I always have my relaxing massage at a local massage clinic near our place. Sometimes I go there once or twice a month. Sometimes, if I am so stressed out, I can drop by anytime and have my relaxing massage. Elaine and her team at the Freedom Chinese Medicine clinic -freedomchinesemedicine.com have been so kind and helpful to really help me manage my stress. I always feel a lot better every time I spend a few hours under the caring and soothing hands of Elaine or any one of her staff. It is like getting recharged for the battle ahead the following day or the following week. If only it was possible to get massage every single night, I know my sleep will really be blissful.
Freedom Chine Medicine has only 2 kinds of massage – relaxation and remedial. Unlike other massage clinics which can have a dizzying number of massage styles like Shiatsu, Reflexology, and Swedish, just to name a few, Freedom only has 2. And I guess, I can say that this is one of the reasons why I chose it as my favourite massage clinic and not just because it is near my place in Ivanhoe. The only difference in the varying styles of massage is the manner in which the massage is performed. Massage will always result in relaxation or, if there are sore or aching muscles, they will lead to a reduction in the soreness or the level of pain.
If you want to relax, then you get the relaxing massage. If you have a sore or aching muscle, then get the remedial massage. Plain and simple. The question you might be asking me now is does remedial massage work? And my short and quick answer to that is yes, it really works.
Remedial massage works in the same way as a relaxing massage. The only difference is that it is more specific to a particular part of the body – that part that needs a remedy. For example, if you have sore leg muscles, then the massage will be focused on reducing the soreness of the muscles. Relaxing massage will be more on the whole body. Remedial massage is on the specific part of the body that is sore or aching. It is very important to understand that the target of massage is the different groups of muscles. If the problem is in a bone then massage should not be performed. For example, if you suspect having a fracture, manipulating the muscles will put a strain on the bone further aggravating the bone injury. Muscles are connected to the bone so it would be wise to remember that.
Remedial massage works by relieving the tension in the different muscle groups of the affected body part. The pressure applied onto these muscles help stimulate the release of certain chemicals from the brain which can help ease the feeling of pain. These substances, known as endorphins, also help to make you feel a lot better. They also help promote improved blood supply to the affected part so that inflammatory cells and substances can be effectively removed. Additionally, improving the blood supply to the affected area will allow the different cells in the body to start repairing the injured tissues. Sore muscles are often an indication of tissue injury. Enhancing the delivery of blood to this part will help hasten the speed of tissue repair and recovery.
Personally, I had the chance of having remedial massage at Freedom Chinese Medicine for several times now. I spend most of my time in front of my desk in the office. Unfortunately, our office chairs are not ergonomically designed. So you can expect that I did develop low back pain after how many years of working behind the desk. That was when I decided to ask Elaine for their remedial massage. At first, it was quite painful having the muscles around my lower back manipulated. They were sore. And the manipulation actually seemed to worsen it. Elaine reassured me that it is natural for the massage to hurt a bit especially when applied to sore muscles. But it was something that I had to endure. As Elaine continued massaging my lower back, I guess I got accustomed to the pressure that it didn’t feel painful anymore. Elaine explained that it is the endorphins from my brain that is already kicking in. By the time my first remedial massage session was done, I felt some improvement in the degree of lower back pain. Sure, it did still hurt but not as much as prior to my massage. So I scheduled another session with Elaine and for the next 3-4 session, I knew I had rid myself of low back pain.
This is just one example of how remedial massage can work. Now, I am not saying that since it worked for me, it should work for you, too. What I am trying to say is that remedial massage is primarily intended for certain very specific problems. It is not treatment for any disease but it can nevertheless manage some of the symptoms that can make our daily lives like hell.
