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Aromatherapy Massage Oils for health and healing

December 17th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Most essential oils can be used in aromatherapy massage. Your choice of oils will depend on the effect you hope to achieve.

For example, if your aim is to relieve stress, you could choose oils like rose, lavender and chamomile.

On the other hand, if you want to revitalize your patient, you might choose an oil like rosemary, or thyme.

Aromatherapy massage naturally nurtures your body.  It can also help to lead you to have a healthy and positive life.  Sometimes various aromatherapy massage oils are blended together.

Using aromatherapy massage oils will also help to improve your immune, muscular, nervous and circulatory systems.  Some of the other benefits to using aromatherapy massage oils include: relaxation and freedom from stress, flexibility, rejuvenation, having your mind refreshed, your immune system strengthened, your body relieved of harmful toxins, pain reduced, your blood circulation increased, your heart strengthened, stress reduction.

Aromatherapy massage oils are most commonly used to heal various problems in a natural way.  This is because the oil enters into the person’s veins and bloodstream wherein it starts to work. 

Some of the problems that aromatherapy massage oils are very effective for include the common cold, aches, menopause, skin problems, physical injuries, sleeping problems and cough just to name just a few.  Of course, these aromatherapy massage oils also help to improve a person’s ability to concentrate and to be alert.

Aromatherapy massage techniques: Effleurage

December 14th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Effleurage is one of the most common massage techniques employed. Using a succession of light or deep stroking or gliding motions, the masseuse or masseur floats across the contours of the body. The therapist uses a flat surface, such as the hand or forearm. He or she moves with low-friction over large expanses of skin, applying moderate pressure.

When done lightly, it provides a pleasant stimulation to the skin. Applied with more pressure, it can produce a positive effect on circulation. The joint result is a relaxing, soothing massage.

In light effleurage, there’s only a superficial touch using full hand contact, almost like a delicate cloth is being draped across the surface. There’s no rippling or tugging of skin and the effect is below the level of tickling. When carried out in continuous strokes, one hand follows the other with the ulnar side leading. The edge on the side of the little finger is called the ‘ulnar’, since it lies on the same side of the arm as the ulnar bone.

A variation involves forming a ‘V’ with both hands that rests lightly in the contours of the legs, the small of the back and other depressions. The hands then move together over the surface, along long stretches of muscle.

When the pressure is increased, this becomes deep effleurage, which is equally pleasurable for the client, but in a different way. Increased pressure stimulates a layer of the skin (the ’subcutaneous’ under the surface) to stimulate the fascia. A slight ripple is produced, with the tugging creating a pleasant sensation. Increasing the pressure, to the point that muscle tissue is moved, produces a friction stroke.

The hands should remain pliable, while the therapist varies the surface or part used - sometimes the flat of the palm, other times the fingertips. Horizontal stroking follows vertical gliding, then shingling, bi-lateral tree strokes and other variations.

Tree-strokes involve starting along a central line, such as the spine, then moving outward, fingers splayed to make small branches. Shingling is achieved by using one hand following another, working along the longitude of a side or back or leg.

Full contact glides are applied across the large surface of the back. Then the motion is varied by using a reinforcing hand one on top of the other, with the underneath hand applying friction, the top hand used to increase pressure. Sometimes the technique will be altered by using forearms.

Depth and rhythm are key.

The rhythm is varied, alternately fast and slow. Long, slow strokes produce a relaxing effect while shorter, faster movements create stimulation. Both are desirable and alternating them produces a massage that is never boring or predictable.

Clients are typically disrobed, and sometimes a light oil is applied, especially during the part of a session involving deep effleurage. The technique is an excellent prelude to petrissage, encouraging good circulation and stimulating lymph fluid flow.

Aromatherapy and Hot Stone Massage

October 16th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Aromatherapy is often used in massage, because essential oils help to heal you both physically and emotionally. A new tool has been added to the aromatherapist’s toolkit - hot stones.

You’ll often find hot stone massages advertised at spas, and it’s worth asking your aromatherapist if she offers this treatment.

What is hot stone massage?

Hot stone massage uses smooth, heated stones that are applied to the client’s body, starting with the back. Once you’ve had a relaxing session with the hot stones, you’ll enjoy a massage with essential oils.

The rocks are often basalt, a black volcanic rock. They’re used because they absorb and retain heat well, making re-heating less frequently required. But to be of use they have to conduct heat well, too, since the heat must go into the client. Basalt covers all those needs.

The stones are sanitized, heated and applied to an area where they have a relaxing effect on muscles. The therapist tests them first, usually simply by holding one in order to ensure the proper temperature - between 120F-150F (49C-65C). For comparison, water boils at 220F/100C.

A variety of massage techniques can accompany the application of the stones, but Swedish is among the most common. The smooth, firm, long and gliding strokes complement well the relaxing effect of the hot rocks on the body. Stones can be applied along the line of the spine, but more commonly along the muscles beside it. The lower back (erector spinae), the middle back (latissimus dorsi) and the upper back (trapezius) are typical spots as well.

The stones are small and the pressure applied by them is comfortable but doesn’t have any particular therapeutic effect. The major work is done simply by the heat. Though there are, as usual, some mystics in the field who ascribe magical powers to stones of different types or ascribe application to certain points as having special effects.

Hot stone massage sessions are frequently much more expensive, in part because of the added preparation required. The largest part of the difference is simply demand for it. It’s currently a very popular technique and, as such, will demand a higher price. Whether the results are worth the added cost is an individual decision.

One variation involves using the stones in the therapist’s hand to apply heat to various areas and add pressure. The warmth is pleasant, but the added pressure is typically unnecessary. Any professional masseuse or masseur can apply more pressure than is desired without artificial aids.

Another variation alternates the use of hot basalt stones with cool marble stones, which creates a delightful experience for the recipient. Whether this should be called massage is beside the point, since the basic purpose of the experience is to create a pleasant, relaxing effect for the client.

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