The Therapist - Christchurch City, New Zealand

Relaxation massage offer gentle techniques. The goal, or intention, of relaxation massage is to reduce stress, promote overall wellness, relax muscles, diminish pain, and move body fluids (such as blood) to nourish cells and help remove waste products.

Specific goals for relaxation massage include:

Relief for tight muscles (knots) and other aches and pains
Improved circulation
Reduction of stress
Enhanced sense of wellbeing
Improved mood (reduction in depression, anxiety, and anger)
Improved sleep patterns
Increased energy and vitality
Experience of comfort through touch

Deep Tissue Massage, as its name says, focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. It is designed to reach the deep sections of thick muscles, specifically the individual muscle fibres.

Using deep muscle compression and friction along the grain of the muscle, the purpose of Deep Tissue Massage is to unstick the fibres of the muscles and release both toxins and deeply held tension points. Specific hand positions and strokes are used to respond to various tissues while breath and movement techniques are employed to release muscular congestion. It helps to loosen muscle tissues, release toxins from muscles and get blood and oxygen circulating properly. It is both corrective and therapeutic. It is beneficial for many physical problems, including sports injuries and chronic pain. Because it works very deeply, emotional issues can also be addressed, when these have been stored in the body.

Treatments take place on a massage table on bare skin. Deep Tissue Massage usually focuses on specific areas and may cause some soreness during or after the session. If the massage is done correctly however, you should feel better within a day or two. Water helps to eliminate toxins from the body so it is important to drink plenty of water after a Deep Tissue Massage to help this process along.