Different Types Of Massage, part 1

There is truly a wide variety of massage modalities. Most every culture can claim some type of influence on the practice of massage therapy. Common thinking says massage has been around for over 5000 years with its beginnings in Egypt. But come on, without books, radio, television or WiFi, I believe massage most likely began even before then – probably with Adam and Eve in the garden. Lovers needed something to come up with to break the monotony of stargazing and eating fruit. Making love and being creative with it seems the obvious diversion.

The American Massage Therapy Association has an extensive list of massage modalities. Sixty five to be precise. The Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals lists over 350 modalities. I’m pretty sure you aren’t interested in all of them so I will pick and choose just a few oldies but goodies. For the purpose of Rub HER The Right Way’s theme of sensual massage we will omit massage of animals and just concentrate on a few modalities that can actually help you with massaging your partner!

History

What I believe about Adam and Eve and what I can prove are two different things so let’s stick with history as it was written. The Chinese and Egyptians are credited with having the earliest written mention of massage. Forms of early massage also have roots in India. Massage that originated in India is called Ayurveda. Knowledge of massage spread in the ancient world to include Japan, Greece and Italy. The Father of Modern Medicine, Hippocrates believed that rubbing sick or injured body parts could help them to heal. Incorporating water into massage rituals eventually became known as Hydrotherapy. Massage was offered in public bath houses and areas where hot springs occurred. Eventually essential oils were added and created what we call Aromatherapy today. Massage was being used in Mesopotamia too, as a cure for some illnesses.

Per Henrik Ling from Sweden is credited for inventing Swedish but actually Johann Mezger from Holland created and identified the five basic Swedish massage strokes: effleurage, pettrisage, friction, tapotement and vibration. Brothers Charles and George Taylor are given credit for introducing modern Swedish massage to the United States in 1856. Swedish massage might be the most common form of massage in the West. Some of the other modalities are:

Aromatherapy

A massage that incorporates essential oils into a massage through the carrier oil or lotion or by adding essential oils to a diffuser is an aromatherapy massage. Essential oils are absorbed through the pores in the skin directly into the body. Essential oils are extracted from plants by still distillation. They are the pure essence of the plant. If you have ever taken the skin of an orange and squeezed it, the oil that escapes is the essential oil from the orange. Common oils that are used in massage therapy are Tea Tree, Lavender, Cinnamon, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Jasmine.

Citrus essential oils are best used through a diffuser and not directly on the skin because the are photosensitive. If you love the benefits of these oils to the point where using them during a massage is a must, make sure you get your massage in the evening after sunset.

• Tea Tree oil is used to boost immunity and is a great antioxidant.
• Lavender oil is beneficial for for all of our systems including lymphatic, reproductive and muscular. One of the most popular oils for aromatherapy
• Cinnamon helps to stimulate the brain and can boost the immune system. Use cinnamon essential oil on your temples before taking a test.
• Lemon essential oil has been used for thousands of years to ease stress, alleviate insomnia and aid in digestion.
• Eucalyptus can help sore achy muscles and massaged into the back, helps to relieve congestion.
• Peppermint essential oil, like cinnamon is known to increase alertness and memory. Also great for headache relief.
• Jasmine is often used during erotic massages for its use as an aphrodisiac.

Ayurvedic

Ayurveda is a massage from India and is about 5000 years old. The etymology of Ayurveda is from two Sanskrit words, ayur meaning life and veda meaning knowledge. There is not just one form of Ayurvedic massage, Traditional Pizichilli Ayurvedic massage utilizes generous amounts of oil and herbs that are heated and rubbed over your body and is performed with two therapists. Other types include Shirodhara and Marma to name a few. Ayurveda is a prevention based lifestyle which also includes diet and is not necessarily designed to heal. Traditional Swedish massage strokes are not the method of choice during massage and ayurvedic massages are customized to the individual.

Balinese

Balinese massage is a amalgamation of several types of massage combined into one. While Swedish massage has 5 basic strokes, massage from Bali incorporates 11 other main strokes including Crabbing, Acupressure and Chopping. The roots of Bali massage come from China, Thailand and India that have been blended together to become something unique to Bali.

Qi, pronounced chee is the natural energy force all life has according to Chinese medicine. Balinese massage focuses the treatment to bring the qi into balance by stimulating the flow of blood. When qi is in balance your body is in harmony, however, when out of balance (when the flow of qi is blocked) a person can become sluggish, lethargic and ill.

Chair

A Chair massage is simply a massage done in a specially designed chair. It is designed with the comfort of the client and the body mechanics of the therapist. Professionals like Chair massage because they get to ease the pain and stress of a high paced work day without having to leave the office. Mobile massage therapists utilize Chair massage for its ease of transport. A Chair massage usually consists of head, neck, arms, hands and back. Clients receiving a Chair massage do not have to remove any of their clothing.

