These massage tips will give you extraordinary results!
HISTORY OF MASSAGE
Most of us have likely received a massage treatment at least once or twice in our life. Some of us may claim that massage therapy is a necessity in their everyday life. It turns out, even humans back in ancient history felt the same way. The beginning of massage therapy dates back thousands of years and just like today, massage therapy was practiced to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and promote relaxation. Many of the popular modalities that are being performed these days such as acupressure, reflexology and Ayurveda originated back in 3000B.C. Later, massage therapy also became more popular in the western hemisphere, and in the early 1800s, a modality known today as Swedish massage was developed. Interestingly, in the United States, it wasn’t until the early 20th century when massage therapy became recognized as a natural healing method. Today, more than 80 different modalities are performed in the US at doctor’s offices, chiropractors, and luxury resort spas.
Many people get massage treatments to alleviate pain in their neck, shoulder and back. Neck pain is especially common in the US and The U.S National Institute of Health Statics reportedly discovered that almost 15% of the population suffers from some form of neck pain. Some of the pain is caused by repetitive movements, poor posture, pinched nerve and muscles strains. The good news is, people won’t need to be experiencing these pains if we massage those areas on a regular basis. That is because regularly massaging areas such as neck and shoulder keeps our joints limber and reduces the chances of those muscles getting pulled. However, we all know how hard it is to block off a time in our already packed calendars to receive massage treatments on a regular basis. Many of us make appointments with doctors and spas when we start feeling the familiar pain and discomfort in our body. At this point, the damage is already done. Instead of letting that happen, we wanted to help get you out of that cycle by sharing some DIY massage tips that you can use at home starting today.
LOCATING TRIGGER POINTS
You know that feeling of discomfort when your shoulders muscles are tightened or when a pain shoots through your neck? When that happens, it's important to look for the trigger points, which are often also commonly referred to as knots. These are known to be spots in your muscles that can cause pain in other parts of your body. However, trigger points can often be confused with pressure points, which are quite different. Pressure points are sensitive spots we all have throughout our body, whereas trigger points are located in different places for different people. Some may have multiple trigger points and others may have one really painful one in a very specific spot. Many researchers have found that most trigger points found in the neck, shoulder and upper back are developed in the trapezius muscle. Trapezius is a large diamond-shaped muscle that covers the base of the skull, our shoulders, and our upper back all the way down to the middle of our back.
Still, finding trigger points is no easy task. You can try to locate a trigger point, by looking for spots where the tension in the muscle seems to relax when pressure is applied. We all know the feeling of good pain and that’s what you will be feeling when you find your trigger points. Once you find the spot, simply press and hold for a few seconds up to a minute. If you can tolerate the pain, you can press the area longer until you feel the muscles fully relax. Another thing you can try is the rubbing technique called kneading, where you lift and roll the muscles tissues in a comprehensive motion. The direction of your massage stroke isn’t the most important thing when releasing the tension in the trigger points. The most important thing is to be able to accurately locate where the pain is coming from and applying the right pressure to relieve tension.
Benefits of Using Massage Cream
Applying massage creams as a lubricant during massage often makes it a more pleasant experience, as the cream reduces the irritation from the friction caused by kneading. Massage creams also provide benefits including hydration and moisturization, and some have ingredients that also help alleviate pain. In our signature massage cream, we infuse CBDA, a type of cannabinoid that is known to reduce inflammation and pain and help wounds heal. We have received feedback from a number of people who have used our cream. Many have told us how our cream has helped dramatically reduce their chronic pain when massaged into the areas of discomfort.