| Massage therapy has become an important part | | | | plant oils, called essential oils, to the original |
| of general health care for many people living in | | | | massage oil and lotion. Each essential oil has |
| today's stressful environment. With the increasing | | | | different healing properties such as calming, |
| demand for such therapy, the massage centre | | | | uplifting, energizing, cleansing, and de-congesting. |
| has been mushrooming uncontrollably up like | | | | Hot Stone Massage |
| Starbucks outlets in most of cities, especially | | | | Heated smooth and flat stones are placed at |
| Asian countries. Below is a quick guide to the | | | | specific points on the back, in the palms or |
| most popular types of massage therapy | | | | between toes. The massage therapist may also |
| commonly found. | | | | hold the stones and use them to massage certain |
| Traditional Thai Massage | | | | parts of the body. The heated stones will warm |
| Traditional Thai massage uses deep tissue, | | | | and relax the muscles, which allows the therapist |
| pressure point and stretching techniques. | | | | to apply deeper pressure later on. |
| Therefore, it's more energizing and rigorous than | | | | Tui Na Massage |
| other classic forms of massage. Thai massage | | | | Tui Na uses rhythmic compression along energy |
| also called Thai yoga massage. The masseuse | | | | channels of the body, as well as a variety of |
| usually uses more parts of body like feet, elbows, | | | | techniques that manipulate and lubricate the joints. |
| and palms to massage. | | | | Tui Na also directly affects the flow of energy by |
| Reflexology & foot massage | | | | holding and pressing the body at acupressure |
| Reflexology is actually not foot massage. For foot | | | | points. The intent of Tui Na is more specifically |
| massage the therapist typically uses massage oil | | | | therapeutic than the simple relaxation of a |
| or lotion and use gentle gliding strokes all over the | | | | Swedish-style massage. |
| foot. Whereas the genuine reflexology is based on | | | | Traditional Malay Massage |
| the theory that certain points on the feet | | | | The local traditional urut ( massage in Malay ) |
| correspond to certain body parts. Therefore, | | | | combines slow rhythmic gliding strokes, stretching, |
| applying pressure to the areas can promote | | | | stepping, long kneading, deep tissue and pressure |
| health in the corresponding parts. Reflexology | | | | applied to every part of the body, from the head, |
| massage uses hands and fingers. | | | | face, abdomen, body to feet and toes. It's |
| Swedish massage | | | | efficient in calming the nerves and improving |
| This is the most common massage available. The | | | | overall wellbeing. |
| therapist uses massage oils to facilitate smooth, | | | | Fish spa |
| gliding strokes. Other moves involve are kneading, | | | | Fish spa is listed at the last because some might |
| friction, stretching, tapping and vibrating. The hand | | | | not consider it as a type of massage. Anyway, |
| pressure can range from gentle to promote | | | | this therapy is getting popular in Asian countries. |
| relaxation to firm but not as firm as in deep | | | | Your legs are put into a water tank full of |
| tissue massage. | | | | highly-priced Garra Rufa fishes from Turkey. The |
| Aromatherapy Massage | | | | doctor fishes will nibble away your scaly and dead |
| It's fundamentally using Swedish massage | | | | skin, leaving your skin smooth and glowing. |
| technique with the added benefit of concentrated | | | | |