Relaxation Massage – Remedial Massage – Dry Needling – Cupping
Relaxation Massage
Indulge yourself and reduce stress and tension! Book a Relaxation Massage at Phillip Island Massage Therapy. Relaxation Massage, also known as Swedish Massage, is generally a full-body treatment involving gentle, flowing massage style that promotes relaxation, relieves muscular tension, plus improves circulation and range of movement. This helps in relaxing the muscles in the body and enhancing mental well being. It’s perfect for individuals who need to take a break from the everyday stresses in life.
Remedial Massage
Remedial Massage treatment stretches and lengthens soft tissue (muscles, tendons & ligaments). This helps to reduce pain and discomfort in the muscles and usually brings sensations of wellness and relaxation. Patients usually also notice an improvement in mobility throughout the body. The damaged soft tissue is often the cause of pain and dysfunction and if left untreated can result in other muscles overcompensating. This creates further imbalances to the musculoskeletal system causing long-term pain and discomfort.
Regular Remedial Massage treatments shorten recovery times from muscular strain by flushing the tissue of lactic acid, and other metabolic wastes. This improves circulation and stretches the ligaments and tendons, keeping them supple and functional.
Throughout your massage treatment, your therapist Andrew will ask you questions about the injury and your level of pain. This is so she can isolate the damaged soft tissue and regulate the pressure for the best results. After a massage you should immediately feel a result; after 3-4 sessions you will feel vast improvements.
Remedial massage uses the following soft tissue techniques depending on the clients needs.
Deep Tissue Massage
Sports Massage
Myofascial release
Trigger Point Therapy
Dry Needling Therapy
Dry needling therapy is a technique similar to acupuncture which involves the insertion of a thin filament needle into the flesh to stimulate the healing process of soft tissues (trigger points in muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, etc). This treatment results in pain relief and the restoration of healthy physiology. Additionally, scientific research has proven that dry needling reduces muscle tension, pain. Dry Needling helps patients to recover from specific muscle injuries faster.
How does Dry Needling Work?
The filament (or needle) stimulates the nervous system by prompting it to send messages to muscles fibres allowing them to relax and allow muscle ‘knots’ to release. The muscles then return to their resting length and the patient feels an improvement in their muscle condition.
Dry Needling is very effective for releasing tight tissues, especially those that are too painful to tolerate massage or are within the deeper layer of muscle tissues. Andrew’s clients frequently report a decrease in pain or an absence of it entirely following treatment. Other benefits usually include an increase in blood flow and an improved range of motion within the affected joints. It is very common for patients suffering from long-term muscle pain and tightness to make a full recovery following a course of treatment.
What is the difference between Acupuncture and Dry Needling?
It is a common misconception that dry needling therapy is the same treatment as acupuncture, which is derived from traditional Chinese medicine. Modern dry needling is a practice based on modern scientific research of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems and has it’s foundation in Western Medicine (at least recently). Both practices use the same type of thin needle filament however their application is different in that acupuncture revolves around ‘Chi’ but Dry Needling targets Scientifically proven trigger points within the body.
Is Dry Needling Therapy painful?
Most people do not feel the insertion of the needle. The local “twitch response” is common and may provoke a brief pain sensation. Furthermore, this sensation is often described as an aching, tingling or cramping sensation and passes shortly after.
Cupping
What is Cupping and how does it work?
Cupping is a Traditional Chinese medicine technique that has been in use for centuries to treat many different conditions. The treatment works by placing open-ended cups on the skin to create vacuum seal from the lack of oxygen. The Cup draws the superficial muscle layer into itself and this stimulates the circulation of blood. Additionally, it also breaks up adhesions in the muscle and creates a pathway for toxins to be drawn out of the body through the lymphatic system. As a result, Cupping can affect the soft tissue up to 10 centimeters deep; affecting fascia, muscles, scar tissue and blood vessels.
Cupping is used specifically to decompress scar tissue and muscle adhesions. It’s also used to relax muscles in spasm, decrease trigger point pain, decrease tissue changes and inflammation following physical trauma. Regular Cupping treatments increase circulation, muscle endurance and lymphatic drainage. This enhances the body’s overall ability to recover from workouts and strenuous activity.
What does cupping feel like?
Cupping is usually a pleasant experience for the patient. It is often described as a gentle suction and feels more intense in areas of muscle rigidity. After a cupping treatment, the sensation is similar to how you would feel after a deep tissue massage. One main difference is with massage your muscles are being pushed down, however with cupping, they are being pulled up.
Furthermore, depending on the amount of suction required to treat the patient’s tissues, circular marks may remain after a treatment. These marks often vary from a light yellow to dark purple. If you are planning a visit to the beach, you may want to let Andrew know before you commence Cupping treatment.
Cupping creates more space in between the tissue layers to get rid of dead cellular debris, excess fluids and toxins, and breaks up scar tissue. As a result, debris being pulled up and deposited under the skin causes the marks you see. Furthermore, this is actually the most effective place for the lymphatic system to drain it away.
What are the benefits of Cupping?
• Stimulates whole body relaxation response (parasympathetic response)
• Promotes circulation and increases lymphatic drainage
• Stretches connective tissue and muscle
• Stimulates oxygenation and detoxification of blood
• Detoxifies metabolic debris in fascia, muscle tissue and skin.
• Increases range of motion, breaks up adhesions, and promotes healing in scar tissue and chronic injury sites