Swedish Massage

Swedish massage is commonly offered type of massage that uses gentle pressure to help people relax and reduce muscle tension. This massage was founded to promote muscle lengthening and an increase exchange of lymph flow and is the groundwork for many other western massage modalities.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage is a type of massage aimed at the different depth of tissue such as the muscles and fascia. Deep tissue massage is more focused then Swedish massage, and its goal is to reduce muscle tension.

NeuroMuscular Therapy, American VersionTM

NeuroMuscular Therapy (NMT) is a type of medical massage that looks at six physiological factors that may cause or increase pain patterns. The use of scientifically based, specific massage therapy allows the body’s sensations of pain to decrease when the nervous and musculoskeletal systems are balanced, allowing for normal biomechanical joint movement.  The six physiological factors that are credited for increasing pain patterns are: Ischemia (decreased oxygen/blood flow), Trigger points, Nerve Entrapment/Compression, Postural Distortions, Poor Nutrition, and Emotional Stress.  Specific massage done within the limits of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems allows a lighter touch than is expected with deep tissue.

Manual Lymph Drainage

Manual Lymph Drainage uses specific anatomy and physiology with manual techniques that identify the lymphatic rhythm. The therapist uses the rhythm to identify the direction as well as the depth of the lymph fluid and quality of the flow. The body can change the flow of lymph for many reasons. Such is seen with swelling, age, poorly fitted clothing, illness or trauma, etc.  Practitioners of Manual Lymph Drainage will interact with the fluids, mapping the direction and assisting the movement of the lymph in different layers of tissue from superficial cutaneous to the muscle, tendons and even the periosteum (covering of the bone). Manual Lymph Drainage is a light touch - about the weight of a nickel and can be performed with the client fully dressed in comfortable clothing.

Both, NMT and Manual Lymph Drainage modalities address the fascial restriction the body builds to decrease our energy usage or muscle work. Fascial is the force that holds us together and gives us strength and shape. Fascial restrictions in and of their own are not always problems - they may be helpful. When the restriction interferes with proper body biomechanics, the six physiological factors are affected.