Most of us associate massage with ultimate relaxation and pampering. At pHd Malvern we are real believers in the healing power of massage and offer a wide range of fully organic options to suit your specific requirements.
The French word massage means ‘friction of kneading’ and the Arabic, massa, means ‘to touch, feel or handle’.
Evidence of the use of massage date back to ancient Egypt and over time we have developed a deeper understanding of the health and emotional benefits of touch and massage.
So, here is a little bit of information about the massage techniques we use at our salon in Malvern and an introduction to deep tissue massage, a new treatment we are now able to offer on request.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is one of the most popular and commonly used forms of therapeutic massage and can be both wonderfully relaxing and physically beneficial. Both our well being full body and our back, neck and shoulder massages use Swedish massage.
Our full trained beauty therapists use wonderfully aromatic organic oils to lubricate your skin enabling them to use a range of massage strokes that warm up the muscles, release tension and break up muscle ‘knots’.
The luxurious, long sweeping strokes of effleurage are fantastic for warming your muscles and helping you to drift away. Petrissage, or kneading, where the muscle tissue is squeezed between thumb and fingertips is excellent for loosening up tighter areas.
For those pesky knots, the therapist will use a targeted friction technique. Sometimes this can be a bit uncomfortable, but it is definitely good for you and is the starting point for a deep tissue massage.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage concentrates on the deeper layers of muscle tissue to help release muscle tension, that feeling of being knotted or feeling like your shoulders are up near your ears.
This style of massage is great for people who play a lot of sports which often results in tight muscles, but it’s also worthwhile for people who spend most of their day sitting at a desk or have poor posture.
A firm pressure is applied in order to work deeper during treatment, you’ll experience greater intensity than with Swedish massage therapies.
As well as using their hands and lower arms, your therapist may also use their fingers and elbows to achieve this deeper relief.
Although this massage technique should never hurt, some clients experience a slight soreness after their massage. This is absolutely normal and shows that the massage is working as intended, but if you are ever concerned do discuss it with one of the Pure Beauty team.
The frequency of having a deep tissue massage depends on the client’s symptoms and how well they respond to the treatment. Having a deep tissue massage could vary from a weekly session in severe cases to occasional treatments. Deep Tissue can be carried out as either back neck and shoulder treatments and can include legs or a full body massage.
If you would like to experience any of our well being treatments or are interested in a deep tissue massage, please get in touch.
