Body Massage is a great way to help your body relax and reduce any strain. Massaging also helps reduce and ease chronic pain. Whether it is getting a massage from a therapist or practicing self-massage, here Most Common Massage Techniques and methods ideal for any condition or self-massage at home.

As the trend of self-care is on the rise, massage therapy has become the latest fad. However, the therapeutic benefits of massage are not new. The history of massage therapy dates back to 5000 years in ancient Egypt and China.

A brief history of body massage therapy

Egyptians created this term of reflexology in 2500BC. At the same time, the Chinese made use of massage therapy around 2700BCE, inspired by the methods included in martial arts and taught by the Buddhists and Taoists.

The traditional methods of healing considered touch as an essential part of the healing and repair process. Techniques like Tui Na, amno, acupuncture, and acupressure were used to stimulate the body’s natural healing pathways by balancing the energy flow in the body.

The Ayurvedic medicine of India utilized massage therapy as part of their holistic healing routines. In addition, diet, herbalism, aromatherapy, color therapy, sound therapy, and touch therapy are essential pillars of Ayurveda.

Around 1000BCE, massage converted into Shiatsu in Japan and was transferred to Greece in the eighth century BCE when the athletes used massage to ease their muscle sores. In fact, Hippocrates endorsed massage therapy by prescribing friction therapy to promote physical injuries.

In the first century BCE, massage therapy made its way into Rome when a physician named Galen seconded Hippocrates's ideas of the body's self-healing capability. Massage therapy was endorsed by the wealthy and the public alike but in different locales. The rich would call for personal services while the people made use of public baths for massage therapies. 

Europe recognized the benefits of massage therapy quite late. However, it was not until the 1800s when a Swedish physician, Per Henrik Ling, came up with the Swedish Gymnastic Movement System. Ling evolved and integrated massage therapy into medical gymnastics and physiology.

The early 19^th century saw the advent of massage therapy in the western world. The 20^th century was full of all kinds of medical advancements, each with its side effects.

That is why the millennials turned their focus on holistic methods of healing and self-care. Massage therapy is certainly not novel but can be said to be 'back in action.' 

Today the massage therapist includes a multitude of techniques, targeting an equally diverse number of conditions. Headaches, osteoarthritis, back and neck pain, cancer, depression, you name it, and a massage module for the condition.

Most of the U.S. physicians, approximately 83%, feel that massage is a helpful technique in addition to their treatment and recommend massage therapists/masseuse to their patients.

While massages are often even recommended by doctors, certain conditions do not allow a person to get massaged, for instance.

• Blood clots because massages can loosen them up, and they migrate into the body
• The contagious disease can endanger the therapist
• Fever can worsen due to massages
• Kidney diseases or liver diseases can worsen due to increased blood flow
• Uncontrolled hypertension can also worsen

Whether it is getting a massage from a therapist or practicing self-massage, here are a few massage techniques ideal for chronic back and neck pain as well as stress and anxiety. Also enlisted are some customized massages for particular requirements.

The five basic body massage moves are

1. A long and gliding  stroke is effleurage
2. The masseuse kneads, rolls, wrings and lifts the soft tissue that he is working on, and it is known as petrissage
3. Friction
4. Tapotement
5. Vibration

Shiatsu Body Massage

This massage technique is a part of traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. Shiatsu means finger pressure. The massage is done by using finger pressure on different pressure points and muscle groups.

The therapist may use their palms, hands, besides fingers to vary the pressure on different points of the body. This helps ease and relax the muscles and alleviate any strain or pain in the neck and shoulder area.

Hot Stone Massage

The hot stone massage is as soothing as its name. Smooth stones are heated to the appropriate temperature (approximately between 130 and 145 degrees) and placed on specific key points on the body. The stones are made of a unique volcanic rock, basalt, which can retain heat.

Your therapist may use the stones in long strokes, circular movements, vibration, tapping, or kneading movements to alleviate back and neck pain.

Heat therapy relaxes the muscles, improves circulation, and speeds up lymphatic drainage. All these processes help to alleviate muscle spasms, increase flexibility and improve range of motion.

In addition to catering to physical benefits, hot stone massage also eases tension, stress, and anxiety. According to a study, hot stone massage improved heart performance and upgraded blood circulation.

It also promotes sleep and helps patients with insomnia. So if you are having trouble sleeping due to back and neck pain, try a hot stone massage.

Deep Tissue Body Massage

If you suspect your back and neck pain is due to some muscular injury, try getting a deep tissue massage. A specific massage therapy, deep tissue massage, is undertaken by expert therapists only.

The massage involves applying sustained pressure on a single or a group of muscles using slow deep strokes in a repeated fashion. The target is to address the deep muscles, tissues, or any scar following an injury.

Deep tissue massage reduces the strain on the muscles and stimulates the healing and repair process by enhancing circulation in the specific area. The massage also helps you unwind mentally while your muscle gets their relief.

