Relaxing Massage Vs Therapeutic Massage
What is the difference between a Relaxing Massage and a Therapeutic Massage?
In short, a relaxing massage calms your mind, and may even put you to sleep. While you're sleeping, your pituitary gland releases growth hormone, which helps your body repair itself. A therapeutic massage is a little more clinical, and targets a specific problem, such as frozen shoulder, tension headaches, and managing low-back pain. Using various techniques in attempt to solve the issue.
When should you choose a Relaxing Massage?
When you need help managing your stress. Stress in our body causes the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, which increases your heart rate, and blood pressure. At a chronic level we experience anxiety, depression, digestive issues, headaches, muscle pain and tension, weight gain, sleep problems, high blood pressure, and memory impairment.
Receiving a relaxing Massage helps to trigger the release of the happy hormones in your body. Endorphins, which work as a natural pain killer to help your muscle tightness. Serotonin the mood stablizor, that reduces depression, and anxiety. Dopamine the "feel good" hormone that increases memory and cognitive function, and oxytocin the "love hormone" which helps your body regulate emotional responses and social behaviors.
When should you choose a Therapeutic Massage?
When you need help with pain management. A therapeutic massage is ideal for chronic and acute pain. Chronic pain is persistent, lasting months, or even years. It could make you lose functionality of a limb or joint, and may restrict your range of motion. Acute pain comes on suddenly, is sharp, and doesn't last very long. Usually onset by sleeping wrong, physical labor, or even a recent injury. (Please seek MEDICAL CARE BY A DOCTOR BEFORE RECEIVING A MASSAGE, for a recent injury!)
A therapeutic Massage helps by flushing out toxins in the affected area, by increasing blood flow, improving circulation, decreasing inflammation, and can also be very relaxing. Stretching is a big part of a therapeutic massage, and helps reduce future injuries, improve your range of motion, stabilizes joints, and improves flexibility.
What do these techniques have in common?
Either technique can be done in a range of pressure, from light, medium, to deep. The pressure of a massage should always feel comfortable, and NOT hurt. If you are feeling pain during your massage please let your Massage therapist know, so they can adjust to your liking.
Both a Relaxing and Therapeutic massage strive for the same goal, improving the overall wellbeing and health of the individual with the power of touch. Physical Touch is vital to our existence, and is a basic human necessity, that benefit our emotional, mental and physical health.