WHAT IS IT?

Massage is possibly the oldest therapy known to man, with evidence that it was practiced in the East as long ago as 3000BC. Hippocrates (often called 'The Father of Medicine') wrote, in the 5th century BC; "The way to good health is to have a scented bath and an oiled massage each day."

Today, the manipulation of soft tissue for therapeutic purposes, (or massage) is growing ever more popular for treatment of many problems. It turned to by sports men and women for muscle pain relief, it is used in hospitals for the terminally ill and in today's society, where stress is the cause of upto 80% of all illness, massage with its relaxing, body balancing results is truly a valuable therapy.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Massage uses the touch of the therapist to encourage and restore balance on a physical, mental and spiritual level. Strokes of massage include:

Effleurage-gentle stroking, always working towards the heart.

Petrissage-kneading of individual muscles.

Friction-using mainly the thumbs to grind muscle against bone to help break down adhesions and crystal deposits.

Tapotement-takes on many forms such as hacking, cupping and drumming all of which helps bring blood to the surface and deaden pain.

These techniques, when applied by the skilled therapist, not only affect the skin but also the musculoskeleton system, circulation and the medians or energy channels.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

When you come for your treatment we advise that you do not eat for two to three hours before.

After an initial consultation to discuss your general health and any specific problems we can proceed to the massage.

Each massage may be different depending on the patient's condition and will last between 20 and 60 minutes.

You may experience occasional discomfort, particularly if you have chronically stiff muscles, to try and avoid this pain we will always try to work at a suitable "level."

After your massage you should feel relaxed and comfortable, calm and at ease, some people even fall asleep.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Massage, when applied correctly, has the following effects on the various systems:

Tissue-It influences growth, nourishment and normal repair of all tissues of the human body.

Metabolism-general massage decreases blood pressure, increases bodily and local temperature, increases urine content and accelerates metabolism.

Skin-It nourishes the skin and removes waste products. Stimulates or numbs sensory nerve endings and improves glandular function.

Muscular-Massage nourishes, bringing better blood supply and local heat. It removes carbon dioxide and other waste products, burns fat, restores tone and helps to counteract atrophy.

Circulation-Massage accelerates venous and lymphatic return, reduces arterial pressure and facilitates cardiac action.

Digestion-General massage promotes peristalsis, digestion, absorption and evacuation. Gastric and intestinal secretions are stimulated and hepatic function is accelerated.

Nervous-Massage increases the conductivity of a nerve and stimulates or deadens according to the application. It excites reflexes and exercises the whole system.