A study reported the benefits of deep tissue massage as equivalent to the relief provided by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Since this massage technique uses firm pressure, kneading, and stroking, some people may not bear with it.

Ayurvedic ‘potli’ massage

Potli means pouch in Indian. Ayurvedic potli massage makes use of cloth pouches containing different herbs. The therapist gives deep tissue massage using warm oil and the herb-filled potli.

The potli massage is similar to the hot stone massage, except that different herbs are used to cater to a specific condition. For example, the potli massage is suggested for people with back and neck pain problems due to rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondylitis, and frozen shoulders.

You can choose a variety of herbs according to what you would like your massage to address. Ayurvedic potli massage is more of an integration of a hot stone massage and aromatherapy.   The herbs you may include in the potli are;

• Ashwagandha; suggested to relieve stress and improve sleep quality
• Mustard and neem leaves; help detoxify the body
• Rice and rosemary; said to increase blood circulation and ease tension in muscles.
• Aloe vera and onion; if the pain is associated with swelling, soreness, pain, and inflammation
• Cardamom and lavender; help calm the nerves and giving a refreshing effect.

Thai-Yoga massage

Done under the supervised guidance of a therapist, the Thai yoga massage uses yoga moves to stretch and release different muscle groups. It is a type of dry massage that integrates yoga poses applied to you by a trained therapist. It helps to release the tension in muscles of the back and neck specifically and overall body generally.

Self-Massage

If you do not have access to a therapist, do not fret. There are ways to massage yourself. Called self-massage techniques, they are equally effective at providing relieving and luxurious benefits of a massage done by a therapist.

Here is what you need to do:

• Make use of acupressure and reflexology. Know your pressure points for the neck and back. It is the base of your thumb, a little to the outside border of your hand, for your neck. In contrast, the tip of the thumb is for the back. Apply pressure on these points and relax.
• Another method to self-massage for our back is the tennis ball technique. Lie on your back on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground. Lift your hips and place two tennis balls under your back where it hurts the most. Ask somebody to help you put the balls under your back. Lie still or make small movements to move the balls to target the painful points.
• Keep a twisted towel behind your neck. Hold the towel in front and rub it along the length of the neck. The technique works great for neck tension.

Swedish Massage

A full-body massage that is good for people that

• Are getting a massage for the first time
• Are stressed out
• Have sensitive bodies which are to be touched carefully

It helps with the stiff and sensitive muscles that hurt even when the muscles are resting and named trigger points. To get this massage, one has to lie on a massage table and covered it with a sheet. The masseuse shall remove the sheet from each area that he's massaging.

This massage includes the following steps.

• Kneading
• Long and flowing strokes that shall be directed towards the heart
• Deep, circular motions
• Vibrations and tapping motions
• Some joint movement techniques

It lasts for one to one and a half-hour.

Aromatherapy massage

People that require emotional wellbeing or healing in addition to a physical massage should go for this. The advantages of this massage are as follows.

• Improves one's mood
• Help reduce stress and anxiety
• Is therapeutic for depression
• Eases muscular tension
• Helps ease pain

As suggested by its name, the masseuse uses essential oils to apply gentle pressure on the body.  The selection of the oils is mainly with the masseuse, but the client can tell them of their choice as well. A massage therapist diluted the essential oils before using them on the client.

It is a full-body massage. The oils are inhaled through a diffuser and absorbed through the skin. This technique focuses on the back, shoulders and head.  It lasts for one and a half hour.

Lymphatic massage

This massage increases the flow of lymph fluids in the body through a gentle massage of the tissues. The lymph vessels carry a protein-rich fluid called the lymph, which flows through the entire body.

The lymph carries the bacteria, viruses and waste from the body, taking them to the lymph nodes. The lymph nodes filter the fluid, so the body gets rid of the impurities. During the massage, long and gentle strokes are applied to the body, which helps increase lymph flow.

Sports massage

This massage is beneficial for athletes. It is used for healing muscular soreness, stress or when they have been overused. The massage is given to athletes for healing purposes as well as for the preparation of an event. It provides them with flexibility, endurance, helps with fatigue and clarity of mind. The masseuse uses techniques and tools to help the client with

• Reducing pains
• Muscular warm-up
• Stress management before an event
• Help repair minor injuries and speed recovery

 Abhyanga

The masseuse uses aromatic herbal oils. Next, the body is massaged lightly for stimulating circulation. This softens the tissue and improves circulation.

Craniosacral massage

In this technique, the client is given light pressure on the skull, face, sacrum and spine. It helps to relieve tension/stress in the body. In addition, this massage helps to reduce the craniosacral system of any compressions and restrictions.

Lomi Lomi

This is traditional Hawaiian massage therapy. The masseuse uses both of his hands, forearms and elbows. By applying broad pressure, tension is released, and blood and lymph flow is improved.

