WILL BE CLOSED 05.31.22-07.09.22
(medical leave)
Massage Therapist Near You
Quality Time
4447 N. Oakland Avenue 2nd Floor Suite 2 Shorewood, WI 53211
Email: qualitytime4447@gmail.com
Benefits and what to expect from Swedish Massage
The Swedish massage is the most common and best-known type of massage in the West, and the foundation for sports massage, deep tissue massage, aromatherapy massage, and other popular Western-style massages.
Based on the Western concepts of anatomy and physiology—as opposed to energy work on "meridians" or sen lines that are the focus in Asian massage systems—therapists utilize this type of massage to stimulate circulation, flush the circulatory system, release tight muscles, restore range of motion, and to relieve pain.
If it's your first time at the spa or you don't get a massage often, a Swedish massage is a good fit for beginners. Most people get a 50- or 60-minute Swedish or deep tissue massage, but 75 or 90 minutes will give the therapist more time to work the muscle tissue and achieve results. A Swedish massage can be slow and gentle, or vigorous and bracing, depending on the therapist's personal style and what he or she is trying to achieve. If you want deeper work and can tolerate more pressure to get relief from chronic muscle pain, it's better to book a deep tissue massage, which is another form of Swedish massage. If you have pain, it will likely take a series of massages to get results. Swedish massage and other types of therapeutic massage are performed by trained, licensed massage therapists.
What Happens During a Swedish Massage
In all Swedish massage, the therapist lubricates the skin with massage oil and performs various massage strokes, including the basic techniques for a traditional Swedish massage: effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, vibration/nerve strokes, and Swedish gymnastics.
These movements warm up the muscle tissue, releasing tension and gradually breaking up muscle "knots" or adhered tissues, called adhesion. Swedish massage promotes relaxation, among other health benefits, but before the massage, the therapist should ask you about any injuries or other conditions that he or she should know about.
Benefits and what to expect from Deep Tissue Massage
Deep Tissue Massage. Deep tissue massage therapy is similar to Swedishmassage, but the deeper pressure is beneficial in releasing chronic muscle tension. The focus is on the deepest layers of muscle tissue, tendons and fascia (the protective layer surrounding muscles, bones and joints).
Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage usually focuses on a specific problem, such as chronic muscle pain, injury rehabilitation, and the following conditions:
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Chronic pain
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Lower back pain
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Limited mobility
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Recovery from injuries (e.g. whiplash, falls, sports injury)
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Repetitive strain injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
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Postural problems
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Muscle tension in the hamstrings, glutes, IT band, legs, quadriceps, rhomboids, upper back
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Osteoarthritis pain
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Sciatica
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Piriformis syndrome
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Tennis elbow
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Fibromyalgia
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Muscle tension or spasm
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After a workout or bodybuilding
According to Consumer Reports magazine, 34,000 people ranked deep tissue massage more effective in relieving osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescription medications, chiropractic, acupuncture, diet, glucosamine and over-the-counter drugs.
Deep tissue massage also received a top ranking for fibromyalgia pain. People often notice improved range of motion immediately after a deep tissue massage.
What Can I Expect During My Visit?
Massage therapists may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms during the deep tissue massage.
You may be asked to breathe deeply as the massage therapist works on certain tense areas.
Will A Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?
It shouldn't hurt, but it's likely to be a bit more uncomfortable than a classic Swedish massage. You should always feel free to speak up if the pressure is too much for you.
It's important to drink a lot of water after a deep tissue massage to help flush lactic acid out of the tissues.
If you don't, you might be sore the next day.
It's possible that you might feel some soreness the day after a deep tissue massage even if you DO drink water. This just means a lot of waste products were flushed out of the tissues. It should pass within a day or so.
Benefits and what to expect from Sports Massage
Sports massage is a generic term for three different types of massage associated with athletic performance. Each type of massage has its own benefits and uses different techniques.
Pre-event sports massage is done to help prevent serious athletic injury. It helps to warm up the muscles, stretching them and making them flexible for optimal athletic performance. A pre-event massage stimulates the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles, reduces muscle tension, loosens the muscles, and produces a feeling of psychological readiness.
Whenever athletes exercise heavily, their muscles suffer micro-traumas. Small amounts of swelling occur in the muscle because of tiny tears. Post-event sports massage helps reduce the swelling caused by micro-traumas; loosens tired, stiff muscles; helps maintain flexibility; promotes blood flow to the muscle to remove lactic acid and waste build-up; and reduces cramping. In addition, post-event massage helps speed the athlete's recovery time and alleviates pulls, strains, and soreness.
Maintenance sports massage is done at least once a week as a regular part of athletic training programs, although professional athletes who have their own massage therapists may have maintenance massage daily. Maintenance massage increases the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles. It also keeps the tissues loose so that different layers of muscle slide easily over each other. Maintenance sports massage also helps reduce the development of scar tissue while increasing flexibility and range of motion.
