Massage Therapy a viable form of Alternative Medicine
The practice is ancient and has seen many changes over the centuries. I may talk about he history of massage therapy one day, but today I want to focus on what it is; I hope dispelling some of the misconceptions that are rampant. Massage therapy has been regarded as a viable form of alternative medicine only recently.
Depending on where the therapist was educated, there are a few different definitions of massage therapy. If the massage therapist was educated in Ontario Canada, the focus of massage therapy is for the betterment of these entities. The human body as a whole is about the manipulation of soft tissue and joints. In Ontario, it is illegal for a Registered Massage Therapist to use essential oils unless he/she has been trained specifically in the Aroma Therapy modality.
Massage Therapy a viable form of Alternative Medicine
The use of essential oils and other such things are common in the United States education, Asian modalities are examined, and a therapist is expected to take Continuing Education Credits in modalities of interest. . In other programs in the United States and in Western Canada for instance, I took a track of Relaxation and Therapeutic massage classes, other countries they have other names. For example, In the United States, Relation massage is “Swedish” massage and a Therapeutic massage is called “Deep Tissue”. I could go off on an educational tangent about Swedish massage, but there are plenty of Mondays to come so I will continue in the direction of Relaxation and Therapeutic.
Relaxation massage is typical of a massage you will more likely see at your local spa or massage parlor. The goal of the treatment is for you, the client, to relax so the techniques are performed in a slow, soothing manner. Techniques are never painful and the therapist probably would not perform any joint mobilisation.
As for the Therapeutic massage, the beginning of the massage is used to warm up the tissue, so the techniques are general and soothing; similar to the Relaxation massage. Here is where the therapist gets a little fancier. The goal of the treatment by a therapist is to aid with recovery and hopefully eventually treat the client until they are symptom free. In other words, help you get better.
Pain is very subjective and is imperative to your health and the success of the treatment that you speak up. Communication among massage therapist and client is essential as massage therapists cannot feel if what they are doing is painful for you. Do not be afraid to tell your therapist you are uncomfortable, or ask your massage therapist questions. Maybe the therapist made the sheets are too tight or maybe you feel the therapists isn’t covering you enough. Ultimately it is your treatment and you need to feel safe and comfortable.
