The Healing Art of Aromatherapy Massage

Aromatherapy was used by ancient cultures to enhance mood and promote healing. Ancient Egyptians used essential oils to embalm the dead and the ancient Greeks thought that certain essential oils could make them smarter. There are a few people in history who are credited for what we now know as aromatherapy massage.

A French chemist named René-Maurice Gattefossé discovered the healing properties of lavender oil when he burned himself in his lab one day. He plunged his burn into the closest container of liquid he could find. That liquid just happened to be lavender oil. He noticed that his burn seemed to heal more quickly than it normally would have and that there was no scarring. This discovery made him start looking into the healing properties of lavender oil.

Madame Marguerite Maury (1895-1968) established aromatherapy clinics throughout Europe. Because she wasn't a doctor, she had no authority to prescribe that essential oils be administered orally, so she developed a system of administering oils through massage. She created modern day aromatherapy massage.

Essential oils are made from distilling parts of plants. The bark, flowers or leaves of a fragrant plant are distilled to make a potent liquid. Essential oils are not usually oily at all. This liquid can be mixed with a carrier oil, like grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil, to make a fragrant oil that can be used for massage. Each oil has its own healing properties and is beneficial in treating specific ailments. Some of the most common essential oils are:

• Clary Sage
• Eucalyptus
• Geranium
• Lavender
• Lemon
• Peppermint
• Roman Chamomile
• Rosemary
• Tea Tree
• Ylang Ylang

There are some essential oils that can aggravate certain conditions. For example, you shouldn't use clary sage or rosemary essential oils if you have high blood pressure, a seizure disorder or are pregnant. Before using essential oils be sure to do your research and find out what oils are safe to use with the health conditions you have. There are some oils like bitter almond and sassafras that are considered dangerous and aren't even used by most aromatherapy professionals.

When you get an aromatherapy massage the therapist will talk to you about your health concerns. The therapist will also try to get a feel for the types of fragrances you like. Based on the information you give, the therapist will blend a mixture of essential oils specially suited for you.

Aromatherapy massages are usually relaxing. The strokes used in aromatherapy massage are based on Swedish massage techniques. They're usually long, flowing strokes. At the end of your massage the therapist will give you the remainder of the massage oil to use at home.

Lovelyn Bettison is a licensed massage therapist who believes in a holistic approach to health. You can learn more about aromatherapy massage and essential oils at her website. You can also learn about many other types of massage and the conditions they can treat.

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Some Reasons Your Body Deserves a Massage

Massage is a special technique that is applied on various parts of the body and this has a relaxing effect on the body as well as mind. Now this is a common fact known to all of us that the human touch often has a reenergizing effect on the body. Now this same theory is incorporated in the techniques of massaging.

The good massagers are just perfect with their touch which involves excellent kneading and rubbing movements. There are quite a number of benefits of the massages. Now-a-days you will find countless number of massage products and massage types are flooding the market. They claim to heal many diseases with the relaxation methods involved in it.

Health Benefits of Massage

There are certain therapeutic effects of massage. First of all it releases the stress and gradually relaxes the mind. The anxiety gets completely eradicated from the deepest layer of the mind which helps to cope up with all stresses. The postures of the body get improved by the help of regular massaging. The blood circulation in the entire body improves significantly.

Sometimes people with problem of high blood pressure get highly benefited with massages. Different types of body aches, back pain reduces if the proper massage techniques are applied on an individual's body. The muscles feel relaxed with massage and the troubles like cramps and tensions are removed.

The flexibility of the body increases and breathing process is improved. The immune system of the body gets boosted with regular massaging and this is very helpful in increasing the stamina. You will get rid of all sorts of depression and anxiety for good if you are getting massages on a regular basis.

Types of Massage

There are numerous types of massage which have different benefits. The acupressure massage was originated in China and this involves pressure techniques on various body parts. This technique claims to heal many ailments easily and effectively.

The aquatic massage uses the therapeutic effect of warm water which often helps loosening the muscles and rejuvenates the skin. This massage is applied in the pools. Back pain is a trouble which can be healed with massage therapies. This will gradually release the pain and make you feel comfortable. Facial massage helps improve a lot of factors about your skin.

This exfoliates the skin gently to remove the dead calls and also increase blood circulations apart from toning the facial muscles. Have you ever tried massaging your feet? Probably not. They often bear most of the stress all the day. A relaxing foot massage will make them feel extremely relaxed and pain free.

There are various branded massage products available in the market which can be used without hesitation as they are good at quality and quite effective as well.

