What is massage?

Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage may range from light to deep pressure. Call our clinic if you have questions about what type of massage or which of our therapists is best for you. At Balanced You Clinic our therapists offer these types of massage:

• Swedish Massage:
  This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and energize you.
• Deep Tissue Massage:
  This massage technique uses slower, more-forceful strokes to target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with muscle damage from injuries.
• Sports Massage:
  This is similar to Swedish massage, but it’s geared toward people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.
• Trigger Point Massage:
  This massage focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.
• Ashiatsu Massage:
  Ashiatsu massage therapy involves the therapist using their feet and the support of bars anchored in the ceiling to apply ranges of pressure from medium to deep onto the body. This modality releases deeply held tension, improves posture and circulation, and decreases pain.
• Thai Massage:
  Thai massage, unlike typical Western-type massages, doesn’t involve lying on a massage bed. Instead, you lie fully clothed on a mat on the ground while the massage therapist uses stretching, pulling, and rocking techniques to relieve tension, promote relaxation, and improve flexibility and circulation.

Benefits of massage

Massage is generally considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It’s increasingly being offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and situations.

Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension.

Some notable benefits of massage are:

• Anxiety
• Digestive disorders
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Insomnia related to stress
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Soft tissue strains or injuries
• Sports injuries
• Temporomandibular joint pain

What you can expect during a massage

You don’t need any special preparation for massage. Before a massage therapy session starts, your massage therapist will ask you about any symptoms, your medical history and what you’re hoping to get out of massage. Your massage therapist will explain the kind of massage and techniques he or she will use.

In a typical massage therapy session, you undress to your comfort level or wear loose-fitting clothing. Your therapist will have you lie on the massage table and your body will be covered by a sheet. At Balanced You Clinic, our massage tables are outfitted with table warmers as well, so if you need to be warmer, please let us know so we can adjust the heat settings. If you are too hot, we can make adjustments to cool your body down as well! After reviewing your massage intake form, your massage therapist will perform a consultation before your session begins to determine areas of discomfort or what you are seeking from your massage.

Depending on preference, your massage therapist may use oil or lotion to reduce friction on your skin. Tell your massage therapist if you might be allergic to any ingredients. If a massage therapist is pushing too hard, ask for lighter pressure. Occasionally you may have a sensitive spot in a muscle that feels like a knot. It’s likely to be uncomfortable while your massage therapist works it out. But if it becomes painful, please let your therapist know.

At Balanced You Clinic, we offer 30-, 60-, and 90-minute massage appointments, depending on the type of massage and how much time you have.