A Chair massage can be completed in as little as 15-20 minutes but can last as long as 30 minutes. Personally I am not fond of Chair massages. They are uncomfortable for my fingers and thumbs rubbing against clothing but I have found that using my forearms and elbows does help. You might have seen Chair massages being offered for one dollar per minute in malls and airports. Because clients get to keep their clothes on and because it is offered in places with high traffic, Chair massage might be first exposure people have to professional massages.

Erotic

Erotic massage incorporates the use of regular massage strokes with the massaging of genitalia and other parts of the body that are sensitive to sexual stimulation. A regular relaxing massage usually comes first and then the erotic nature of the massage is added towards the end. For the man it usually means great attention will be paid to the chest and penis and for the woman, the breasts and the vulva.

If you and your partner enjoy the act of foreplay as much as you do the act of sex, an erotic massage is one of the best routes to achieve foreplay bliss. In addition to the chest and genitals the body has many erogenous areas that also respond as if it were a sex organ. The neck, and the ear lobe to name a few.

The Yoni

In Sanskrit the word for vulva is yoni. Translated, yoni means womb or sacred space. The vulva is comprised of the vagina, the clitoral glans and hood, the labia minora and labia majora. Other than the breasts, a Yonic massage is the main focus in many erotic massages. Stimulating the many areas of the vulva during an erotic massage can bring great pleasure to a woman. The main goal of a Yoni massage is pleasure and relaxation but not orgasm. Of course a woman may orgasm during the massage or even orgasm multiple times.

The Lingam

Lingam is the Sanskrit word meaning distinguishing symbol and for a masculine person, that symbol is an erect phallus. In the Lingam massage the main focus is the penis however, like the Yoni massage it also includes other areas. The scrotum, the anus, perineum and if so inclined, the prostate. Both the yoni and lingam massages are meant to give honor to the genitals and not just treat them as objects.

Hot Stone

Hot stone massage is exactly what it sounds like but most often it is done in tandem with another modality. For instance during the course of a full body Swedish massage (most often the back), the therapist can grab a few hot stones and glide them across the back. The heat transferred from the stones can generate greater blood circulation and the heat from the stones penetrates deeply into the deeper muscle tissues. The hands and feet as well as the stomach are additional places hot stones are used.

The stones used in a hot stone massage are volcanic basalt rocks that have been flattened and smoothed. As you would expect the volcanic rocks retain their heat well. Those same massage stones can be used chilled.

Pregnancy

Many expectant mothers wonder if it is okay to get a full body massage while they are pregnant. The simple answer is yes! While some say it is okay to be massaged anytime throughout the 9 months, most schools will teach not to begin massage until the beginning of the second trimester. Because of the risk of miscarriage during the first three months a woman might find it difficult to find a therapist willing to do the massage.

Any massage during pregnancy is best performed while the client is on her left side or on her back. There are massage tables designed so that a pregnant woman can lay on her stomach and the stomach fits through an opening. Some therapists and clients like to have the father present and helping during the massage. Because prenatal massage is not deep, the father can mimic the movements of the licensed therapist and massage his partner without any risk.

Pregnant women go through a lot of changes during their pregnancy and massage can help alleviate some of those uncomfortable changes. Massage can help with neck and back pain, edema, headaches, and the normal aches and inflammation in joints due to carrying extra weight. Massage of the ankles should be avoided at all times during pregnancy due to the risk of causing contractions to begin.

Prostate

We can agree to be adults about this type of massage. Believe it or not the anus is not the dirtiest part of the human body but if it makes you feel better, gloves can and perhaps should be worn when performing this massage. Like the name suggests, prostate massage is the rubbing and stimulation of the male prostate gland. The prostate gland is not as some believe, responsible for production of pre-seminal fluid (aka pre cum). Pre-seminal fluid is produced in the Cowper’s gland.

The prostate gland is a male reproductive organ. The functionality of the prostate is two-fold. It secretes prostatic fluid that then mixes with the sperm and then the muscles of the prostate gland aid in shooting the ejaculate into and out of the urethra during orgasm.

Massaging the prostate gland can have both medical and sexual benefits. Massaging the prostate has been shown to help men with ED, issues with urinating, and a swollen or enlarged prostate (called Prostatitus). Sexually, stimulating the prostate can result in orgasm without any stimulation to the penis. Massage of the prostate or milking the prostate can cause the semen to be expelled from the penis with or without orgasm. The prostate is inside of your body and anything on the inside of your body can be easily damaged. It could be your epiglottis, your eyeball, inner ear or your prostate. When massaging the prostate of your partner never be rough and always trim fingernails. Incorporating a prostate massage into your erotic massage repertoire might be something your guy would love but it is always best to ask first.

In the second post on the different modalities of massage, later this month, we write about Breast, Esalen, Hilot, Hydrotherapy, Lomi Lomi, Nuru, Shiatsu, Swedish and Thai massage.

Thank you for reading. Now go forth and rub on your loved one.