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Feet and Legs Massage

Few things in life are more relaxing, than a good foot massage. Tired feet suddenly feel light again, and as the sole of the foot contains thousands of nerve endings, a foot massage can stimulate the whole body. Whether you lead an active or a more sedentary life, a leg massage can benefit anyone. And, as backache can be caused or aggravated by problems in the legs, a leg massage may actually help your back!

First the feet

I usually start a leg massage on the feet, since most people love to have them massaged, and it's a great way of relaxing the whole body. However, if your partner has slightly swollen ankles, I would recommend starting on the thighs with the aim of clearing the ankle swelling, by stimulating the circulation. Then the order of massage would be thighs, knees, calves, and feet.

Preparing the foot

Kneel at your partner's feet and work first on one foot then on the other. You don't need to use much oil; if you have too much, your fingers will slide around, which can be ticklish. If your partner has ticklish feet, use very firm strokes for the massage; alternatively, if you massage the legs first, by the time you reach the feet they may be less sensitive. Ticklishness seems to be linked to tension, so if you can release some of the tension through massage, your partner may be more relaxed and better able to enjoy the foot massage. Work through the whole sequence of massage moves on one foot, and then go back to the beginning and start on the other foot.

The Foot

Leonardo da Vinci referred to the foot as "the greatest engineering device in the world." The feet contain almost a quarter of all the bones in the body, each having 28 bones. The bones are arranged in arches that help the foot support the weight of the body and provide leverage when walking. An intricate web of muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounds and supports these bones.

Stroking

Start the massage by stroking one of your partner's feet to get it used to your touch.

Sandwich the foot between your hands and stroke firmly with both hands from the toes toward the body.

When you reach the ankles, swing your hands round and return them to the toes with a light stroke. This a warming movement, and is ideal for anyone who suffers from cold feet. Repeat at least four times.

Thumb stroking

In this move, you will apply more localized pressure with your thumbs.

Support the foot with your fingers underneath it, and place your thumbs on top of the foot at the base of the toes. Stroke up the foot with your thumbs, fanning out to the sides and gliding back to the toes, ready to start again. Repeat three or four times.

Now stroke with your thumbs working alternately. Stroke, up with on, thumb as the other glides back down the side. The movement can go a little higher than before, reaching up to the ankle. Again, repeat several times.

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Looking For A Massage Colorado

Colorado has many things to offer, and to end it all up you may need a massage Colorado. With such a wide variety of things to do and take in while you are in Colorado you may wan tot consider the advantages of having a massage don while you are there. Whether it is business or pleasure that you are there for you will find the things that you want to do and the right massage to meet your needs. Everyone should be able to get the massage that they need while they are in Colorado. Whether it is from spending a long day of skiing on the slopes or if you have just had a very stressful business meeting; finding a massage to manage your stress and pain should not be very challenging at all if you know what you want.

There are a wide variety of massages that are available in Colorado depending on your needs of course. If you have been participating in a sporting event you may be interested in receiving a sports massage. Of course you may be looking to do this to prepare you for your event or you may be looking to receive a massage following the event to aid you in the recovery process so that you can more quickly recover. What if you just need some stress relief fro the day. Then you would want to consider a Swedish massage. This massage will give you the relief you need as it helps to push the toxins and lactic acid out of your muscle groups to make them feel more relaxed and you stress free. There is the deep tissue massage which can be used to aid in relieving severe muscle aches and pains and in keeping you limber and relaxed. Of course if you are suffering from headaches you may look into receiving a head massage in order to provide you with relief that you need to keep your thoughts and mind clear. Whatever your massage need is you will be able to fill them in Colorado.

However one needs to be wary when shopping for a massage. First of all make sure you know what kind of a massage you are looking to get. Also look into what type of establishment you will be visiting when you go to get your massage. You want to go to a place that is clean and has a reputation that is well known for being good throughout the community. Make sure that the place employs people who have been schooled in the art of massage and is just not hiring people off of the street to fill needs. Look into whether or not they have any complaints filed against them as that should be a red flag to indicate that you should not be going there. Essentially do your research and pick the establishment that will do the best job for you. Remember you are there to relax, not to stress out over the type of massage facility that you are going to.

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Are You Looking For A Massage New Jersey

There are many benefits to a good massage. New Jersey has many places and types of massage therapists there that are willing to meet your needs and give you the type of massage that you really want. In most cases the massage therapists in New Jersey are certified in their field and know the proper techniques in order for you to receive the attention and stress relief that you deserve. Depending on what you need and want, you’ll want to choose a massage therapist that can provide it. You need to do research however when looking into getting a massage. You need to look into the type of establishment that you will be looking to go to in order to get the desired effect of the massage. You also need to look into the business practices of the establishment that you are going to visit to ensure that you will be receiving the attention and relief that you need.

