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Back Pain Massage Therapy

If you think that massage is all about being caressed and soothed, then try Swedish, Shiatsu, friction, trigger point, Reiki and Rolfing techniques: they can bring tears to your eyes.

Some of the benefits of massage are from the touch of another person. It's great to feel cared for.

SLIP, SLOP, SLAP

A massage therapist manipulates your body's soft tissues using their hands or a mechanical device to boost your circulation and induce relaxation. This brings about general improvements to your health and relieves muscle spasm or tension in your back too. Massage induces greater mental and physical relaxation over your whole body - reducing anxiety and boosting well-being. Massage therapists also treat depression and constipation. Most massage sessions last between 15 and 90 minutes.

HOW DOES MASSAGE WORK?

Mmmm. The stroking, rubbing, kneading and tapping activities of massage increase your circulation, improve your muscle tone and relax your body and mind. The improved blood flow increases nutrition and healing to the area being massaged. Massage has other therapeutic effects too: as a cleanser, by stimulating your lymph circulation and accelerating the elimination of wastes and toxins.

SWEDISH MASSAGE

The therapist usually massages all of your body, concentrating on one section at a time. They generally work you over systematically, maybe starting on the back and working down to the legs, then, when you turn over, treating your chest, abdomen, shoulders, arms and face. This is the type of massage usually done in sports centres and health clubs. Emphasis is on the psychological and spiritual aspects of massage.

SPORTS MASSAGE

Sports therapists and others may use massage before and after sporting events. They treat injuries arising from sports activities or other existing problems by using deep massage, coupled with passive and active stretching of various muscle groups.

SHIATSU

This type of therapy dates back to 500 BC. It's a type of oriental massage which concentrates on particular points rather than the whole body, to rebalance the flow of chi that circulates around the body. The palms and thumbs are used to apply pressure to the skin at places that often correspond to acupoints - and it may well act like acupuncture, stimulating certain meridians and the body to help itself. Normally clients lie on a futon for the treatment. Wear loose clothing, like tracksuit bottoms and a tee-shirt. No oil is used.

REIKI

Reiki is a kind of touch therapy. The practitioner places his hands on parts of your body near the site of the problem, such as your back. This encourages healing energy to flow through the his hands. Sessions last for about an hour, during which time you'll experience deep relaxation and reach a meditative state - which is great for your mental health. But it shouldn't be performed on anyone who's suffering from a serious psychosis, except with the permission of their psychiatrist.

ROLFING

This deep massage technique will rebalance your body by bringing your head, shoulders, chest, pelvis and legs into proper vertical alignment so that you feel more supple. To carry out this deep massage, the therapist applies pressure with their fingers, hands, knuckles or elbows to lengthen and release the connective tissues of different sites of your body. A bad back should be improved at the same time. Therapy usually consists of at least ten sessions focused on different parts of your body. It can be painful.

WHO DOES MASSAGE?

Some physiotherapists do massage, but on the whole they leave it to sports masseurs and therapists, complementary practitioners and other massage practitioners.

There are many varied organisations that massage practitioners can belong to. The General Council for Massage Therapy (http://www.gcmt-uk.org) sets standards of practice within the UK, and several organisations ally to the Council and adhere to their standards.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SEE A MASSAGE PRACTITIONER?

He'll ask about your diet and lifestyle, and any aches and pains you've got. You'll usually lie face down on a couch for back massage - remaining in your underwear, covered by a sheet. A well-designed massage couch will have a hole for your face, to stop your nose from getting squashed and to avoid dribble. The professional massage is strictly asexual - the therapist will steer well clear of your genitals.


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