therapy. How we achieve your goals with massage therapy is a little more involved than just a simple Q&A in this article. That should be a live discussion between you and your Massage Therapist or Bodyworker, but what about the basic questions? Let’s answer those:

Q1. Should I get my massage therapy in the morning, afternoon, or evening? I don’t want to fall asleep at work, but I’d like to feel better during the day.

A1. A lot of people are concerned about this one, but you shouldn’t worry. Massage Therapy is relaxing and some people do fall asleep during the session, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be sleepy afterward. In fact many people feel more energized as well as relaxed after their massage therapy session. Still, no matter what time of day you get your massage you’ll probably sleep better when you do finally go to bed. So, get your massage therapy when it’s convenient for you.

Q2. Should I get my massage therapy before my muscular pain starts, or should I wait until it really hurts before I get massage therapy?

A2. In my experience it’s much better to get massage therapy to prevent muscular pain or prevent a recurrence of muscular pain. Some Massage Therapists and clients believe that waiting until you’re experiencing moderate pain allows them to find the source more easily; however, this is seldom true. Get help early.

Q3. Should I get massage therapy before, during, or after a workout or sporting event?

A3. Yes. There are specialized massage therapy techniques that are designed to assist you in your fitness and athletic endeavors. Sports Massage is often broken down into pre-event, inter-event, and post-event techniques to improve performance and aid in recovery. If you don’t have access to massage therapy during each phase of your activity just pick what’s most important to you – performance or recovery.

I still believe you should come in everyday if you can because if an “apple a day” is good then a “massage a day” is really, really good. Of course the benefits of massage therapy and bodywork are available to you even if you receive it only once.

Ben Crabtree is a Licensed Massage Therapist, and Certified Neuromuscular Therapist in San Antonio, Texas. His practice is dedicated to relieving pain through the use of several massage and bodywork techniques. See his site MassageByBen.com or his blog.

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Massage therapists can benefit from learning different specialized massage techniques to better serve their clients who may range from geriatric patients to baby boomers and infants. To much of the general public, the thought of massage therapy involves a pampering treatment designed to relax them. People are just beginning to realize some of the healing powers of massage as it is now being used more often in medicine.

As with any other profession, it is important to keep abreast of any new massage therapy training schools techniques and other information within your field. Just as doctors and other medical professionals receive constant updates regarding medical standards and discoveries, the professional massage therapist should also make certain that he or she has the most up to date information in their field.

Many massage therapists are now working with A shiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy which was developed by Ruthie Hardee in 1995. This technique treats the feet for pain and combines Swedish massage as well as deep tissue massage. The difference in this new technique from ordinary A shiatsu Oriental Therapy for the feet is that the therapist uses overhead bars for better balance during the massage therapy.

Other massage therapists are working with color therapy that is based upon using light as treatments. With color therapy, the massage therapist uses different colors to treat different parts of the body as each color works in a unique way and reacts differently to light.

Infant massage therapy has been used for years in hospitals and is now becoming more acceptable to the general public not only as a way of treating colic but to allow the baby to relax and go to sleep. Many parents can benefit from learning these techniques from a certified massage therapist.

Perhaps some people may benefit from the Rosen method of massage. This technique uses very light touching instead of deep massage and communication to help clients relax and release their stress. The Rosen technique has been practiced for years but many massage therapists are unaware of this effective therapy.

More massage therapists are now combining ancient Chinese treatments and practices along with their massage therapy techniques. Aromatherapy is now being used by many therapists as a way not only to relax their clients but to actually treat minor ailments.

Just as it is for any profession, it is important for a professional massage therapist to keep up with new techniques or technology that may enhance their performance. There are new products being produced to help massage therapists treat clients and these products are often demonstrated at trade shows or shown in trade publications.

Massage therapy is a very rewarding career for individuals who like to help people and have good communication skills. As it is being used more often as an alternative medicine, it is very important for a professional massage therapist to attend seminars and trade shows, keep up with the latest news in the field and learn any new techniques in massage therapy. The need for massage therapists has doubled in the past decade and is expected to grow as more of the general public are beginning to realize the value of this ancient way of healing ones body and mind.

Robert C. Vignoli has been a massage therapist for over 10 years. He currently co-owns Roman Paradigm Massage, but now he is helping to improve the massage industry by building a “hands off” massage business model. MassageSpace.net is the new MySpace for Massage Therapist, learn more @ http://www.think-diagonal.com

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