What is massage?

Massage is one of the oldest known forms of medicine/holistic healing. It is also one of the most intuitive. Think about this, if you fall over and bang your knee, what is one of the first things you do? You rub it right? Massage has been shown to reduce stress, promote blood flow and relax muscles.

The earliest recorded use of massage dates back to 3000BC where the Chinese practiced a technique known as ‘Amma’. This focused on specific movements of the body for relaxation and restoration. The Japanese also used ‘Amma’ but expanded upon the practice to create ‘Shiatsu’. Shiatsu is the application of pressure to specific points of the body in order to improve circulation, neural efficiency and general health.

In India massage is part of their traditional, holistic approach to medicine known as Ayurvedic Medicine. Holistic medicine considers the whole person during treatment, not just the problem area. The Greeks and Romans used massage for healing purposes and believed that all doctors needed to know how to use massage for healing purposes.

Modern massage as we know it today (in Western Circles) is based on techniques developed by Per Henrik Ling. Ling was from Sweden and the influence he had on the practice is why we use the term Swedish Massage. Having studied in China, Ling developed a system of movements for improving health and physical condition. Many systems and methods exist but Swedish massage remains the basis for most practice in Western Medicine.

Will I have to remove my clothing?

Not if you don’t want to! A massage typically relies on hand to body contact assisted by the use of massage mediums. The best results are achieved with skin to skin contact, however, if you wish to remain clothed for any treatments, that is entirely fine! In sessions where clients may wish to remain clothed I will typically massage through a towel, this helps me achieve the same sliding motions that skin on skin contact would usually offer me.

Will it hurt?

It doesn’t have to! There is a little bit of a myth that if a massage is not painful it’s not beneficial but that is simply not true! I always endeavour to operate well within a clients tolerances. I’m supposed to take your pain away not add to it! Of course, if you feel comfortable with a firmer pressure, I can certainly deliver it! I like to say

Who do you massage?

Anyone and everyone! I am comfortable treating any sex/gender of clientele and do not discriminate. I want any one I treat to feel as comfortable as possible and will do my utmost to keep you covered throughout the treatment. I use sheets for maximum coverage and ease of drape.

FAQ’s on Acupuncture

The number one question I get on acupuncture is, will it hurt? The easiest answer is most of the time, NO.
In fact, sometimes people don’t even feel the needles go in! It has everything to do with needle placement and how much pain someone is in before a treatment.
Whilst I know my anatomy very well, and can be confident in my needle placement, that is very different to having x-ray vision and knowing exactly where each muscle is on an individuals body. This can, on rare occasions lead to a needle finding an uncomfortable area. If this happens there are two options, leave the needle in and allow the localised contraction to relax or, simply remove the needle instantly to avoid discomfort.
Lastly, it is possible to catch a blood vessel with a needle which can cause a little localised swelling and possibly bleeding when the needle is removed. This is very rare and very easy to heal up afterwards.

FAQ’s on Cupping

As mentioned in the Services description, cupping relies on lifting the tissues away from the skeleton through use of a vacuum. Cupping will almost always leave a mark, these are not painful but can look rather intense. Some of this can be mitigated by a weaker vacuum and moving the cups regularly though that will impact any benefit that the massage will be having.

I can use either traditional glass jars with an open flame or modern silicone alternatives. The traditional cups offer a much stronger vacuum and would always be my preferred option for the treatment. However, if we are in a venue that does not allow open flame or if you are uncomfortable at the idea of the flame, we will use the silicone cups.
As I mentioned in the Services description, I do not upsell this service so you are welcome to try it out first, however, I will need to know well in advanced to make sure I have all the right equipment with me on the day.

Got more questions?

Book in a call with me and we can discuss any queries/concerns you may have.