Relief
Massage can reduce pain and stimulate blood flow to areas of pain. It can reduce muscle tension and improve the flow of lymph, helping the body to get rid of toxins.
Massage & Aromatherapy
Massage has been around for centuries. This amazing therapy is one of the most nurturing and healing of all hands-on therapies.
Massage can take many forms, from gentle, soothing massage for new born babies, and expectant mothers to remedial massage for deep-seated aches and pains.
For people who do not have the time to travel, I can offer on-site massage, and I also treat many elderly or physically impaired clients, and offer facials.
Massage can be powerful enough to heal scar tissue, free joints and tightness that can cause skeletal imbalances; it can stimulate the circulatory and lymphatic systems, nourish the nervous system and assist in cleansing the body of deep-seated toxins.
Personally, I believe that massage is also an exchange of energies where practitioner and patient are entering into a powerfully healing space, the patient allowing the process to be received, the practitioner giving unconditionally, in a loving manner.
A trained massage therapist can detect the condition of the body tissue, and where the source of pain is. A sound knowledge of anatomy and physiology is vital, together with professional clinical training. Respect for the modesty and comfort of the client are also extremely important.
Healing through massage comes in stages over a period of time, promoting relief, correction, strengthening of the muscles and maintenance of these effects.
Correction
Once initial pain has gone, the muscles need to be rebalanced. This process involves clearing away congestion from the tissue and freeing adhesions on muscle tissue, which in turn has a beneficial effect on soft tissue in the body.
Strengthening
After tissue is corrected then it must be strengthened to minimise the likelihood of repeated injury through weakness.
Maintenance
Massage is always good to have after correcting and strengthening routines as ligaments and tendons around joints need to be kept in their correct position to support and keep stable any part of the skeletal frame. This is preventative medicine.
There are ancient texts that include references to the beneficial effects of massage. Hippocrates (the father of medicine) born in the 5th century BC wrote: "Rubbing can bind joints that are too loose, and loosen joints that are too rigid. Hard rubbing binds, much rubbing causes parts to waste, moderate rubbing makes them grow."
In ancient Chinese medicine, healers massaged their patients long before they stuck needles into them!
Aromatherapy
Aromatic plants have been used for thousands of years in every part of the world for their healing properties.
There are a number of historical references which show that people were using the oils of aromatic plants including lavender, cinnamon, frankincense, juniper, rose and sage since ancient times.
The sense of smell is perhaps the most underrated sense, yet of the five senses, the olfactory organ has the most direct link to the brain. Many people find that an aroma can have surprising effects, reaching past our conscious thoughts to trigger emotions and memories, and it is precisely this ability to gently reach past our mental armour that gives aromatherapy its power as a system of healing.
I use aromatherapy as an adjunct to therapeutic massage, so that the physically relaxing and toning effects of the massage combine with the relaxing or invigorating effects of the essential oils.