4 Best Types of Massage and Their Benefits

Anyone can benefit from massage therapy. Stress, sore muscles, and tissue damage can be alleviated with different types of massage.

If you want to take your personal health and well-being to the next level, consider getting a professional massage.

The human body is delicate and can suffer from a number of health problems, including back and neck pains. Whatever your profession, massages offer a wonderful way to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate.

In this guide, we'll cover 4 different types of massage and the benefits of each one. That way you can make the best decision for your wellness. 

Let's dive in!

1: Swedish Massage

The Swedish massage is one of the most popular types of massage to promote relaxation and reduce muscle tension caused by everyday activities, like sitting at a computer.

At Nothing in Between Studio, our "Be Well" massage service is the equivalent to your traditional Swedish massage.

It uses several techniques in order to manipulate the superficial layers of your muscles to improve your overall mental and physical health.

• Effleurage: Gentle strokes (circular and gliding) in combination with different levels of pressure on the body are used to loosen knots in the muscles.
• Petrissage: Deeper pressure is applied, along with kneading, wringing, rolling, and lifting of the muscles. This helps to stretch and loosen muscles, and also promote blood circulation.
• Tapotement: Rhythmic hammering, cupping, and tapping on the muscles is used to stimulate blood circulation and produce endorphins, which help the body to relax.
• Friction: Sore muscle or joint areas are rubbed using the thumbs and fingers in circular or linear motion to help soften and realign muscles.
• Vibration: To further relax and loosen up tight muscles and knots, rhythmic shaking on the massage area is applied.

To help protect the skin and further stimulate blood circulation, massage oil or lotion is used.

Benefits of Swedish Massage

Swedish massage is mainly used to promote relaxation and reduce muscle tension caused by everyday activities such as sitting at a computer. There are several health and fitness benefits associated with Swedish massage.

Here are a few benefits:​

• stretches your connective tissues and loosens tight muscles
• stimulates your nerves and blood circulation
• decreases muscle fatigue
• relieves muscle cramps and spasms
• improves flexibility in your muscles and joints
• firms up your muscle and skin tone
• promotes healing from an injury or illness
• boosts your mood by increasing the production of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin

Click hereto book a Be Well Massage with a professionally trained massage therapist at our Tysons location.

2: Deep Tissue Massage

If you're looking for a massage that focuses on painful and stiff areas in your body, a deep tissue massage is your best type.

Our "Allay" massage service is the same as a deep tissue massage. 

The techniques are similar to a Swedish massage, however the pressure and areas of focus will be different.

By using slower strokes, deeper pressure, and less rhythm this type of massage is able to target the inner layers of your muscles, tendons, and fascia.

While a deep tissue massage uses firmer pressure compared to a Swedish massage (and can be painful) it's still therapeutic and a popular choice for anyone with injury, chromic pain, and a higher pain threshold.

In order to see improvements in areas of deep muscle tension or injury, repeat treatments may be needed.

Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage

The main benefits of a deep tissue massage is that it:

• helps treat your muscle pain
• improve your flexibility
• lengthen and relax deep tissue
• reduce your back pain​
• reduce inflammation
• targets your problem areas

Click here to book an Allay Massage with a professionally trained massage therapist at our Tysons location.

3: Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Medical treatment and some health conditions can sometimes cause lymph fluid to build up.

This can result in your Lymphatic System getting blocked. When this happens, chronic swelling of the arms or legs (lymphedema) can happen.

Lymphatic drainage massage, also known as Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD), is a massage that gently manipulates certain areas of your body to encourage the movement of lymph fluids in and out of the body.

Specific strokes and massage techniques are used with MLD that are different from what you would experience with a regular massage.

• Light stretching of the skin helps move the fluid out of a swollen limb.
• A deep breathing technique called diaphragmatic breathing helps to open up the deep lymphatic pathways and increase the movement of fluid towards the heart.
• Blood flow in deep and superficial veins is increased through the use of stationary circles, scooping, pump, and rotary techniques.
• This is a gentle massage that does not cause pain.
• The unaffected areas of the body are usually the first ones to be treated.

Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage Massage

Improved circulation is the main benefit a lymphatic drainage massage has to offer.

When lymphatic fluid is able to flow freely through lymph vessels, your white blood cells are able to do its job and destroy bacteria.

In turn, this helps to:

• promote healing
• reduce swelling​

Click here to book a Lymphatic Drainage Massage with a professionally trained massage therapist at our Tysons location.

4: Cupping Therapy

Cupping Therapy, also known as Cupping, is an alternative therapy that's been used for over 3000 years.

At Nothing in Between Studio, modern cupping techniques are used along with silicone cups that are placed on the skin for a few minutes to create a strong suction.

Using therapeutic oils, the cups are applied with a gliding motion to create the suction.

Benefits of Cupping Therapy

People that have tried cupping describe it as deeply relaxing. You can read about a study on cupping therapy effects in the National Library of Medicine, here.

The suction that's created also provides the following benefits:

• increases blood circulation
• improves the flow of energy in the body
• facilitates healing
• helps with pain
• reduces inflammation
• diminishes the signs of aging and skin imperfections

Click here to book a Cupping Therapy session with a professionally trained massage therapist at our Tysons location.

Take Your Wellness To The Next Level

In this article we looked at 4 of the best types of massage that reduce stress.

Swedish and deep tissue massages are the most common and help alleviate tension for a variety of conditions. Lymphatic drainage massage is a specialized type for improving circulation. And cupping therapy is an alternative therapy that's perfect for deep relaxation.

At Nothing in Between Studio, we offer each of these massage services, and many more, at our Tysons location.

Our other massage services include prenatal, candle, CBD, and chair massage. Check out our services page for more details.

No matter your profession or what you do, our professional massage therapists can help take your wellness to the next level.

It's time to prioritize your wellness. Book a massage today.​