Massages are not a luxury but a practice of very ancient derivation that is declined in many ways according to the origin of the technique.

Here is  a selection of the most important massage techniques , with examples of sessions and a description of the many benefits they can bring. To know the energy potential that develops through the hands and find out how to apply it to the people who receive it.

• Massages, an ancient and vital practice
• How to choose the therapist
• Benefits and contraindications
• Who is the massage recommended for?
• The law in Italy and abroad on massage techniques
• Types of massage

Massages, an ancient and vital practice

Quality of contact, energy exchange , power of communication: all these factors come together in the massage. At each session the correspondence between the epidermis and the nervous system is made sacred and honored : by touching a person it is possible to establish contact with his mind and communicate fully with the body.

In this section you will find the main Western and Eastern body massage techniques: from self- massage to Shiatsu treatment , through Do-in , sports massage, Ayurvedic massage and many others.

The most ancient massage practices increase the awareness of all parts of the body and work towards a greater energetic balance. The relationship with others and the outside is improved and the internal well-being is also reflected externally. In some cases, a self- healing mechanism is triggered .

Through the massage the circulation is reactivated, the physiological activities of the organism are facilitated, the thermoregulation of the body is re-established, the organic metabolic processes are rebalanced. The diffusion of vital substances throughout the body is improved . Massages and beauty treatments can go hand in hand, strengthening and empowering each other.

How to choose the therapist

Massages are a form of consecration, a way to “open the heart” towards oneself, they allow you to create a direct bridge towards your inner self. Act of trust, a contact tool that develops a reusable positivity in the relationship with the other.

When there is harmony between the recipient and the masseur , it is possible to experience the total abandonment that allows the internal organs to move with the consequent release of energy.

The choice of the therapist depends on countless factors but it is always advisable to rely on experienced and prepared people, who have to their credit a number of hours of work of respect, because the art of massage consists of theoretical training , but also of a lot of practical experience that refines dexterity and sensitivity.

Of course, even with self-massage you can experience interesting forms of relaxation accompanied by delicate and relaxed activity. 

Benefits and contraindications 

The movements implemented by the massage techniques are carried out through  precise sequential maneuvers , concentrated in the direction of the muscle fibers, with attention to the sense of venous circulation (from the extremities towards the center represented by the heart ).

For a  toning effect  , decisive and rapid movements are used, while for a  calming effect  we will have a series of slow and delicate maneuvers. The  energy concepts  of the oriental schools instead focus on the paths of the so-called  meridians .

The massage techniques allow a  wide range of benefits  , therefore, ranging from relaxation to muscle vigor, from the cancellation of stress to the restoration of dormant energy in certain parts of the body, from re-education of the muscle to the care of global psychophysical well-being. Some massage techniques also allow a valid form of  prevention , suggesting a contact intervention aimed at correcting an organic imbalance.

It is also true that there are gentle and less gentle massage techniques , sometimes painful, that many are unaware of. For this reason, there are also a number of contraindications for massage techniques  .

The bone fragility of children is an aspect to be carefully considered, as is that of the elderly . The same is true for pregnant women , especially in the first few months. By – pass holders and peacemakers should refrain from sessions, as well as those suffering from varicose veins and phlebitis . 

Who is the massage recommended for?

Nobody refuses  in front of a massage proposal. Most of the known massage techniques are open to  anyone who  wants to regain vigor, perfect their physical shape, relax their mind or simply be pampered. Among the  most common ailments  treatable by the different massage techniques are anxiety ,  stress , insomnia ,  headache ,  back pain ,  menstrual pain , cellulite … 

The law in Italy and abroad on massage techniques

According to Italian law, the professionals authorized to open a therapeutic or aesthetic massage center are the physiotherapist and the beautician who works in a wellness center.

The holistic massage operators fall into a particular framework, regulated by law 4/2013 which does justice to the benefits that the different alternative massage techniques bring. Foot reflexology , shiatsu, Ayurvedic massage can be practiced freely .

Types of massage

There are various types of massage : some have aesthetic purposes, others are functional to the needs of sportsmen and others, on the other hand, are sensory journeys that reach the tissues through the nervous system and vice versa, leading to psycho-physical relaxation. Massage can be a real method of self-knowledge if a dialogue is intertwined with the therapist that opens the conditions for an inner evolution.

Let’s focus now on the hygienic massage, that is the one that wants to keep the body healthy, with a preventive effect on any pathologies. Below we present three types.

• Ayurvedic massage: born in India at least 5000 years ago, it aims to restore psychophysical well-being and rebalance the bioenergy contemplated in Ayurvedic medicine ( Vata , Pitta , Kapha ). The complete Ayurvedic massage is called Sarvanga Abhyanga and involves the manipulation of the entire body, including the face and neck. It is carried out with the help of a lukewarm vegetable oil and more intense rhythmic manipulations for the stimulation of the chakras . It can last up to an hour and has immediate effects on the muscles, on the circulatory system and on the central nervous system. Masseurs and masseuses can train in specialized Ayurvedic centers, where they learn a real philosophy derived from Ayurvedic medicine.
• Lymphatic drainage massage: we enter the field of aesthetic massage but with wider implications; specifically, the purpose of lymphatic drainage is to reduce fluid stagnation by stimulating lymphatic circulation through manipulations. Some treatments are of a purely medical nature and are adopted for important pathologies related to the removal of the lymph nodes; others, on the other hand, counteract the imperfections of cellulite . The most common methods of Manual Lymphatic Drainage are those of Vodder and Leduc. In any case, these treatments require a profound knowledge of the lymphatic system, of the positioning of the ganglia and of the drainage points where excess fluids can flow out.
• Decontracting massage: this is a therapeutic massage performed by the sports masseur or physiotherapist to dissolve muscle contractures due to the hypertonicity of the fibers. The types of manipulation are different depending on the area to be treated: brushing, friction, rubbing, kneading, pressure, percussion. In addition to relieving tension, the decontracting massage has benefits on the lymphatic system and the central nervous system, bringing a state of psychophysical relaxation .