South Florida Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Related Articles
Concierge Spa Services offers a comprehensive variety of massage services to your individual needs and desires. Our Massage therapists are specifically trained in advanced techniques. This treatment is perfect for those who want Orthopedic or Medical Massage, Therapeutic Deep Tissue Massage, Neuromuscular/Trigger Point Therapy, Pre&Postnatal Massage, Stress Reduction, Pre/ Post- Surgery & Scar Tissue Reduction Massage.
Orthopedic / Medical Massage:
Medical massage is a massage performed to address a specific medical condition, and can be prescribed by a doctor. Doctors prescribe medical massage to treat a variety of musculoskeletal problems. Medical massage may be used as part of a physical therapy program to build strength and increase flexibility, and it can also be used to treat sports injuries, muscle pains, edema, muscle cramps, migraines, pregnancy-related aches and pains, and a wide variety of other physical problems. Medical massage may also be offered as a compliment to a psychotherapeutic program.
Orthopedic massage is a type of medical massage therapy which is focused on treating painful conditions which affect the soft tissues of the body. Our massage therapist will integrate a range of techniques to treat these conditions, adapting his or her style for each client, as every person’s body is slightly different.
A therapist who performs orthopedic massage focuses on problems with the client’s musculoskeletal system. He or she may release tight muscles, help to stretch shortened muscles and tendons, and decompress joints. The goal is to normalize the soft tissues of the body, both to treat specific conditions and to keep clients generally healthy and fit.
Therapeutic Deep Tissue Massage:
Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is especially helpful for chronic aches and pains and contracted areas such as stiff neck and upper back, low back pain, leg muscle tightness, and sore shoulders.
Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain in order to reach the sub-layer of muscles and the fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles).
Neuromuscular/Trigger Point Therapy:
Trigger point therapy focuses on detecting and releasing trigger points. Located in the skeletal muscle, trigger points are spots that produce pain when compressed. In many cases, trigger points form as a result of trauma to the muscle fibers.
Typically used to treat pain-related conditions, trigger point therapy is sometimes referred to as myofascial trigger point therapy or neuromuscular therapy. Trigger point therapy is especially effective in treating a number of chronic pain conditions including headaches/migraines, temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ), osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, tinnitus and lower back pain.
Pre-Post Surgical & Scar Tissue Reduction Massage:
Whether surgery is utilized for health purposes or cosmetic reasons, the aftereffects are the same for everyone – pain, swelling, and scarring. An increasing number of surgeons are looking at the feasibility of using massage therapy in both pre and postoperative situations due to the vast benefits it offers patients in both surgery and post- operative healing.
Reducing Anxiety and Stress
Prior to surgery, the client often has anxiety or stress about the procedure. One of the primary benefits of massage is a reduction of stress. Numerous studies over the years have shown that massage therapy increases the levels of endorphins and serotonin in the body, thus reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation. Massage also reduces certain hormone levels such as cortisol, which is responsible for increased stress.
Postoperative Benefits of Massage
• Eases Pain – The anticipated pain after surgery may cause anxiety in people having the procedure. For the most part, the doctor will prescribe anti-pain medication for the days immediately following the procedure. Started a few weeks after surgery, massage has been shown to interfere with the pain receptor signals to the brain. Also, the use of contrast therapy (using alternating cold and warm packs) can ease the pain caused by swelling and the muscle tightness caused by the surgery.
• Reduces Swelling – Specialized massage has long been known to reduce the edema caused by the aftereffects of mastectomies, which often require the removal of adjacent lymph nodes and cause a reduction in the flow of lymph fluids. Massage can mimic the pulse and flow within the lymph system. It helps to move stagnant fluids out of interstitial body tissue and into lymphatic vessels, thus both reducing the edema and stimulating the immune system.
• Softens Skin and Reduces Scarring – Part of the body’s own healing process is to protect an injured site from further harm. This results in an increased production of collagen fibers which, if over produced, form highly visible hypertrophic or keloid scars. Massage therapy done locally on newly healed scar tissue can reduce and soften this buildup of tough fibrous tissue.
• Speeds Up Healing – Massage speeds up the overall healing process by helping to eliminate the buildup of toxins that occur after surgery and increasing the circulation of blood to the area that brings nutrients to both the skin and its underlying layers of tissue. The body, in an attempt to protect itself against further injury from intrusion will, after surgery, withdraw blood from the area, retaining the life sustaining fluid for internal organs. This can lead to a deterioration of the affected tissue and a temporary deadening of nerve endings. By encouraging a healthier blood flow, massage can help to return nourishment and flexibility to the affected area. Massage therapy also helps build up the immune system, thus helping to speed up the overall healing process.
Pre&Post Natal Massage:
Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health. Massage therapy addresses different needs through varying techniques, one of which is called Swedish Massage, which aims to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body.
Swedish Massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.
Hormone regulation
Studies done in the past 10 years have shown that hormone levels associated with relaxation and stress are significantly altered, leading to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health, when massage therapy was introduced to women’s prenatal care. In women who received bi-weekly massages for only five weeks, hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol (“stress hormones”) were reduced and dopamine and serotonin levels were increased (low levels of these hormones are associated with depression).
These changes in hormone levels also lead to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight. The evidence points strongly to maternal and newborn health benefits when therapeutic massage is incorporated into regular prenatal care.
Other potential benefits of prenatal massage:
• Reduced back pain
• Reduced joint pain
• Improved circulation
• Reduced edema
• Reduced muscle tension and headaches
• Reduces swelling
• Improved nerve pain
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles
• Better sleep
Postpartum massage can be as important and beneficial as massage during pregnancy. Postpartum bodywork is an effective and holistic approach for the many adjustments to motherhood. You may be surprised to receive much more than a spa retreat.
Massage is well known for relaxation, stress reduction, pain relief and other health benefits. Unique postpartum benefits include hormone regulation, reduced swelling, better sleep and improved breastfeeding. More advanced therapy helps restore your body to its pre-pregnancy condition, speeds healing and assists with C-section recovery.
At Concierge Spa Services our goal is to provide the massage services you need and desire in a comfortable setting. Whether the setting is in one of our spa like retreats throughout South Florida or in the privacy and comfort of your home, office, or community clubhouse – our highly and specialized massage therapists can meet your needs.
To learn more about our
Massage Therapists, services, or schedule
your massage today
call us at 561-506-4360
or visit our website at
www.ConciergeSpaServices.com.
