Coraspa

This is a common question in spa and massage centers around the world. It doesn´t have a definite answer mostly because each organism is different and reacts to sickness and to massage therapy differently. There are some who are benefited from it and others who shouldn´t go to their massage session in that condition. Let´s review some of the pros, cons and whys of undergoing massage therapy when you are sick. Read on and find out which are the things to bear in mind before you make the decision of going or staying at home.

Massage Therapy When you are Sick – The Cons

When you become sick, the advice you will very likely receive from people is to stay in bed and do nothing. Some think it is because you just don´t want to get up and do nothing due to not feeling well, but it really has a lot more to do with the fact that your body is too busy internally fighting against the invaders. There is a revolution inside your organism and the “good side” has all assets compromised in fighting for freedom. This is the reason you should stay in bed and focus all energy efforts on the recovery and give more resources to your inner army to win the battle instead of walking around.

Massage Therapy Takes your Body to the Limits

This is one of the main reasons why you shouldn´t do any kind of massage therapy. The deep pressure of the masseuse and your body´s effort to release toxins will make it a little too much to take in most cases because your organism is already fighting a battle inside. These efforts can prove to be counterproductive to your health state. In fact, if you try to push your body to do it all at once, the most likely thing to happen is that it will not do any of it. Most people who get sick because of a bad cold or flu have a runny nose. That condition is not at all compatible with lying down facing to the floor on a masseuse bed. Comfort and relaxation play a key role in the success of a massage therapy session. People who find it hard to let go and relax usually get limited benefits when it comes to massage therapy. So, in other words you will also be throwing your money away and getting just a fraction of the reward.

Contagious Conditions

This is another major topic to address in this case because if the condition that you have is contagious and you are having massage therapy, then you might be harming your masseuse. Imagine you work as a massage therapist in a spa and someone really sick shows up for his or her appointment. It is a matter of mutual respect, you don´t want to get any bad diseases while you are at work and neither does your masseuse.

This is something often overlooked, but the closeness between patient and therapist along with the small and closed environment you are both together at makes it very possible for viruses and bacteria to fly and enter in each other´s organism through breath. The rule in this case is “if you are too sick to go to work, you are too sick to go to your massage therapy session.”

Massage Therapy When you are Sick – The Pros

The Immune System

Massage therapy boosts the immune system. This is one of the most reviewed and highly-praised benefits of massage therapy and has been studied in multiple occasions. This is related with stress relief, dropping anxiety levels and also augmenting blood circulation throughout the body. While all of this is normally true, it is important to bear in mind that the physical action of receiving the massage might be the worst part. So, try having a massage at:  The earliest stage of sickness – Before you hit your peak, when you feel as if you are going to be sick but not yet; that is the perfect moment to get the massage. Your immune system will benefit a lot from that extra push and your white blood cells (your defense army) will travel faster everywhere.  The last stages of sickness – When you are dropping out of symptoms, it is a great moment to have your massage session. Again, your immune system will be benefited from it and you will also relieve all the tension accumulated in those days of being in bed.

Try Reflexology

Have you ever had a reflexology session? Well, in the case you haven´t, it is a kind of massage treatment that is applied to the hands and feet. The principle behind reflexology is that the same spots that are stressed and hurt in your body can be accessed through your extremities. According to this discipline, there is a mirror effect and all the points that can be hurting in your back have an “embassy” in your feet and hand. If an expert knows which buttons to push in those parts of your body, you can be relieved from pain. Reflexology is perfect to avoid masseuses working with some parts of your body that are still a little sore from the sickness. Coughing probably made your muscles in the back and chest to stress a lot and be really tight. That is something reflexology can address without touching the sore parts.

Conclusion – Avoid Massage When you Feel Sick

Attain to the golden rule “if you are too sick to go to work, you are too sick for your massage session” and you will be fine. We recommend massage therapy in the cases named above as well as reflexology sessions.

You´ve probably read everywhere a million times what are the things you should do before a massage session, but what about the ones you shouldn´t? We are going to give you a series of very important recommendations so you can be sure to enjoy your experience to the maximum extent.Read on to find out about the things that might ruin your experience at the massage center. Follow these simple tips, avoid these bad practices and you shall be happier as well as your massage therapist.

