4 Therapeutic Massage Techniques To Ease Your Back Pain

Massage is something that we like, something that we do to aching parts of our bodies. I don't know of a person who does not enjoy a round of massage - be it on the hands, feet, legs, head or back. When you have a hair-cut, scalp massage is an added service of the hair dresser or barber, finger and toe massage are rendered after a manicure or pedicure. There are different kinds of massage. For most of you, your understanding is that a massage is done in a spa.

There are two common types of massage. The kind that has been mentioned earlier is the relaxation massage - that which is done in a spa. The aim of this is to relax (as what the name implies) the part of the body being massaged. At the same time, the touch of the hands and fingers of the masseur can ease tension.

The other kind that I know of is the therapeutic massage. This type aims to alleviate your pains in the body, particularly the back. This will also help relieve or reduce sicknesses. This kind can make you feel better after the session. And unlike the relaxation one, you are not serviced in a spa but in a hospital, clinic or private office.

There are 4 common techniques or touches in the therapeutic massage. You can have a whole hand, heel of the hand, reinforced fingers and reinforced thumbs. The technique is dependent on the part of the hand that is used in applying the touch.

The whole hand effleurage engages the whole surface of the therapist's hands. Effleurage is a word that means smooth rhythmic strokes. Here the whole hand of the therapist is used in firmly stroking the back. Moderate amount of oil is applied on the hands of the masseur or masseuse and on your back. The motion starts from your lower back, going up to your neck area. With a reduced pressure, the therapist makes circling motion with the hands. The touch goes down and returns to the lower back region. The procedure is done for 5 to 10 minutes.

The heel of the hand effleurage has deeper pressure and this comes in contact in a smaller area. Both hands will move in circles with the lower back as the starting point. The hand movements will be outwards then upwards toward the center. This step keeps repeating until the masseur reaches the upper back region again. The massaging lasts for about 5 minutes.

The reinforced fingers effleurage also involves deep and small pressure. The masseur or masseuse will stand opposite the part of the back that is to be massaged. The usual starting point is at the right side. The position of the hands is one on top of the other. Then once positioned, the therapist will push the flats of the finger afar the center and then will glide the hands to the spinal column. Done in 5 minutes also, this starts on the lower back moving to the upper back.

The fourth technique is the reinforced thumb stripping. The applied pressure here is deep and sustained. The hands will move along the muscles at the side of the spine. As the neck is reached, the therapist will reduce the pressure then there will be deliberate movement from the lower to the upper back. This technique is done 3 times on each side, applied alternately with any of the effleurage techniques.

If you are suffering from back pains, the best mode of relaxing the aching body is to have a therapeutic massage. But ascertain the experience and training of your masseur or masseuse. A non-reliable therapist will not alleviate your pair; instead he will increase your suffering.