The goal of all sports massage is to maximize athletic performance. Athletes in different sports will concentrate the massage on different parts of the body.
Conditions that generally respond well to massage as a complementary therapy include:
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muscle pain and stiffness
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muscle strain
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edema (swelling)
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muscle soreness
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muscle sprains
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muscle tension
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sore spots
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repetitive strain injuries
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tendinitis
Let us make you more fit to perform and to recover faster for greater results all around.
Benefits and what to expect from Hot Stone Massage
People often describe hot stone massage as comforting and deeply relaxing. The warmth is soothing for people who tend to feel chilly.
The heat of the stones relaxes muscles, allowing the therapist to work deeper while using lighter pressure.
There is a lack of research on the benefits of hot stone massage. People often use hot stone massage for the following conditions:
During the massage, the therapist places stones on specific points on the body. While the points may vary depending on the areas of muscle tension and the client's health history, the stones are generally placed in the following areas:
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Along both sides of the spine
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In the palms of your hand
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On your legs, abdomen, feet
Small stones may be placed between the toes or on the forehead. After the stones are placed on your body, it may take a few minutes for the heat to penetrate the sheet or towel so you can discern whether the stones are too hot. The therapist applies massage oil to the skin. Holding stones in both hands, the therapist uses gliding movements to move the stones along the muscles. The therapist uses Swedish massage techniques on the back, legs, neck, and shoulders while the stones are in place or after they have been removed. The length of a typical hot stone massage is between 60 and 90 minutes.
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Benefits and what to expect from Aromatherapy Massage
In a simple Swedish or deep tissue massage, the therapist glides over your skin with an oil or cream that has no scent. In an aromatherapy massage, however, the oil also contains an essential oil (or a blend of essential oils) derived from plants. Essential oils penetrate the body through the skin, creating multiple benefits beyond just their nice smell. They affect your mood, alleviate pain, detoxify your body, and ramp up your immune system, depending on the oil used.
In an aromatherapy massage, essential oils are mixed with a carrier oil like sweet almond, jojoba, or grapeseed. Therapists will then add a couple drops of popular essential oils—like lavender, peppermint, bergamot, rose, or geranium—to the mixture they use in your massage. More sophisticated spas create their own custom blends ahead of time—using up to five oils in a mixture and naming their signature oils for their various effects. A relaxing aromatherapy massage might include oil infused with lavender or bergamot, while peppermint and eucalyptus may be used to soothe sore muscles.
Aromatherapy massage is particularly suited to conditions involving stress or improving emotionally-related conditions.
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Stress and stress-related conditions such as insomnia
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Headache
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Digestive disorders
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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
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Back pain
Here are a few examples of the research that is being done on aromatherapy massage:
Self-massage significantly improved symptoms and well being in people with lymphedema. It also slightly, but not significantly reduced limb volume. However, carefully chosen aromatherapy oils did not appear to be more effective than massage without aromatherapy oils.Sixteen first-time mothers received a 30-minute aromatherapy massage two days after delivery, while 20 mothers received standard post-partum care. The aromatherapy massage group had significantly decreased ratings of post-partum blues and anxiety and had increased vigor and attachment to their babies.
Research suggests that patients with cancer, particularly in the palliative care setting, are increasingly using aromatherapy and massage.
What can I expect during an aromatherapy massage?
After the consultation, one or more essential oils are selected based on what you need and are mixed in with the massage oil or lotion.
The subtle aroma of the essential oils fills the air around you during the massage.
After the massage, the massage therapist may suggest a blend that you can use at home in between massage treatments.
Benefits and what to expect from Prenatal Massage
Pregnancy massage has been found to reduce stress, decrease swelling in the arms and legs, and relieve aches and pains in muscles and joints. It's a popular complementary therapy during pregnancy for back pain, when choices for pain relief, such as medication, are often limited. Not only can massage be physically beneficial, but the human touch can be comforting and provide emotional support during pregnancy. Massage therapy has been found to reduce anxiety and depression. Pregnancy Massage is the use of massage therapy during pregnancy to decrease some of the discomfort that often accompanies the time during pregnancy and after giving birth.
During a Pregnancy Massage session, the expecting mother’s comfort is the foremost priority. Additional bolstering, blankets, and heat pads may be used to ensure that the client is able to relax and find comfort on the massage table. Usually this means laying on one side or the other, but occasionally a mother will be able to find comfort on either her stomach or her back. Each client is approached according to her individual needs.
Furthermore, the months after giving birth can be uncomfortable as well as the new mother adjusts to the postures of breast-feeding, and nurturing for a new born. New mothers are always welcome to get treated for these common postural imbalances, but also to just relax and enjoy some time to themselves!