How to tell when your body needs a massage
Do you have neck and back ache? Feeling fatigued and stressed out? Maybe all you need is a professional full body massage.
According to Doreen Kahunde of Soothing Spot Spa, the above are some of the commonest tell-tale signs that the body needs a massage treatment. “With our technology-driven, sedentary modern lifestyle, our bodies would be grateful if we all had regular massage treatments; at least once a month and not wait for when problems get out of hand,” she says.
There are so many times and signs when the body can benefit from a massage treatment. For instance if you have bad posture, poor digestion, and chronic pain or inflammation, then you need to have regular messages to reduce stress, aid metabolism and improve your blood circulation.
Another instance when your body needs a massage is when you are doing vigorous physical activity such as sports training, construction work, mountain climbing etc. “When you challenge your body physically, you should reward it with massage therapy, not only will you feel good but it will also keep you injury free,” Kahunde adds.
She further explains that a person who spends long stretches of time seated in one place or carries out the same movements over and over again needs a deep tissue massage or myofasia to heal their trigger points.
Trigger Points are hyper-contracted knots in the muscles that are very sensitive to the touch and often refer pain to elsewhere in the body. Besides causing pain, trigger points weaken and limit the full functioning of a muscle and, if left untreated, can also compromise surrounding muscles, which are forced into compensatory patterns. This imbalance can then create new trigger points, which can further set the stage for injury, additional pain, asymmetrical bodily appearance, and loss of muscle flexibility and strength.
Choosing the right massage treatment
Understanding the differences in massages is essential in choosing the most effective technique to alleviate your discomfort. Though there are many specialised massage techniques being used today, the most widely practiced is Swedish massage, built around five basic strokes – effleurage (gliding stroke), petrissage (kneading stroke), friction (steady pressure), tapotement (drumming), and vibration or jostling. The Swedish aka the traditional massage focuses on improving blood flow to the skin and muscle and removing muscle tension providing generalized relaxation, improving circulation, lowering blood thus enhancing one’s overall state of health.
The other one is the deep tissue massage or trigger point therapy. In deep tissue massage, the muscles found deep below the skin are focused upon in order to help the tissues to be strong and healthy. “These are the core modalities from all the others have been developed and modified for modern consumption,” says Angela Achan of Tranquility Spa.
Another popular type is the exotic massage which is basically using exotic practices based on the ancient Oriental philosophy.
The cost of massage treatment varies from place to place. The cheapest can go for Shs30,000 while some can go for as much as Shs150,000.
Experience
Lastly is the erotic massage. “The erotic massage is one of the main reasons why the public perception of massage therapy is not positive. People still give that weird look when I tell them that I am a masseuse. But the truth is that how we do the massage is far different from the general misconception,” says Achan.
During this massage, therapist works on different parts of the body which trigger sexual excitation. It is highly recommended for people with sexual problems.
When a massage will not help
There are some instances when what your body needs is physiotherapy and not just a massage. While the physiotherapy and massages tend to overlap, they are two distinctly different services. Allan Mutiibwa a physiotherapist at the Garden City based Positive Emotions Fitness and Spa describes physiotherapy as an evidence based, scientific approach to treating injuries and pain and dysfunction.
“We basically stimulate the body’s natural healing processes in combination with education and lifestyle correction. It is interactive, dynamic, and treatments may include both massage and movement and exercise based techniques,” adds Mutibwa.
He recommends it for those living with chronic pain, stressed out executives, those suffering from neurological ailments, nervous problems, chest complications and those experiencing incontinence among others. “Contrary to popular belief, physiotherapy isn’t a treatment reserved for only those recovering from an injury. With its various methods of treatment, physiotherapy is highly recommended for different people with different needs,” Mutiibwa adds.
Pregnant women especially need a physiotherapist because “The body’s changing hormone levels can soften the ligaments which support the back and cause them to stretch. The muscles of your pelvic floor and stomach also stretch as your baby grows inside you. If your joints are not well supported during this time, you can easily injure your pelvis or back. With special techniques and exercises, the body is equipped to support and protect itself as it goes through these changes which will also help you recover faster after the baby is born,” Mutiibwa adds.
