Consider getting a deep tissue massage if you’re experiencing chronic pain or muscle tension from stress or an injury. Massages help loosen stiff muscles and relax your body, providing stress and pain relief. Deep tissue massage is especially helpful in treating pain caused by arthritis and sports-related injuries.
Australians can seek deep tissue massage treatments at Wayne Massage. Our experienced staff will tailor the treatment to your needs, ensuring you experience the benefits of deep tissue massage.
What is Deep Tissue Massage?
Deep tissue massage therapy differs from other forms of massage. The technique is designed specifically to treat musculoskeletal issues in your body. Your massage therapist performs a deep tissue massage by applying sustained deep pressure and slow massage strokes to target the tissue layers inside of your muscles, fascia, and other connective tissues.
This massage technique helps release muscle adhesions, also known as knots, which cause discomfort and stiffness. Releasing adhesions reduces muscle tension and improves mobility. Deep tissue massage is also used to break up old scar tissue and prevent new scar tissue from forming.
Your massage therapist will start your deep tissue massage with lighter pressure to help warm up your tissues and muscles before moving to deeper pressure. A massage technique called stripping is often used in deep tissue massage. This is when deep pressure is applied along the entire length of your muscle fibres, going against the grain of your muscle to help break up adhesions.
Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage can benefit your physical, emotional, and mental health.
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Provides Stress Relief
Like other types of massage, deep tissue massage offers a relaxing experience that can help you unwind and destress from your life. It provides clinical stress relief, lowering your cortisol levels, the hormone responsible for stress.
Deep tissue massage also lowers your blood pressure and heart rate. As muscle tension eases, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease, reducing the stress on your body.
Massage also increases the amount of serotonin and dopamine produced in your body. These neurotransmitters produce feelings of calm and well-being.
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Reduces Your Pain
Deep tissue massage can reduce chronic pain in your back, neck, and body caused by muscle tension. Research shows that deep tissue massage is as effective as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain in reducing chronic low back pain in patients.
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Helps Break Up Scar Tissue and Increase Mobility
Scar tissue can cause stiffness and pain throughout your body. Deep tissue massage treatments use techniques like stripping to help break up your scar tissue. You’ll experience increased mobility and ease of movement as your scar tissue dissolves.
Massaging also increases blood flow and lymphatic circulation to promote healing and mobility in the affected area. If you’re recovering from an injury or surgery, you may want to consider deep tissue treatments to prevent scar tissue from forming.
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Helps Treat Arthritis
Many forms of arthritis include symptoms of pain and stiffness in the joints and connective tissues. This can limit an arthritis patient’s range of motion and mobility, causing chronic pain and problems sleeping.
The increased pressure in a deep tissue massage can help alleviate pain and muscle tension caused by arthritis. Massage therapy increases joint mobility, reducing stiffness and making it easier for you to move around. Improving the overall comfort of patients with arthritis can also provide them with a better quality of sleep, making it easier to fall and stay asleep during the night.
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Heals Injured Muscles
Muscles get injured if they’re twisted or strained the wrong way. A deep tissue massage can help stretch tight muscles and increase blood flow to ease muscle tension and promote healing. The deeper movements increase the circulation of your lymphatic system, which helps filter out substances like lactic acid and helps your muscles recover.
Deep tissue massage is used by athletes and others that suffer sports-related injuries. It helps to heal their muscles faster and can be used after workouts to reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
Conditions Deep Tissue Massage Helps Treat
People with certain medical conditions will experience improvements in their health due to the benefits of deep tissue massage.
These conditions include:
- Fibromyalgia
- Sciatica
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Chronic low back pain
- Arthritis patients
- Anyone suffering from a sports injury
- Other connective tissue injuries like tendonitis
Side Effects of Deep Tissue Massage
Getting a deep tissue massage is safe, but you may experience mild side effects. It’s common to feel some lingering soreness for a day or two following your massage.
Your muscles may not be used to manipulation through massage, causing a low amount of discomfort. Your muscles might feel sore, similar to after a vigorous workout.
Any discomfort resulting from deep tissue massage shouldn’t last more than a couple of days. You can treat any soreness with a heating pad or cold compress for temporary relief.
Who Shouldn’t Get a Deep Tissue Massage?
Deep tissue massage isn’t safe for everyone. The firm pressure can cause injuries to people with osteoporosis and cancer that’s spread to their bones.
Check with your doctor before getting a deep tissue massage if:
- You have a history of blood clots
- You have a bleeding or blood clot disorder like hemophilia
- You’re taking blood thinners
- You have cancer or are undergoing cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation
- You’re pregnant
Your condition may disqualify you from receiving a deep tissue massage, but you may still benefit from other forms of massage therapy that use gentler techniques.
Schedule Your Deep Tissue Massage
If you’re suffering from chronic pain or muscle tension, consider getting a deep tissue massage. The firm massage techniques used in this therapy are designed to reduce your stress levels while easing muscle stiffness.
Wayne Massage offers deep tissue massage treatments to our clients. Our therapists are experienced in treating chronic pain conditions and can help you enjoy the benefits of deep tissue massage. Contact us to make an appointment today.
- Hunter Branch: (02) 8073 9376
- Town Hall Branch: (02) 8073 9382
- Kings Cross Branch: (02) 8073 9281