The 3 Best Types Of Massage To Get When You Are Just In Pain
When you have a stiff neck, tense shoulders, or a knot in your back, that pain can occupy your mind and make it hard to focus and get anything else done. When you are suffering from general pain, a massage can help heal your muscles and provide you with important pain relief.
Option #1: Deep Tissue Massage
With a deep tissue massage, the massage therapist will start by talking to you a little bit and learning where your pain is located. From there, they will start the massage.
With this type of massage, they are going to be applying a lot of pressure, in order to reach the deep layers of your tissues. The massage therapist may use their knuckles and elbows, in addition to their hands, in order to get deep down into your muscles. They will use both firm pressure as well as deliberate strokes to relieve pressure in your body.
With deep tissue massage therapy, you may experience some pain and discomfort during the massage. If the pressure is too much, let your massage therapist know. With a deep tissue massage, the massage therapist will really work to break up the knots and tension in your muscles. Be sure to drink lots of water after a deep tissue massage to help your muscles process the workout they were just put through. You should feel extended pain relief from a deep tissue massage.
Option #2: Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger point therapy is great for pain management that is located deep in your muscles. With trigger point therapy, the massage therapist will work on certain tight spots in your muscles where the discomfort you are feeling is originating from.
The massage therapist will apply direct pressure to the trigger point where your pain is originating from for as long as you can handle the pressure. Trigger point therapy can be a little painful when you are going through it, but will help relieve the tension that is causing you pain.
Trigger point therapy is sometimes used alone, although it is often combined with different massage therapy techniques during a session.
Option #3: Neuromuscular Therapy
Neuromuscular therapy works particularly well on lower back injuries and can help you as well if you have posture issues or poor circulation.
Neuromuscular therapy is based on the therapy of trigger point therapy. However, instead of just applying pressure to the trigger points where your pain is originating from, other massage techniques such as friction, stretching, and compression are used to help release the tension that is causing you pain.
If you are experiencing general pain and discomfort, let your massage therapist know what type of pain you are experiencing, and discuss which of the three massage therapy options above would be best for you.