There are various types of massage establishments in the New Jersey area. Some of them have different focuses and different goals for the massages that they provide. There are sports massage establishments which are designed to treat the athletes and the weekend warriors in the state in order to keep them up and running and ready for the next event. You can visit a spa which will give you the full treatment of tension massages as well as the pampering that you so desperately crave. There are also the establishments that simply set themselves up as massage parlors and offer simply that. These are the establishments where you can go in on your lunch and receive a quick massage to relieve the stress and tension of the day to keep you going.

Many of these establishments use licensed massage therapists to provide these massages. In some cases they do not. You need to look into the practices of the establishments and talk to people to find out their opinions and feelings about these places. Look into the Better Business Bureau to find out more and whether or not they have a good reputation in the community.

Just be careful when looking for a massage, New Jersey. Know what you are getting into as there are many out there that will work to deceive you and believe that you are getting something you are not. This is not the case however, most of the time. In most cases these places are reputable and looking to provide a service to you as a massage receiver. They are just looking to do their job and keep the clients happy so that they can build their business. So just look into the various offers that are out there and research to find the right product for your needs and stresses in your life. Massages can be very beneficial if they are done by the right person and done in the right way. So look into what you want and what you will be getting in order to get the most out of your money that you will be spending.

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Massage Therapy For Improving Your Health and Wellbeing

Most people I know say that their health is one of their top priorities. Unfortunately, the reality is that is what they say not necessarily what they do. This is sad to me, because we all know that we have to take good care of ourselves. The reality is that we take our bodies and health for granted. Well that is until something happens. Then we kind just wake up and then maybe we take care of ourselves-at least for a while. We have to make health a priority. We need ways to counteract the affects of stress and find balance in our lives. One method that helps people decompress from stress is massage therapy and the most convenient way to receive it is from a massage chair.

The stress we encounter at home or at work causes a build up of chemical reactions in our body and we need a consistent method to counteract this affect. Massage therapy in general is very effective and massage chair specifically can give you consistent access to this health treatment. Massage chairs are very advanced and can provide full body massages. They are particularly effective in relieving aches, pains and discomfort which can result from the build up of stress in our bodies. The massage chairs of today offer a tremendous variety of comprehensive and effective massage treatments.

Many studies are showing the positive benefits of receiving regular massage treatments. There is a misperception that massage is somehow a luxury item. Sure there are spas that offer some tremendous and expensive treatments, but massage therapy is becoming a more mainstream treatment. It can help to increase the circulation of blood and lymph; reduce your stress levels; relax the muscles, improve your flexibility and range of motion. However, the studies also clearly point out that these benefits are achieved from regular massage treatment. Just like your diet. You cannot expect to lose weight by changing one meal.

The convenience of a massage chair cannot be understated. The biggest obstacle we hear for receiving regular massage therapy is the time involved with going to a massage therapist. We just simply do not have time in our busy schedules to do this on a consistent basis. This is precisely why having a massage chair can be very convenient. You can get a 10 minute warm up massage before you hop in the shower or just before you go to bed. No appointment need and you have access around the clock.

We will be the first to admit that getting a massage from human hands is definitely the best method. There is just something special about the touch of a human that has no comparison. But then again, getting this on a regular basis is where the real benefit is obtained. The other factor in saving time with a massage chair is that the operations can be performed in parallel. A masseuse works one area at a time, then moves on to the next. Overall, it takes about 50 minutes to effectively cover the body. A massage chair works in parallel. It can massage the full body all at once. Working in parallel cuts down the total time required to get a massage.

The second biggest obstacle to receiving regular massage therapy is the expense. Seeing a massage therapist on a regular basis is not cheap. In fact, in time it is expensive. A one hour session runs about $50 per hour plus tip. A massage chair on the other hand is much cheaper over time. A $3,000 massage chair has a minimum of 1,000 hours of life and many have 2,000 hours. If we use the 1,000 hours, then an hour of massage therapy is $3 per hour. No tip required. This is a huge economic advantage.

We all say that our health is a priority, but few take the necessary action required. How hard is it to sit for 10 minutes and relax your body and mind? For some impossible, but for most of us, it is very possible. Why not start to establish a routine that helps to reverse the effects of modern day stress. Your health is not a luxury, and neither is having a massage chair to help you bring back that critical balance in your life.

