The Differences Between Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage Therapy Styles.
One of the most common questions Massage Therapist’s get asked is what is “Swedish massage”? It is the most common term for massage therapy sessions, yet if you are new to massage it can be a bit confusing .
Swedish is a massage therapy style originating from Sweden that focuses on relaxation and balance. Using light to medium pressure, soothing massage techniques help your mind and body slow down and return to its natural rhythm. Our bodies can feel “out of sync” or “hurried” as opposed to the natural rhythm our bodies have called homeostasis. Many things in our day to day lives are rushed or hurried. This can cause us to breathe faster, take shallow short breaths, increase tension in our muscles from thoughts or feelings, and even have bad posture from sitting at a desk or driving a vehicle. The modern lifestyle is fast paced and looks for anything we can do to become more efficient and do more in less time. This can be good and bad for our mind, bodies, and spirit depending on how balanced your lifestyle is. We have to remember that our bodies homeostasis is a smooth rhythm of movements working together to help us accomplish our tasks and routines and maintain optimal health and wellness. Making time to find and return your body to balance when it is stressed or tired is important. This is the purpose of the Swedish Style of massage.
Swedish massage is the perfect choice if you are booking your first appointment and don’t know what type of pressure you like, or how you body responds to massage. Some people experience light soreness after massage as their muscles release tension, release toxin build up, and relax after holding on to tension for a long time. If you have an injury that you are recovering from your doctor may instruct you to receive a specific style or pressure massage. Make sure to check with your doctor before scheduling an appointment if you have recently had a medical procedure, or injury that may need more time to heal before having a massage.
If you feel like your mind is constantly busy, thinking from one thought to another endlessly, or feels foggy, a swedish massage session may help you more than you realize. Our bodies create good hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine during massage. These natural chemicals help your body counteract high adrenaline and cortisol levels that can contribute to stress. A 50 minute massage sends the same signals to your brain and creates the same hormones as 6-8 hours of deep rest/sleep. This is why Massage Therapy is suggested for those with mental health conditions that prefer a more natural approach, or need homeopathic treatment in addition to medication. Always consult your doctor if you are on a medication for your mental health on whether they think massage therapy may work well with your current medications and mental health condition.
Deep tissue and Deep pressure are often times confused with one another. Deep tissue is actually a massage technique, though most massage therapy establishments use the term to refer to deep pressure. This common misconception confuses many clients. Good communication with your therapist can help you educate yourself on the pressure and style of massage therapy you prefer. Feel free to ask your therapist questions like “what pressure are we using right now?”, “what massage techniques/style did we do today?”, or ask what they recommend. Always communicate with your therapist at the beginning of each massage session what you want to accomplish. Some days you may want to relax, and others you want more intense approach to relate knots and trigger points.
Deep Tissue can be used for relieving fascial adhesions, releasing pressure in knots, and relaxing bound connective tissue. This is common for athletes, someone who has repetitive motions at work (factory workers, delivery drivers, restaurant employees, etc), and stay at home moms with young children. You would be surprised how much tension carrying a child on one hip and a diaper bag on the other can cause. Working from home whether you are running a business, a company consultant, or stay at home mom have just as many demands as jobs out of the home.
Often times your massage therapist will ask questions to help us figure out what you do on a regular basis, and what activities may be putting tension into certain muscle groups. There are certain muscle groups that are generally tight/painful for those that work a desk job or on a computer, stay at home moms with children, delivery drivers who are in a car most of the day, or restaurant servers who are carrying a tray on the same side most of their shift. These questions help us figure out what you and your muscles do on a regular basis so we can create the perfect therapeutic regimen for your lifestyle.
If you have tension that has built up over a long period of time, you may need to visit on a more regular basis to reduce the amount of tension in your muscles, so you can transition to other massage styles and have longer lasting muscle tension relief. Massage therapy can be received as often as once a week, to once a month depending on what you want to accomplish with your massage therapy sessions. Those with chronic pain may want a regular appointment scheduled weekly/monthly to give your body a regular relaxation regimen to retrain the muscle memory.
If you need massage therapy for therapeutic relief, chronic pain or ongoing tension from daily activities you can ask your massage therapist for a suggested at home regimen. This can be discussed at your appointment time permitting, online via email or on facebook messenger after your appointment. At home care can be just as important as your actual massage session at the studio. Staying hydrated, stretching regularly, and practicing deep breathing can help reduce stress and muscle tension between sessions. We also suggest things like a hot bath with epsom salt, Bio Hemp products, and aromatherapies. Finding the perfect at home regimen for your lifestyle and preferences can increase the benefits of your massage sessions and help you find ways to destress at home, work, and on the go to keep your body at its natural homeostasis.