The Key Differences Between Swedish And Ayurvedic Massage Techniques There are so many different sorts of massage

that it can be quite hard to decide which type would be best for you. Nearly each country or area in the world has its own local style of massage therapy. However there are in essence two broad k inds of massage and these are therapeutic and relaxation massage therapy styles. Therapeutic massage is intended to heal issues with muscles, bones and joints, l ike, say, a bad back and relaxation massage therapy is meant to relax a person a fter a stressful day, so it soothes the knots aways from the muscles and the str ess from the mind. There is a certain amount of overlap between these styles tho ugh. These two styles may be characterized by two different techniques from two diffe rent parts of the world. Swedish massage is a relaxation method from the Develop ed World and Ayurvedic massage is therapeutic and originated in the East. Swedish massage, also known as classic massage, is the standard oil massage used in America and Europe. It is exemplified by long, gentle, flowing strokes in th e direction of blood flow, which are meant to encourage circulation and relax mu scles. There are four or five basic techniques to Swedish massage: 1] Effleurage - these are the long strokes characteristic of Swedish massage. Th ey are carried out with the whole hand or a pad for the length of the back, the length of the arm or leg. 2] Petrissage - this involves lifting the muscles away from their normal positio n and squeezing them so that the massage goes deeper in order to further improve circulation and remove toxic deposits. 3] Friction - this is as rough as it gets; the fingertips are used forcefully in deep circular movements on bony areas and joints to increase flexibility in joi nts and muscles. 4] Tapotement - this is the slapping, chopping and tapping that you find in Swed ish massage. It can be conducted with a fist, the heel of the hand or the edge o f the hand like a karate chop. These short, sharp, rapid taps are meant to allev iate tension and cramp. 5] Vibration - the hand or hands are placed on, say, the lower back, and the mas seur vibrates his hands. It is said to be helpful for those with certain concern s like backache. The Ayurvedic massage technique is to be observed in Shiatsu, Thai massage, Musl im massages, Indian massages and several others. Ayurvedic massage incorporates the Eastern approach of harmony and tries to reinstate the balance of harmony be tween the mind and the body. Some of these variations of massage use oil but Shiatsu and Thai do not. They al l make use of pressure points by means of acupressure. Chinese types use meridia ns, the Thai form uses Sen, which are not the same. Ayurvedic massage applies a form of reflexology or foot massage on the feet and yoga postures on the rest of the body. This massage necessitates a deep knowledg e of anatomy and physiology in order to manipulate the limbs, joints and muscles . Apart from this specialized information, Ayurvedic massage employs all the metho

ds used in Swedish massage as well. It is the basis of the massage techniques us ed in hospitals and physiotherapy. Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on numerous topics, but is at prese nt concerned with the <a href="http://classesformassagetherapy.com/thai-massageparlor-video.html">Thai massage parlor video</a>. If you have an interest in mas sage, please go over to our web site now at <a href="http://classesformassagethe rapy.com">Classes For Massage Therapy</a>