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Types of Massage

Each massage is tailored to the individual needs of the client and, unless one specific modality is requested, will be a combination of any or all of the following therapies:

•Neuromuscular/Myofascial Release Therapy
The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®
Ortho-Bionomy
Craniosacral Therapy
Prenatal Massage
Manual Lymphatic Drainage
Sports Massage
Stone Massage
Swedish Massage
Cupping Therapy
•Reiki

Neuromuscular/Myofascial Release Therapy

Neuromuscular/Myofascial Release Therapy is a method of carefully searching for and treating ischemic areas within skeletal muscle and the associated trigger points that are often the key factors in chronic and severe pain. Myofascial Release is a form of soft tissue therapy used to treat somatic dysfunction and accompanying pain and restriction of motion. This is accomplished by relaxing contracted muscles, increasing circulation, increasing venous and lymphatic drainage, and stimulating the stretch reflex of muscles and overlying fascia. Myofascial trigger points are aggravated by ischemia, or the lack of oxygen and nutrition in the contracted area. Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Palpation of the trigger point will elicit pain directly over the affected area and/or cause radiation of pain toward a zone of reference and a local twitch response.This type of therapy is widely acclaimed and extremely successful in pain relief. ¹

The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy®

The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® for the reproductive and digestive systems is an external, non-invasive technique using only hands to reposition reproductive organs and improve blood flow to digestive organs. This therapeutic treatment has been known and practiced by healers for thousands of years, but forgotten or suppressed in this century. Throughout history, healers in Central America have used these massage techniques in villages and healing temples. It represents an unbroken chain of knowledge handed down from generation to generation of midwives, healers and shamans. These ancient Maya massage techniques eliminate the primary cause of female and male complaints - the congested uterus and prostate - thereby preventing the progression of symptoms to chronic disease. This healing work assists in the vital flow of fluids and energy to nourish and repair the organs and systems naturally, removing the deterrants and obstructions to Nature's Healing Force. ²

Orthobionomy

Orthobionomy (also called Positional Release Therapy) is a therapy that helps to identify and release pain and holding patterns by letting the body find its own balance without force, and thereby facilitating re-education. The focus is on finding a release position that creates comfort, so that the body notices how to be comfortable. Once the body is comfortable, it relaxes. When it relaxes, the natural, inherent harmony of the physical structure can reassert itself. Ortho-Bionomy started as a coming together of two apparently disparate arts: osteopathy and Judo. The background of osteopathy lends a strong grounding in the understanding of the physical structure. Through Judo comes the understanding that the greatest strength and fluidity come from moving WITH our partner, not against. Combined, these two elements provide a potent tool for bringing about change in our bodies. Using this technique, the body is positioned in such a way as to contract an already contracted muscle a little further, thereby taking the strain off and allowing it to complete the motion of contracting. This in turn sets off a reflex response within the body to begin adjusting the position of the opposing muscles to accomodate this change in muscle length. There is an additional neurological response that happens through the proprioceptive reflexes.

Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral therapy (also called CST) is an holistic approach to healing and whereby the practitioner "listens through the hands" to the body's subtle rhythms. Over 100 years ago Dr. William Sutherland discovered that the cranial sutures were designed to express small degrees of motion, and that this motion is essentially produced by the body's inherent life force, or "Breath of Life." He was able to connect this motion of the cranial bones to subtle movements that involve a network of interrelated tissues and fluids at the core of the body; including cerebrospinal fluid, the central nervous system, the membranes that surround the central nervous system, and the sacrum. The intention of treatment is to facilitate the expression of the life force energy and so enhance the body's own self-healing and self-regulating capabilities. This is done in a non-invasive way as the practitioner subtly and gently encourages the conditions that allow for the reemergence of primary respiratory motion. Furthermore, the practitioner's deep and clear quality of presence can become a reflective mirror for the patient and an invaluable cue for their potential for change. This therapy is suitable for people of all ages including babies, children and the elderly, and can be effective in acute or chronic cases. including mental stress, neck and back pain, migraines, TMJ Syndrome, and for chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.

