ABOUT MASSAGE
Massage may be the oldest and simplest form of medical care. In China there are massage textbooks as far back as the Nei Jing (722-481 BC) the most ancient Chinese medical texts. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) it is recorded that there were 56 massage doctors in the imperial hospital more than the total of herbalist and acupuncturists.
Chinese techniques were first imported to Japan around the 6th century and eventually in the early 20th century gave rise to Japanese Shiatsu. In Europe, in the 19th century, Per Henrik Ling learned from Chinese masters before developing Swedish Massage (called classic massage in Sweden) the origin of Western bodywork. Egyptian tomb paintings show people being massaged and it was also one of the principal methods of relieving pain for Greek and Roman physicians. Massage has been a major part of the healing systems of many cultures for hundreds if not thousands of years.
Many forms of massage have been developed over the years and each has distinct strokes and techniques, from very light touch, rocking, gentle compressions and shaking to flowing compressive strokes, very deep pressure, stretching and mobilisations.
Massage may
- Help relieve stress and aid relaxation
- Help relieve muscle tension and stiffness
- Foster faster healing of strained muscles and sprained ligaments
- Reduce pain and swelling
- Reduce formation of excessive scar tissue
- Reduce muscle spasms
- Enhance joint flexibility and range of motion
- Aid athletic performance
- Improve circulation of blood and movement of lymph fluids
- Help reduce blood pressure in the short-term
- Help relieve tension-related headaches and effects of eye-strain
- Enhance the health of skin
- Help you to improve your posture
- Strengthen the immune system
- Help treat musculoskeletal problems
What happens during a treatment
When you come for your first appointment I will run through a brief consultation with you the main object of which is to collect your personal details, discuss any aches and pains you might be experiencing and any relevant health and medical history. You can ask any question you have about the massage, if this is your first massage I will talk you through exactly what will happen and anything you need to know.
I will give you time alone to prepare and undress for the massage. During the treatment I don't play music as I want you to tune in to your bodies rhythm rather than some melodic song. I may ask questions about how different areas are feeling and check with you that the pressure is OK. After your treatment I will discuss with you what was discovered during the treatment, I may suggest mobilisations you can do at home to maintain the work down and if you wish, I can suggest how best for you to move forward with any future treatment or maintenance work.
Massage is performed directly on the skin so it is recommended you wear as little as possible for your treatment. For full body massage it is recommended that you wear nothing at all, however some clients prefer to wear small stretchy underwear on the lower body and some women prefer to keep there bra on. It is important that you are comfortable and relaxed during the treatment so it is absolutely fine if you wish to be full undressed or remain fully clothed.
You are given time on your own to get undressed and prepared for your treatment and are given a sheet to completely cover yourself. You will be covered with this sheet for the whole treatment and only the body part being massaged will be uncovered at any time.
During the course of the massage it is likely that some areas of tension, muscle adhesion and trigger points will be discovered. When working with these areas it can sometimes be a little tender or sore, but we will always be working within your tolerance levels as it is important that you are relaxed throughout the massage.