Massage. Ahh... Just the thought of it conjures up visions of seeing yourself on a table, totally relaxed, as knowing fingers and hands of a massage therapist work out the kinks and cares of the world from your body and your mind.Who will turn down a good back, shoulder or neck massage, even for just a moment or two? Those brief moments can be like an oasis of pleasure amidst a hectic, stressful day, and a simple stress-relieving massage at your desk can certainly entice you into a better attitudeMassage in its various forms has many benefits. Along with helping reduce stress and encourage relaxation, massage can also improve posture and your circulation. It lowers blood pressure, relieves headaches, and improves flexibility and range of motion, according to Massage Envy’s Web site.But before deciding massage is just the thing you need to restore your worn body and tired mind, consider knowing exactly what you expect and need in a massage. Most massage therapists will ask you some questions to get an idea of what you may be needing and looking for, but a little research ahead of time will enhance your massage experience.Don Nelson, owner of Massage Envy in Rogers, says there are around 250 different types of massage. Some of those may be of the illegal kind, underscoring the necessity for research and of knowing what massage to ask for.Aside from the research, finding a reputable massage business can also be of help, or talk to friends and acquaintances that you trust for a recommendations.Massage Envy, for instance, offers professional therapists for trigger point therapy; Swedish massage; deep tissue massage; and sports, reflexology and cranial sacral massage as well.The cranial massage can relieve stress and provide relief from migraine headaches, as well as relief from back, neck and certain joint disorders.Trigger point massage involves massage and passive stretching, along with corrective exercises to treat pain. It also involves nutrition and stress management.Sports massage is sought after by athletes to enhance their performance and recovery after an event.Swedish massage, perhaps the most popular of the massage therapies in the United States, is a relaxing, massage designed to energize your body. Deep tissue is another massage offered by Massage Envy that many clients opt for. It is very beneficial for those who develop knots in their shoulders, back or elsewhere. If you are not pain tolerant, though, think twice about this one.Personally, it felt as if the massage therapist’s fingers were going to dig through the back and yank out a rib. The massage did feel good otherwise, but there was not much relaxing going on.But people who regularly get this type of massage swear by it. Becky McNellis of Rogers gets deep tissue therapy because she suffers from fibromyalgia, a bad back and pain from a broken hip sustained two years ago.McNellis says the muscles on the left side of the leg where she broke her hip atrophied, causing her severe muscle spasms. It also has affected her gait when she walks.Since getting deep tissue massages, the Rogers woman says she does not limp nearly as much as she used to, but adds she paid the price at the beginning of her therapy.“It isn’t just touchy-feely good,” McNellis concedes. “It’s almost like a workout. I just can’t tell you how much my legs have improved after just four massages.”Tom Gustafson is another believer in deep tissue massage. He played baseball in college, but says the pain and stiffness he played through magnified in later years.“The pain got to the point where it would literally stop me at times when I was walking, and it would shoot down my legs,” Gustafson says. “I would regularly get cramps in my legs at night from muscle spasms.” Since getting the massages, Gustafson says he has not had muscle spasms since.Call Massage Envy for more information at 763-428-3605.Other massages are more beneficial for relieving stress and rejuvenating your skin. Planet Beach in Albertville has a hydro derma fusion massage that hydrates your entire body with steam and either minerals or vitamins, while gently massaging your legs, buttocks and back.With this massage you lie down in a capsule-like machine that has an opening for your head to fit through once the top is in place. Clients getting this massage can choose the specific blends of tropical liquid vitamins, plant extracts or aloe vera they want to have used in their hydration massage. The liquid is poured into a receptacle inside the capsule. As the infrared heat begins warming, these blends are released in the steam that penetrates deeply into every pore in your body, reaching a sustained 118 degrees.Personally, this treatment was incredibly relaxing, making every pore feel deeply cleansed, leaving a tingling, energizing sensation.Owner Susan Hasler says the hydro derma fusion massage “increases collagen and your skin’s elasticity while improving skin tone and texture as well.”It also relieves stress and gives you better range of motion.“I was stressed and tired from working nonstop to finish my basement, and I decided to try the hydro derma fusion because I was so sore. The massage bed was amazing, and it felt much better than a hands-on massage. Afterward my stress was completely gone, and I was calmed down and able to focus more productively to get work done.”Planet Beach also offers hydro dry massage that is great for reliving stress as well. Call 763-497-3511 for more information.A third massage personally experienced was a hot stone massage at Orion Wellness Center in Rogers. Owner Kathy McShane, a licensed massage therapist, gave the one-hour massage. This one was uniquely relaxing. The lava stones used in the massage retain their heat far longer than other stones, and as McShane placed the stones of various sizes on different areas of the body, the heat seemed to penetrate deeply into muscles and tissue.The effects on the body are magnified, as it allows the massage to have a deeper, more pronounced difference than other massages like the deep tissue or the hydro derma fusion massages left.Orion Wellness offers other massages as well, such as the Swedish and acupressure massages, relaxation, deep tissue, trigger point and connective tissue massages.But it also offers alternative therapies that use Eastern methods to massage the mind and a person’s energy fields. These and many other therapies are available at Orion Wellness Center. Call 763-428-0088 to learn more.Whichever type of massage you choose, keep in mind that any benefit could be wiped out quickly by toxins if they are not flushed from your body soon after a massage.Manipulations of a massage release high levels of toxins into your body that need to be flushed out with plenty of water. If you fail to do this it can result in a lot of pain throughout your body, or even a stint of sickness.Without flushing toxins, they can go directly into the bloodstream to overload the immune system. Consequently, the body’s ability to fight off sickness can be lowered too far to adequately prevent a virus from taking hold.Of the 250 massages out there, you are sure to find just the right one for your needs. Just drink plenty of water afterwards.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008 by Bob GraweyStaff writer
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