WHAT ARE OTHER TYPES OF
Massage Therapies
Swedish Massage
This is the most commonly used form of massage, as it is gentle and relaxing. This makes it a great ‘everyday’ massage, or the perfect choice for first-time clients. It uses friction, long smooth strokes, circular movements, and kneading techniques on the body and over the more superficial layers of muscle.
Aromatherapy Massage
In Aromatherapy massage, one or more essential oils are chosen for their specific qualities and matched to alleviate your particular problem, for example; lavender for relaxation and stress-reduction. Massaged into the skin, the properties of the oils are effective in treating a variety of conditions and the scents diffuse the atmosphere and are inhaled.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep pressure is applied to specific problem areas of your body. Slow, forceful strokes are used to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue while more gentle massage techniques are used on the remainder of the body.
Thai Massage
The massage generally follows designated lines (“sen”) in the body. A full Thai massage session includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body. This may include pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking knuckles, and moving the recipient’s body into many different positions. There is a standard procedure and rhythm to the massage, which the giver will adjust to fit the receiver.
Acupressure Massage
Sometimes called pressure acupuncture, Acupressure is often thought of as simply acupuncture without the needles. Acupressure practitioners use their fingers, palms, and elbows, or special devices to apply pressure to acupoints on the body’s meridians. This involves pin-pointing of targeted areas of stress and pain build-up, that are relieved when applying this skillful pressure-point technique.
Reflexology Massage
Also known as zone therapy, it involves the application of pressure to the feet and hands with specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that are said to reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands, with the premise that such work effects a physical change to the body.
DIFFERENT MASSAGE THERAPY
Benefits
SWEDISH
Stress relief
General relaxation
Releases tense & cramped muscles
Improves circulation
AROMATHERAPY
Stress relief
Promotes healing
Improves skin conditions
Helps hormone imbalances
Lowers anxiety
DEEP TISSUE
Relieves neck & shoulder pain
Improves sports injuries
Releases muscular tension
Improves muscular-skeletal disorders
THAI
Relaxes you
Helps aching muscles
Boosts your mood
Increases circulation
ACUPRESSURE
Improves posture
Highly targeted muscle relief
Restores balance
Can clear sinuses
REFLEXOLOGY
Said to improve the nervous system
Promotes overall sense of physical wellness
Improves stance and physical balance
MASSAGE THERAPIES
What To Expect
SWEDISH MASSAGE
The long smooth strokes of a Swedish Massage will warm up the muscle tissue, releasing tension and gradually breaking up muscle “knots” or adhered tissue. It promotes relaxation, but before the massage, your Vive therapist will ask you about any injuries, or any other conditions that they will have to factor in when proceeding with your treatment. Our Swedish Massages are usually more comprehensive than aromatherapy, and often more relaxing than deep tissue massages.
AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE
The key concept behind Aromatherapy Massages at Vive, is to reduce stress and anxiety, by combining both relaxing and tension releasing massage techniques, as well as utilising a range of oils to promote various mental and physical healing benefits.
To promote a calming energy, chamomile, lavender, and geranium oil might be used. To uplift, we have oils such as ylang-ylang, clary sage, rose, and neroli oil that we apply. Rosemary oil can be used during massage to increase your energy levels, and eucalyptus, pine, and tea tree oil are perfect for flu-like symptoms and will work as a decongestant.
DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
During your Deep Tissue Massage, various degrees of pressure are being applied to otherwise tight muscles that have issues lying dormant in your body, so, you should expect to feel some level of pain before you feel relief. Understand that entering into a deep tissue massage with muscles in a ball of tension will only make it harder to work the tension out of your muscles, so try as best as you can to unwind your muscles and relax before your session.
THAI MASSAGE
During the session, there is constant body contact between you and your therapist, but rather than rubbing on muscles, the body is compressed, pulled, stretched and rocked. our therapist will be positioned in a variety of yoga-like positions during the course of the massage, that is also combined with deep static and rhythmic pressures.
Don’t worry if you hear your joints click or crack, this is completely normal and you will feel a great sense of relief when this happens.
ACUPRESSURE MASSAGE
During an Acupressure session, you lie face-down on a soft massage table. A Vive therapist will gently press on acupressure points on your body to feel out where the most pressure has built up in your muscles. Once they get to work, you will feel the tension in these ‘tight spots’ become less and less, until you are completely relaxed.
A session typically lasts about one hour. You may need several sessions for the best results, especially if your muscles struggle to let go of years worth of tension build-up.
REFLEXOLOGY MASSAGE
When the body is relaxed, healing is possible. Pressure is applied to the reflex areas of your feet using specific thumb and finger techniques. As a general understanding, the science of Reflexology states that where there is sensitivity in a reflex area that would be an indication of stress or weakness in the corresponding organ or body part. The massage will aim to work out these tense points on your foot.
Reflexology is a holistic treatment incorporating body, mind and spirit, however, many people who don’t believe in this theory still benefit from the stimulus of the feet in the way that only reflexology masters.
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