Massage Therapy

(for relieving pain, releasing trauma and speeding recovery)

In the last twenty years, massage in the United States has expanded into the public eye as an effective modality for treatment of a wide range of conditions.  Massage is actually one the oldest forms of healing, dating back at least three thousand years.  With the current popularity of alternative medicine, Americans are finally joining the rest of the world in acknowledging and using this natural approach to healthcare.

Massage as manual medicine, for pain relief or emotional healing, incorporates many different methods. 

Here are a few:

Neuromuscular Massage Therapy (NMT) involves detailed work on specific muscles to locate and resolve trigger points, relieve spasm and restore normal range of motion. 

Orthobionomy (and related methods of positional release) help the body to release stress, tension and trauma by gently moving the affected part into a position of comfort in which certain key tender points become pain free.  By holding the body part in that position for a minute or two, proprioceptive nerve receptors in the muscle seem to re-set themselves, returning the muscle to a normal degree of tonus.  The end result is that acute or chronic pain, which may have resisted other attempts to relieve it, is often quickly, almost effortlessly eliminated.

Myofascial Release focuses on fascia, the connective tissue which gives us our shape and holds us together.  Fascia surrounds and supports every organ, muscle and cell in our bodies.  Because it is so omnipresent and interconnected, any problem which results in shortening or thickening of fascia can affect the entire body, including the nervous system.  Scars, surgeries, areas of chronic tension, strains and sprains, all have the potential to wreak havoc on our fascial network.  Myofascial Release utilizes gentle stretching techniques to correct those fascial distortions and restore balance to the system.

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The more techniques your therapist is trained in, the more likely he is to find the approach that works for you.  At Valley Massotherapy, we use special assessment methods to find what type of work your body needs at that specific point in time in order to achieve your goals for the session.

 

Massage For Relaxation
(stress reduction)

Swedish Massage is what most people think of when they think of massage.  Muscles are kneaded, manipulated, rubbed and stretched.  The goal is to increase circulation to all parts of the body, cleansing toxins from the tissues, encouraging tense muscles to relax and generally bringing the client to a state of peaceful euphoria.

For more information on massage, try our massage resources page, the American Massage Therapy Association, or our research page.
 

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