About Massage Therapy
What is Massage Therapy?
Massage is a hands-on complementary therapy involving manipulation of muscle and soft tissue to stimulate positive change, rebalance the muscles and assist the body's own healing processes.
It compliments other hands-on therapies such as Chiropractic, Osteopathy and Physiotherapy.
The Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) describes Massage as follows:
"There are over 80 types of massage therapy and in all of them, therapists press, rub, and otherwise manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body, often varying pressure and movement.
Practitioners mostly use their hands and fingers, but may use their forearms, elbows, or feet. Typically, the intent is to relax the soft tissues, increase delivery of blood and oxygen to the massaged areas, warm them, and decrease pain."
Clinical evidence is now building for the support of massage within the healthcare arena. Guidelines recently published by the National Institute for Clinical Evidence (NICE) recommends that patients with persistent, non-specific low back pain have access to a choice of different treatments, including massage, stating, "The effect of massage on patients with chronic low back pain lasted at least a year after the end of treatment." (Source: Federation of Holistic Therapists – www.fht.org.uk)
Massage offers benefits for a number of health complaints such as helping "relieve pain, rehabilitate sports injuries, reduce stress, increase relaxation, address feelings of anxiety and depression, and aid general wellness." (Source: Federation of Holistic Therapists – www.fht.org.uk)
What is Involved in a Massage Treatment?
A confidential medical questionnaire is taken and symptoms, conditions and presenting problems relevant to treatment are discussed. You will also be asked about lifestyle factors, activity and stress levels, as well as dietary habits, all of which impact on the body. A postural assessment is then carried out to identify muscular imbalances, before an appropriate treatment is discussed and given.
Treatment is usually given with the client lying on a couch, covered by a suitable amount of towels and/or blankets. Treatment can sometimes be performed seated through clothes, when appropriate or if specifically requested.
Oil or other massage mediums are used to reduce friction and to help protect and condition the skin. Your comfort is assessed throughout the treatment.
Homecare advice is given after the treatment and may include dietary, postural, mobility and exercise advice dependent on your individual circumstances.
Muscle rebalancing and positive change can take a little while, therefore you may need several treatments for the muscles and soft tissue to respond.
What Can I Offer You?
I am qualified in a wide range of beneficial, therapeutic massage techniques including Sports Massage, Remedial Massage, Advanced Clinical Massage, Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy and Reflexology.
I don't offer a 'shopping list' approach to Massage Therapy. My treatments are personalised to your individual requirements and I do not follow 'routines'. In many cases, I combine various massage techniques, as appropriate, to achieve the best results for you.
I come from a competitive sporting background, and can therefore offer great experience and support with regard to running and sporting injuries and conditions.
My massage treatments also include postural assessment and homecare advice, including exercise and stretching advice when appropriate.
I hold Advanced Clinical Massage qualifications for the treatment of:
• Shoulder girdle pain, frozen shoulder, chronic dislocation and bursitis
• Neck and upper shoulder pain, chronic neck pain, whiplash, torticollis, migrain, cervical disc conditions
• Lower back pain, sciatica, herniated disc, acute locked back and performis syndrome
• Hip and pelvis pain, chronic osteo-arthritis, sacro-illiac joint dysfunction, groin strain, sports injuries and pelvic balancing
• Wrist and arm, RSI, carpal tunnel, golfers and tennis elbow
