By Jaimi Jansen 

Massage is a form of physical therapy that manipulates the soft tissues of the body using varying degrees of pressure.  Massage therapy is a medically approved approach to dealing with muscle and connective tissue discomfort.

Swedish and Deep Tissue Massages

swedish-massage

Swedish massage is one of the most commonly known types of massage, and is what most picture when they think of massage therapy.  Swedish massage is generally used for relaxation and stress reduction and concentrates on the superficial layers of tissue in a light, rhythmic manner to relieve muscle tension.

This massage helps increase blood circulation, which in turn increases oxygen delivery and gives the body a means of detoxifying.  Swedish massage is great for those just starting their exploration into massage therapy, or for those who are looking for a calming and comfortable experience.

Deep tissue massage,

on the other hand, is more targeted than Swedish massage and involves the use of pressure to access deeper layers of musculature and sites of inflammation.  It is a common misconception that deep tissue means hard pressure.  While applying deep pressure is one technique that is used in deep tissue massage, often the massage therapist uses a light touch on specific pressure points to relieve tension.

This approach is much more effective than Swedish massage when it comes to treating specific sites of discomfort, such as lower back pain.  Deep tissue massage is beneficial for athletes who are looking to find relief for tight, sore and over-worked muscles.  This technique stimulates receptors in the muscles, which allows them to release lactic acid buildup and speed up the healing process.

Read More about the Benefits of deep-tissue-swedish-massageMassage

Which massage is best for you?

Swedish and deep tissue massage are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to massage modalities.  With so many different options, it can be difficult to find the style that works best for you.  When deciding to try massage for the first time, or a new modality, it is important to ask the therapist what the goal of the session is and the techniques used to achieve those goals.

It is also important to be clear about what your intentions are with the session, so the massage therapist can be an ally in achieving those goals.  At Santa Cruz CORE, our award-winning massage therapists are experts in their field and know the proper techniques to offer a truly therapeutic experience.  Whether you would like to relax and decrease stress or get your body out of chronic pain, CORE massage therapists can find the right technique for you!

 

 

 

23 Responses

  1. My body is experiencing considerable discomfort because of my workout regimen. I think I should get a deep tissue massage so that the inflammation of my muscles can stop. Thanks for saying that it’s more effective when it comes to dealing with pain, so I might go to a massage clinic that offers it.

  2. Fantastic article! Very straightforward and easy to understand, thank you for clarifying this difference as it has been something of a curiosity for me recently. This cleared up the confusion and didn’t take 45 minutes to read! Thank you!

  3. A very nice article, it is very educational and contains a lot of useful information on the difference between a Swedish massage and a deep tissue massage. Discuss with a massage therapist about what you are looking to accomplish and they will be able to help you in deciding which massage is best for you.

    1. Very true! Thank you for reading and yes, it’s best to try the Swedish massage and the Deep Tissue massage and then communicate with your practitioner what you liked best. Often you can create a hybrid for your needs and different areas.

  4. I found your post interesting to read. I cant wait to see your post soon. Good Luck with the upcoming update. This article is really very interesting and effective.

    1. Thank you for the comment! Yes it’s definitely a personal choice what one likes best, that’s why it’s so important to communicate with the practitioner in the session what you’re looking for.

  5. A different issue is really that video gaming became one of the all-time most important forms of recreation for people of nearly every age. Kids participate in video games, plus adults do, too. The actual XBox 360 is one of the favorite games systems for people who love to have a huge variety of games available to them, and who like to play live with other people all over the world. Thank you for sharing your ideas.

    1. Thank you for your comment. This is very true, our culture sits for long periods of time from desk jobs, school, and even our recreation activities like watching TV or playing video games. It’s best to take a standing and movement break every hour or see a chiropractor, massage therapist, corrective exercise trainer or any form of daily exercise.

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