Drink Alcohol

It is great to go to your massage therapy appointment properly hydrated. What is a huge no with a neon sign is to drink alcohol. The removal of toxins that your body will attempt while you are undergoing your massage therapy causes the amplification of the potential ill effects that alcohol will have on you. Besides the toxins release, you r blood flow will be drastically increased, giving alcohol a freeway to get everywhere in your body. This combo will make you dizzy and lower the amount of data your central nervous system can process; hence you will feel less from the contact with the therapist. This is the same as saying you will be throwing your money away and not enjoying your massage session.

Get Too Much Sunbathing

This is a common mistake when going on holidays. If you get too much sunbathing, your skin will get a lot more sensitive to the touch and it will definitely be much harder for the massage therapist to do his or her job properly because of your irritated skin.On the other hand, sunbathing is a great experience when done properly. If you take proper care of your skin and sunbathe using the right sunblock, then you shall not have any problems in an expert rubbing your tan skin. Just make sure you don´t go to your massage therapy session looking like a shrimp.

Feel Ill or Sick

Going to your massage therapy session feeling sick is one of the least recommended conditions of them all. When you are sick, your body is fighting an inner battle to put a stop on the invasion and cannot also remove the inner toxins. To say it in other words, it is important that you let your body focus on what is currently going on inside without adding any extra tasks. Besides, massage therapy is very demanding for the body and the lymphatic system, so it is not perfect timing. Additionally, what you get when you attend to a massage therapy session is a moment of relax and enjoyment. When you feel sick, cough a lot and have some other symptoms related to your sickness like a runny nose, you won´t be able to just let go and get the most out of your massage therapy session. Our recommendation is to follow the golden rule: “if you are too sick to go to work, then you are too sick to go to your massage therapy session too.”

Get a Hot Shower

It might surprise you to find a “no” for hot shower before you get a massage therapy session. The reason behind this is that the hot shower that you might get before your massage therapy session will drastically increase circulation and can make you sweat a lot during your massage session. This will get in the way of your masseuse´s work and will also make you uncomfortable, since you will be getting a feeling of heat all over your body that will ruin your momentum. It is a good idea to shower before you go to a massage therapy session. Knowing you are clean and smell good will help you relax while the therapist is doing his or her job, but you should get that shower a couple of hours previous to the therapy session, not after that. Let your body metabolize the heat of the shower and get to the appointment early and sharp.

Eat a Lot

This might sound as a no-brainer to you, but is actually a very common mistake. Your body´s mechanisms will be completely dedicated to destroying the food you´ve just eaten into little particles and delivering it to different parts of your body; that will be your body´s main focus. If you eat a lot, then there will be many resources dedicated to it, eating less, requires less resources. Besides, you will feel heavy and uncomfortable. You might even experience gases from that gastrointestinal process going on inside you. Just make sure you eat something light like a salad and a small sandwich or you can even wait until it is later to grab a bite and avoid going through digestion at the masseuse´s bed.

Avoid the Loo

This is another no-brainer (I promise it is the last) but most people overlook it. When you need to go to the loo, there is no stopping your organism and if you try to, that will be in your mind breaking your momentum. Go to the loo right before you enter the space where you will have your massage session to get rid of all that proper hydration you gave to your body. This is yet another reason to avoid alcohol before going for a massage session: if you drink alcohol, your body will immediately turn toxins into urine and try to get them out.Stopping your massage session and running to the loo wearing only a robe will ruin your relaxation and also the positive effects of the massage therapy sessions. Don´t avoid the loo.

Conclusion

Avoiding any or all of these tips might not be the end of the world, but might severely damage your massage therapy experience. Each massage session should be pure relaxation and stress relief; making everything you can to amplify that experience is the correct path. Follow these tips whenever your next massage session is and help your body relax to its maximum extent. You won´t regret taking some or all these precautions at all.

Couple massages are becoming increasingly famous around the world and are an experience that some spas are offering as a part of a combo. In the case of romantic couples, spas can even offer some other treats like a tub with rose petals, a bottle of champagne or a real fireplace to relax next to. In the case that the massage is for non-romantic couples like siblings, mother and daughter or just best friends, the massage can be the only treat and happen in unison in two distinct beds in the same room. Whichever is the case you are thinking about right now read on and find out everything you always wanted to know about couples massage.

The Couple Experience

Couples experience at a spa center can be either a full combo including several steps and a massage or just a massage session in a joint room. Both are great gifts, surprises and treats for the person that means the most to you. Let´s take a look at the variances.

The Couple Spa Day

Let´s start with what most spas offer as a whole experience. If you are involved in a romantic relationship with a significant other and want to have some extra bonding time, a spa is the perfect place to share some silent communion moments and solidify that special look into each other´s eyes that makes couples reach the next plateau in a relationship.

