What to Expect
When you first arrive at the office, the therapist will go over your full history, including chronic conditions, ongoing health issues, and any recent health concerns.
Each visit after this will involve an assessment to determine how to tailor your treatment. The therapist will review your progress, what you hope to achieve, and any life events that may be affecting your health and wellbeing.
Below are some descriptions of the types of massage therapy available at Atlas Massage and Wellness.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is the most common type of body work. The primary goal of this modality is to relax the entire body. It involves soft, long and kneading strokes, on the topmost layers of muscles. It is exceptionally beneficial for increasing the level of oxygen in the blood, decreasing muscle toxins, and improving circulation and flexibility while easing tension.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage is similar to Swedish but with firmer pressure. This modality is best used when treating certain painful, stiff trouble spots in your body. The practitioner uses deliberate and slow manipulation that focuses pressure on layers of muscle and tendons deep under the skin. While this type of massage is not as rhythmic as Swedish, it is very therapeutic-relieving chronic patterns of tension and helping with muscle injuries.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a gentle massage treatment that uses light, rhythmic movements to move excess fluid out of swollen tissues and joints. MLD increases circulation, blood flow, and detoxification; it can also re-route lymph pathways to encourage smooth movement of fluids in cases where lymph nodes have been removed. MLD can also help with sprains, whiplash, hematomas, and lymphedema, as well as autoimmune conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis. Manual Lymphatic Drainage effectively reduces post-surgical swelling, and is used as a complimentary treatment in oncology settings. The gentle nature of MLD helps bring us out of “fight-or-flight” mode and instead activates our parasympathetic nervous system, making it an effective treatment for anxiety, PTSD, and general stress reduction.
Cupping
Cupping is a traditional, time-honored treatment favored by millions of people worldwide because it’s safe and remarkably effective for many health disorders. It’s use of suction, rather than compression helps rapidly facilitate rigid soft tissue release and loosens and lifts connective tissues. Cupping pulls stagnation out of the tissues and brings it to the skin level. The pores expand, discharging some of the waste and toxins. The rest is then more accessible to the body’s circulatory and lymphatic systems where it can be properly flushed out. In addition, cupping brings fresh, revitalized blood to stagnant areas.
Click here to learn about the different types of cupping and how they can benefit your health and well being.