Massage therapists travel to
patients' homes or workplaces to provide a
massage. Massage therapy treatments
usually last for 45 to 60 minutes,
or as long as 1.5 to 2 hours. For some
conditions (especially chronic ones),
therapists often advise a series of
appointments. Massage cost $75.
Call as at 773-625-8365 for more information
or schedule your massage!
What massage therapy is
The term massage therapy (also called massage, for short; massage also
refers to an individual treatment session) covers a group of practices and
techniques. There are over 80 types of massage therapy. In all of them,
therapists press, rub, and otherwise manipulate the muscles and other soft
tissues of the body, often varying pressure and movement. They most often use
their hands and fingers, but may use their forearms, elbows, or feet.
Typically, the intent is to relax the soft tissues, increase delivery of blood
and oxygen to the massaged areas, warm them, and decrease pain.
A few popular examples of this therapy are as follows:
1. A therapist giving
a deep tissue massage uses patterns of strokes and deep finger pressure on parts of the body where
muscles are tight or knotted, focusing on layers of muscle deep under the skin.
2. In trigger point
massage (also called pressure point massage), the therapist uses a variety of strokes but applies
deeper,
more focused pressure on myofascial trigger points--"knots"
that can form in the muscles, are painful when pressed, and cause
symptoms elsewhere in the body as well.
3. In shiatsu massage, the therapist applies varying,
rhythmic pressure from the fingers on parts
of the body that are believed to
be important for the flow of a vital energy.
Health care providers recommend that patients not have massage therapy if
they have one or more of the following conditions:
1. Deep
vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the legs)
2. A bleeding
disorder or taking blood-thinning drugs such as warfarin
3. Damaged
blood vessels
4. Weakened bones from osteoporosis, a recent fracture, or cancer
5. A
fever
Any
of the following in an area that would be massaged:
1. An
open or healing wound
2. A tumor
3. Damaged nerves
4. An infection or acute inflammation
5. Inflammation from radiation treatment
6. A sensitivity or allergy to massage oils