Massage: Heal your Body and Mind

“Luxurious,” “therapeutic” and “relaxing” are some of the words that people think of when massages come to mind.  Whether it is a back massage or full body massage, one thing is for sure, everyone should try a massage at least once in their lifetime. Wanting one is easy, but how would someone know what type to get?  There exists a variety of styles and techniques of massages, so unless you are a professional Holistic Care Practitioner or Massage Therapist, chances are that not many people will know what to ask for or expect for their personal needs.

A massage can have a therapeutic, spa or body and mind correlation, all of which will give a different outcome and style of massage. Besides relieving stress and anxiety, massage therapy can relieve muscle pain, and improve blood pressure and circulation, immune system, and muscle tone, while healing body and soul. Massage styles can include shiatsu, Swedish, sports, hot stone, Cranio Sacral Therapy, acupressure, hot stone, deep tissue, reflexology and prenatal, just to name a few.

Massages can improve how you feel on the inside and the outside in order to fulfill life’s tasks. Therefore, before you can commence your life pain-free with massages, the various techniques should be explored. This crash course in massage therapy will lead you to discover the right one for you.

To begin our investigation, we went to San Diego massage location Flourish Body Works. Holistic Care Practitioner and owner Rachelle Clauson says, “My vision has grown into what Flourish Body Works is today: a beautiful private practice emphasizing therapies that restore balance to the whole person, helping them flourish physically, mentally and emotionally. I am honored to do my work and learn and grow from it personally every day.”  Flourish offers six types of body massages and other spa treatments, with each type having various techniques employed. Its signature massage includes blends of Swedish, deep tissue sculpting, acupressure, Craniosacral Therapy and energy work.  This massage begins with chimes and crystal bowls used to relax the mind, and special oils to open the lungs and heart.  So what are Swedish, Deep Tissue Sculpting and especially Craniosacral Therapy anyways?  

The Swedish massage style is a traditional massage that uses long sweeping strokes, friction and at times vibration. This technique is most common and used to improve circulation and muscle relaxation. A deep tissue massage incorporates slow strokes and more pressure on areas affected by muscle tension. This can be used to relieve muscle tension caused by soft tissue injuries or muscle pain. “My specialization is in Craniosacral Therapy and Somo-Emotional Integration because these parts of bodywork allow deeper access to where these experiences meet,” says Clauson about the human body interacting with the way they think and feel.

This technique is used to look at the tensions the head carries and release them through light touches, which stretch muscles into their normal state. Clauson says that Craniosacral Therapy (CST) “has been proven to effectively help people who suffer from migraines, headaches, low back pain, emotional stress, jaw pain and dysfunction, eye and facial pain, dental trauma, sinus problems, insomnia and chronic pain. Injuries that were accompanied by a great deal of emotional or mental stress or as a result of forceful impact, such as a fall or a car accident, are also well addressed through CST.”     

Besides its signature massage, Flourish performs therapeutic massage, which incorporates deep tissue and Swedish to alleviate the areas you want the most work done on. Pre and perinatal massage is also offered to ease the muscles and joints of moms to be, prepare the body for childbirth, and help muscles recover from labor and pregnancy after their babies are born.

Other styles of massages offered are the body-mind therapy.  They have the Chinetsang abdominal massage, which works your core and inner organs to release the physical and emotional pain from within and the Craniosacral therapy. Flourish also offers somo-emotional integration, which restores the connection between the body-mind-heart through the relief of muscle tension and stress.

Discover top San Diego massages to bring your bod back into balance:

The Knot Stop
Among the many massages its offers, The Knot Stop also specializes in sports massages, which helps with the pain inflected by sports or strenuous exercise by stretching muscles and using deep tissue formats. Another popular form of massage is heated or hot stone therapy. These stones are heated in water and placed on the body to incorporate with massage to give relaxation, detoxify and get rid of tension and pain. A unique massage offered here is one for seniors by stretching their muscles with light strokes. Visit Theknotstop.com for more information.

Balance Point
Balance Point’s signature massage is given only by the founder of this therapy location, David Rice. This massage integrates trigger point therapy, deep tissue sculpting, acupressure and Swedish massage, allowing you to feel back to normal and balanced. It also offers corporate massages by going to your office with equipment in hand, where employees are given 10-20 minute massages concentrating in there problem areas.  For more information, visit Balancepointmassage.com.

Healing Arts Massage and Wellness Center
For the past 18 years, Healing Arts offers its popular $50 massages for an hour on most massages. Its services include deep tissue, sports and pregnancy massage. Healing Arts also have Shiatsu massages, a Japanese tension relief technique which consist of pressure and point holding. Visit Healingartswc.com for more information.

Massage Envy
Massage Envy specializes in hot stone therapy, but also offers trigger point, Swedish, deep tissue, sports reflexology and more. It also offer geriatric massages which is good for anti-aging and overall wellness. Stop by any of its convenient locations for relief at your fingertips. For more information, visit Massageenvy.com.

Holistic Hands
Holistic Hands deals with all clients to find their own specific needs. Its services include Swedish, acupressure, deep tissue, myofascial release, trigger point therapy and sports massage. Try its couples massage with a special someone. Visit Holistichands.org for more information.

Discover more San Diego massage therapists and check out our beauty and health blog for more tips and trends.