Pinda sweda massage

This is an Ayurvedic massage technique. It requires warm and medicated herbal oils and herb bags. The health benefits include;

• Reduction of swelling
• Muscular relaxation
• Improvement of skin texture
• Stimulation of blood circulation

Body Massage: Watsu

A massage that is performed in warm water. It is a combination of massage, muscular stretching and dance.  Its purposes are to

• Pain management
• Muscular relaxation
• Stress reduction

Chi Nei Tsang a type of Massage with

This is an internal organ massage. This technique works precisely on the torso and the abdominal area, which are affected by the accumulation of stress, anxiety and negative emotions. It is believed to help;

• Digestive issues
• Sleep disorders
• Mood swings
• Pain
• Trauma
• Anxiety

Javanese massage

This massage requires pressure from all parts of the hand. It relieves pain in the muscles and joints.

Prenatal massage

Prenatal massage techniques are beneficial for pregnant ladies. It eases back and neck pains, stiffness, headaches, cramps in the legs and also swelling.

The client is to be made comfortable with the help of pillows and cushions. The strain on the pelvic area and lower back have to be reduced.  This massage is helpful in the release of blood toxins and the production of serotonin.

Advantages of this massage are

• Decrease in the swelling of the lower limbs (a common complaint in pregnancy)
• Alleviates backache
• Helps with sleep
• Assists the body in preparing for labor and birth
• Eases the labor pains

Trigger point massage:

This massage technique is specially designed for people who have

• Chronic pains
• Injuries
• Special conditions

At times there occurs some tightness in the muscle tissues. These areas are known as trigger points. These trigger points can cause pain in other parts of the body. This massage technique focuses on relaxing the trigger points and can reduce pain.

The masseuse applies deep pressure by using broad strokes. These strokes are gentle and relaxing. It is a full-body massage with a particular focus on the parts of the body that need relief.  This massage lasts one and a half hours.

Myofascial massage: Body Massage for Muscular Myofascia Release

This is similar to trigger point massage. However, it targets the thin layer of connective tissues, by which all the muscles of the body are connected. So this technique relieves pain in the body by targeting the trigger points in the fascia.

The masseuse first massages the entire body. Next, they'll look for tightness or tight spots in the fascia. Next, the trigger points are worked on to loosen the fascia, followed by increased pressure.

This technique can also be done by the client himself at home. One can use soft foam rollers on the arm, legs and back. There are multiple ways of using a foam roller. These include

1. In the center of the back, moving down, having knees bent for support and opening and closing the arms to form a 'T'.
2. Moving across the upper portion of the back with bent knees, slightly pushing to roll the shoulder blades up and down.
3. Rolling back and forth below the hamstring.
4. Rolling in the up and down direction of the I.T. band on the side of the leg.
5. Rolling back and forth, under the armpit and side of the back.
6. Under the glutes, having one ankle place on a bent knee and moving sideways.

Chair massage

Chair massage is a technique that works on the neck, shoulders and back. It requires light to medium pressure and is suitable for getting massaged for the first time. The best thing is that one remains fully dressed for the massage. The client is seated in a chair designed especially for this purpose. The client then mounts the chair such that their chest pushes back against the chair. The masseuse needs to have access to the client's back.

In a cancer hospital in the U.K., the attendants of the patients were given chair massages that helped improve sleep and other markers of stress and anxiety.

Tapping massage

The therapist keeps his hand relaxed over the area that he has to focus on. Then, he taps it gently with the tips of his fingers. The tapping is intense enough to produce a hollow sound when the fingers contact the skin.

Body Massage with Tennis ball massage

This technique requires tennis balls. The steps are as follows

1. Lying on your back, you have to bend your knees and put your feet on the ground
2. Two tennis balls are to be placed  under your back, and you need to lift your hips
3. For 60 seconds, keep lying

The ball can be moved around to work on different areas that hurt. For example, the spine should be pressed into the tennis ball.

This technique enables the client to get access to all the energy present in the body. The part of the brain that controls stress also receives the message. Our energy is disrupted due to stress. This anxiety or negative emotion can be comforted and reduced by stimulating the meridian points in this tapping technique. This helps to restore the body's energy levels. 

Body Massage with Hot towel

For this massage, you just need a towel. The steps for it are

1. You need to take a soft towel and twist it to form a braided shape
2. Taking both ends in each of the hands, hold it behind your neck
3. With moderate pressure, rub the towel up and down
4. The treatment can be repeated a few times

People use hot towels only or combine it with massage therapy for the following benefits that come with using heat.

• Reduces sinus pressure
• Help reduce soreness
• Joint pains are reduced
• Healing becomes faster
• Circulation in the body increases
• Helps one relax

Take home message

The fast-paced lifestyles of the millennials leave less room for relaxation and self-care. As a result, stress and anxiety go their impact diversely. Psychological stress starts to exhibit physical signs and symptoms such as aches and pains throughout the body.

Body Massage benefits all. It has its share of health benefits that cater to every situation. A non-invasive therapy with no side effects, massage is becoming a well-accepted therapeutic module owing to its many science-backed upshots.