Massage is applying pressure to parts of the body using various techniques like kneading, rubbing, and tapping. It’s mostly done with the hands, although modern methods don’t require the use of hands.
This pressure applied is to work the joints and muscles and relieve tension from them. People who specialize in carrying out massages are known as massage therapists.
It was mainly a way to relax initially, but now, massage has many therapeutic purposes. Hence, it’s not only a luxury experience anymore, and even clinics offer it.
However, it would be best not to confuse it for physical therapy as they’re two separate things.
We know that it reduces stress, pain, and muscle tension. However, they also use it to aid injury healing for anxiety and insomnia, among other things.
Various Types of Massage
Many massage types exist, but some are more widespread than others. The popular ones include Swedish, hot stone, deep tissue, pressure point, sports, and chair massages. The Swedish massage is gentle and is usually for people who’re sensitive to touch. It involves kneading, vibration, tapping, passive joint techniques, and deep, circular motions.
Hot stone therapy makes use of heated stones to relax the tension and relieve muscle pains. The rocks are either placed on different body areas or held by the therapist while massaging. Meanwhile, deep tissue involves using pressure. It’s helpful for people with tight muscles, soreness, or injury. This one is more intense than most of the others.
For pressure point, they focus the massage on certain parts, which cause pain in other regions. These parts are known as triggers or pressure points. The therapist employs broad, flowing strokes combined with deep pressure to give the required effect. They use it for injury healing and relief of chronic pains. Even though the focus is on specific parts, the result is general.
Chair massage focuses on the shoulders, neck, and back. It’s a quick type that helps to promote relaxation. You sit in a unique chair in a way that allows access to your back, and the therapist uses medium pressure. This type is what inspired the massage chair. It’s now widely used with reviews from the industry’s leading massage therapists.
Sports massage is the type used for athletes to treat or prevent muscle injuries. That’s because, in addition to relieving pain and tension, it increases flexibility. It also involves deep pressure with soothing strokes. Other types are Thai, Shiatsu, reflexology, reiki, aromatherapy, and pregnancy massage.
Unconventional Massage Therapies
Some unconventional ones include the snake, Venik, and chocolate massages. Snake massage, as the name implies, involves the use of snakes. It might sound dangerous, but the snakes used are non-venomous, and an attendant is always there to eliminate possible harm. It has a Roman origin and was used to heal sick and dying people.
Venik massage is of Russian origin and involves a bunch of leafy birch or oak twigs. They usually rub, stroke, lash or compress them across one’s back. The people believe that it intensifies metabolism and increases blood circulation. However, it’s hard to think of hitting as therapeutic, but it works for them. We’ll discuss the chocolate massage in detail, subsequently.
History of Chocolate and Its Use in Massage
There are many things to know about chocolate. Formerly, people only drank cocoa as a bitter liquid or mixed with spices. It has an Aztec origin, and they knew it as a source of strength and an aphrodisiac. It had substantial religious and medicinal significance to them. These days, there are many uses for it, including beverages, chocolates, and massage therapy.
The use of chocolate in massage probably stemmed from its extended cosmetic use. For a long time, cocoa has been a coveted ingredient in lotions, creams, oils, and other beauty products. It contains caffeine, a known stimulant, and is rich in antioxidants. These properties, combined with the soothing aroma, helps improve circulation and relieve stress.
The massage lotion’s primary ingredients are cocoa powder, Shea butter, and an essential oil like peppermint or chamomile. However, some therapists or spas use cocoa oil or chocolate wax instead. They spread or rub the lotion, oil, or wax on the skin while massaging. They can use any of the types of chocolate, but the dark one is more common, and the treatment is either done hot or at room temperature.
Benefits of Chocolate Massage
Due to cocoa’s active constituents, it relieves anxiety and stress by producing and secreting endorphins in the body. The rich scent and the smooth feel create a relaxing atmosphere during the massage, having a calming effect. It also contains theobromine, which helps to burn fat, and besides, it nourishes, firms, hydrates, and moisturizes the skin.
Chocolate therapy also gets rid of cellulite. This type of massage is fast gaining traction because it has many health-related benefits besides the general ones obtained from massage. People believe it’s a way of getting all the advantages of chocolate without the calories. It’s something that everyone should experience at least once.