Prenatal Massage

Prenatal massage is similar to massage during non-pregnancy in terms of the goals (relaxation, pain relief, increased circulation & mobility, etc.). However, due to the changes undergone during pregnancy, modification are made. To accommodate swollen tender breasts and a growing belly, special pillows, positioning and techniques are utilized to ensure comfort for both the expecting mother and baby. With increasing weight, a changing center of gravity and the many other changes associated with pregnancy, prenatal massage can help provide relief and a sense of well being that is much deserved.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a very gentle type of massage which aims to re-route the flow of stagnated lymphatic fluid around blocked areas into more centrally located healthy lymphatic vessels, which eventually drain into the venous system. A very light, circular stroke is used with this tecnique to stimulate the lymph vessels that lie just beneath the skin. The direction and order of MLD is as important as the gentle stroke, as the areas of the body where the lymph nodes are concentrated (neck, axilla, groin) are stimulated first in order to ready them to receive more fluid. MLD is an important technique for moving lymph fluid out of the congested area and back into circulation in the center of the body.

Sports Massage

Sports massage is actually a form of Swedish massage that is delivered to athletes. Most commonly, sports massage focuses on increasing blood and lymphatic fluid flow, reducing and eliminating pain as well as tender trigger points, and increasing range of motion of the affected area. Sports massages can be broken into 4 distinct types - the pre-event sports massage, the post-event sports massage, the restorative sports massage and the rehabilitative sports massage. As the names indicate, each type of sports massage has a different focus for the athlete as they are delivered at different times during their training and performance schedule.

Stone Massage

A stone massage uses cold or hot water-heated stones to apply pressure and heat/cold to the body. Basalt is the most common type of igneous rock used in hot stone massage. It has the ability to acquire, hold, and emanate a consistent and soothing heat for long periods of time. Stone massage dates back to over 3000 years ago in ancient India and China, and more recently to the North American Indians living in the southwest states. Stone massage combines the benefits of hydrotherapy, cryotherapy (cold therapy), and thermotherapy (or the use of heat applications) with the strokes of massage using the stones and massage oil to create a deep, relaxing and healing treatment. Benefits of thermotherapy include: increased local circulation, improved blood flow to surrounding issues, and greater ability to transport toxins and waste products from the area. Cold therapy, or cryotherapy, works on the principle of heat exchange. wear the cooler object (the stone) absorbs the heat of the warmer object (the skin). If cold is applied after a trauma or injury, it lowers the temperature of the damaged tissue and constricts local blood vessels, slowing metabolism and the consumption of oxygen and therefore reducing the rate of cell damage and decreasing fluid build-up or swelling. The combination of hot and cold stones provides therapeutic balance.

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration/shaking. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness, and improving function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee over a period of eight weeks. It has also been shown to be helpful in individuals with poor circulation. The development of Swedish massage is credited to Per Henrik Ling, though the Dutch practitioner Johan Georg Mezger adopted the French names to denote the basic strokes. The term "Swedish" massage is not really known in the country of Sweden, where it is called "classic massage".³

Cupping Therapy

Cupping Therapy, which dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures, is an alternative medicine in which cups are placed on the skin to create suction. This suction in the cups mobilizes blood flow to promote the healing of the muscle tissue and helps clear congestion. A cotton ball is dabbed in alcohol and set on fire, then is put quickly in and out of the cup, which is immediately placed on the patient's skin. As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes the skin to rise and redden as blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for five to 10 minutes.

Reiki

Reiki is a Japanese word representing universal life energy, the energy which is all around us. Reiki is a time honored, sacred method of bringing balance and harmony to the body, mind, and soul. It operates on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. It is safe, simple, fast, and can never harm, only enhance one's own healing process. Reiki is a vibrational, or subtle energy, therapy most commonly facilitated by light touch. It is believed to balance the bio-field and strengthen the body's own healing ability. Reiki is increasingly used as an adjunct to conventional medical care, both in and out of hospital settings. Reiki energy has several basic effects: it brings about deep relaxation, destroys energy blockages, detoxifies the system, provides new vitality in the form of healing universal life energy, and increases the vibrational frequency of the body.

[1] Content adapted from Travell and Simons" Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: A Trigger Point Manual
[2] Content adapted from text written by Rosita Arvigo
[3] Content obtained from Wikipedia.org