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The Four Levels of Touch in Massage Therapy

Touch is considered one of our most basic needs. Many times, we can tell the difference between a "good touch" and a "bad touch." Do not be misled into thinking that these kinds of touch are purely sexual in nature. When we go to a professional massage therapist or body worker, we can detect something special about his/her quality of touch. However, it can be difficult to explain what makes his/her type of touch so unique. For the massage therapy client, it is helpful to know the four levels of touch:

• spiritual
• mental
• emotional
• physical

On the spiritual level, our touch can be driven from our nature in ways that connect our spirit to something else and emphasizes our innate connection with our environment. When we pick up a baby, for instance, we can convey essential qualities like love, compassion, clarity, strength, and peace in the touch we give to that person. On the receiving end of touch, we can connect with our essential natures as well as with the Universal Intelligence, the Great Being that created the universe....God if you will. During or after bodywork, massage therapy clients can feel peace, connection, and rejuvenation. Obstructions to one's true being may be determined and changed during a massage therapy session.

On the mental level, touch can be fueled by our thoughts and beliefs. We can bring our textbook knowledge of myology (study of muscles) and neurology (study of the nervous system) to mind in such a way when we touch one another. When we touch one another during a handshake, for instance, we fire off neurons in ourselves as well as the other person and automatically determine if that touch was pleasurable or not. This helps us make preconceived notions about the person we first meet. Right away, emotions arise in response to receiving touch. We may make judgments about our bodies, rekindle old memories, or have sudden insight on an idea when we are touched a certain way.

Emotionally, our touch can convey feelings such as pleasure, surprise, anger, fear, and sadness. For the receiver of touch, certain emotions can surface when getting touched. For instance, many massage therapy clients have experienced deep emotional releases during or after a bodywork.

Physically, touch can include a plethora of experiences ranging from superficial to deep, smooth or abrupt, fast or slow, etc. There are various physical effects that can occur on the massage therapy client's body whenever they are touched. The massage therapist can scratch the skin; promote or remove bruising; dissipate scar tissue; distribute warm, soothing oils; and generate immune or nervous system responses in the client.

When you go to an expert massage therapist, make a mental note of what is going on in each of these levels. Having knowledge of these various qualities of touch can help you determine what feels "good" and "bad" to fully achieve your deepest needs in each of these four levels.

Micaela Romualdez is a freelance article writer for DFWChiroMassage. She enjoys writing on topics such as health and wellness, nutrition, rolfing, massage therapy benefits, homeopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, and other types of alternative health care.

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Cup Massage

Cup massages are a form of massage therapy that isn’t all that common. Most people when they think of a massage think of a typical massage of the muscles Perhaps a Swedish massage, a shiatsu massage, or even perhaps a hot lotion massage comes to mind. Even people with serious back disorders and injuries go only so far as having electronic stem massages, which involve attaching small electrodes to tight muscles so that electronic charges can be sent in to stimulate the muscle. Or perhaps they will get a deep massage followed by heat and ice. Cup massages are serious massages that use little rubber cups which are attached at various points to get a deep, deep massage going. Cup massages are reserved for people with serious or chronic joint or muscle disorder. They are not used unless there is a serious need for them. They are usually performed in half hour to hour long sessions. There are different types of cup massages for different ailments, and there are of course different ways to alleviate such severe chronic pain. Cup massages can help severely atrophied muscles and chronic joint ailments, this is true, however, many people who have these issues can’t use cup therapy because people with certain side effects have problems with cup therapy. It can be dangerous for them. In fact, many people with chronic disorders also suffer from varicose veins, and it is not healthy for these people to utilize cup therapy. Also people with heart problems should not use cup therapy. For these people, people who still need to alleviate sever pain that they must deal with constantly, there are other avenues such as acupuncture, blood letting, and they can alter diet and improve their nutrition as well. Acupuncture is the Chinese art of utilizing needles to alleviate pain and pressure and it can help some people that benefit from cupping, or cup massages. It uses many needles that locate pressure points and nerve endings to stimulate deep muscles. Cupping, like Acupuncture, is a Chinese form of massage therapy. Blood letting is a bit more complex of a procedure, where blood is actually drained from an area where there is swelling that has resulted from pooling blood. It is more serious than either cupping or acupuncture. Again, this procedure is not something that one should try of their own volition. All of these methods should be administered by experienced professionals, and should be carefully considered before they are undertaken with all health concerns considered.

While cup massages and cupping techniques are clearly not a first option when it comes to the alleviation of simple minor ache and pain, it is, in some cases of chronic disorders, one of the few ways to alleviate severe pain. Clearly it is not a procedure to be taken lightly or to be used to help a pain that comes and goes, but if one suffers from agonizing constant deep pain in muscle structure or a joint, then perhaps cup massages should be considered.

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