Massage

A brief guide to the History of Massage

For thousands of years massage has been used to heal. Julius Caesar was known to use massage as a relief to his discomfort of neuralgia and headaches. An 11th century Arab philosopher and physician called Avicenna, noted that massage helped to remove the toxins found in the muscles that where not removed by exercise. A French doctor, Ambroise Paré, recognised the importance of massage in the 16th century and Per Henrik Ling discovered what is now known as ’Swedish Massage’ at the beginning of the 19th century. It is believed that the first school offering to train individuals the Art of Massage was found in Stockholm in 1813. Since this time, many different forms of massage are now being practiced by many different people of every age, race, creed and colour.

What is Massage?

We all know that when we hurt ourselves or when a child falls, by instinct the very first thing that we do is rub the affected area better. We are ‘Massaging’ the area. We are soothing the nerve endings to reduce pain, we are increasing the blood circulation to bring warmth and essential healing nutrients to an area in need, we are increasing the lymphatic drainage to remove any damaging unwanted toxins, at the same time we are giving someone that we care for love and affection that will remove doubt and insecurity, giving an instant feeling of well-being.

There are many people who believe that it is a ‘Treat’ to go and have a massage, and should only go if their aching back becomes unbearable or their pulled muscle is not recovering quickly enough; this is a real shame as it is now recognised that in this modern day life that we are all caught up in, comes an abundance of ‘Stress’. Touch therapies, such as massage, should be integrated into everyday life and looked upon as a therapeutic preventative to failing health. Many of us are aware that massage induces relaxation, but what we are not ready to except as a society, is how relaxation can promote self-healing within the body. With the use of specific techniques and the incorporation of the correct aromatherapy oils, a good massage can not only drain away the pressures of our every day life, it can also have more profound effects on the whole of the bodies internal maintenance, aiding every system and organ our bodies need to function at maximum health.

What happens during a Massage Treatment?

Tranquillity at its best! The area being treated needs to be exposed - modesty is respected to the utmost. Areas that are not being treated are always covered with a towel and blanket for warmth if necessary. Aromatherapy oils are chosen to suit your specific needs and mixed with a carrier oil. These oils will help to nourish your skin, at the same time the massage soothes you nerve endings, relieves tension, increases circulation to both the blood and lymphatic systems, promoting valuable nutrients and oxygen to be taken to the muscles and dangerous toxins removed. Massage will help to tone up the muscles, reduce cellulite, and improve the tone and appearance of the skin. Massage may be given to any one part of the body at one time (back, head, neck and shoulders, hands, legs, feet), although a full body massage will benefit the entire body, giving maximum results for good health. There are some contra-indications to massage, however, these will be noted and discussed if found at the initial consultation.