Everything, from a joint tub bath to taking each other´s hands at a massage session to enjoy the same sauna, the complete experience can be just what some couples need to find happiness. Some spas will even pop up a bottle at your arrival to make you feel more comfortable and get you in that celebration mood. Just be careful with how much alcohol you drink since massage therapy really improves circulation and you will be feeling funny way before you normally do.

Usually, it all starts at the sauna to get rid of toxins, then to a hot tub with some rose petals and finally to that amazing massage therapy session in a joint room. That schedule is guaranteed to make you feel love, relaxation and a stronger special bond with your couple.

Couple Massage Therapy

Whether it was you or your significant other the one buying each other´s spot over the massage bed, seeing the enjoyment face in each other is nothing short from amazing. To give a couple massage therapy as a present to the person you love and join him or her in the experience is to be able to see that look upon their faces or that eyes-closed smile that just makes the world a better place even if it´s just for a little while.

What will likely happen during a couple massage therapy session is that you will both be accommodated in the same room with some nice-smelling essences, some candles and relaxing music. Just lying there next to each other while receiving such a relaxing treatment, is a great way of bonding. Each of you can tell the therapist what you like; actually you can choose whichever kind of massage you like the best and have a different one from your partner.

If it was only the massage you booked, then you might expect to have a glass of champagne as a goodbye treat and off you go, back to real life with a huge smile upon your face and a rejuvenated bond with your partner in crime.

Benefits of a Couple Spa Day

Spa days are relaxing and good for your health, but that is just for one person, now we will talk about the benefits going beyond the ones you already know. Let´s go through the benefits of a joint spa day with your significant other.

Reconnection

Spa days help you disconnect from the world. In the case of couple spa days, they help you reconnect with each other. Once all your concerns about work, daily activities and any other thing you might have in your head melt away, that connection with your loved one will be back to where it was before modern life took a serious blow at it. The romanticism that comes back to the surface when all problems fade away is almost always just as you remembered it and still the reason that made you want to be together in the first place.

Affection

Serotonin, dopamine, and the all famous cuddle-hormone oxytocin are all released through a massage session. All these great inner “drugs” that feel like a gift from nature are enhanced with the touch and the sight of that significant other lying right next to you. With this combination of chemicals and the spa atmosphere, a couple massage is something really close to a love potion.

Bonding

The bonding that comes from trying new things being two is enhanced by the natural release of the chemicals in your body. Also, finding each other´s eyes and smiles in a moment of extreme joy is something that can bring couples closer. When some time has gone by the talks about it will come and you will both crack a laugh remembering how good it was.

Those are the reasons couples who experience a full day of spa and/or a massage therapy session often decide to go back. It is very usual to find couples coming back for consecutive anniversaries and each other birthdays.

Conclusion – Get a Couple Spa Day and Enjoy the Benefits

Where to get a couple spa day is a careful decision. Going to the right place might mean an epic win and you might have an absolutely wonderful experience. A bad choice can lead to a bad experience and be a big no that might close your senses to that experience forever.

For the best results in getting a couple spa day, we recommend going to Cora SPA in Dubai. Not only the attention to detail is borderline obsessive, but also the staff is as good as it gets.

 

Skin is your body´s largest organ and is the one that suffers the contact with the world the most. It is a very common thing to overlook this and not taking proper care of our own skin. That is exactly why a Moroccan bath is what you need in order to revert that situation. This ancient technique is completely dedicated to the well fare of your skin. It does so by liberating toxins, regulating temperature and the fluid balance. Read on and find out which is the best Moroccan bath center in Dubai.

What is a Moroccan Bath?

A Moroccan bath is an ancient tradition that started in that country, Morocco, but has since spread throughout Europe and the world. Since its creation, it has embraced technology improvements in such a way that it has not only enhanced its efficiency in results, but also in relaxation.

A Moroccan bath is a cleansing experience that utilizes steam and ancient Moroccan exfoliating techniques to remove all toxins from your body. These techniques have been used and perfected by locals for centuries and are still being used today. Moroccans have these kinds of baths as often as they can, which is usually once a week.

Moroccan bath is also known as Hammam bath and, according to recent studies it might have healthy results beyond the relaxation and are related to the liberation of potentially harmful toxins. If these are not removed from your skin, they might cause severe damage to pores. Releasing toxins through your skin is healthy by itself because the ones that stay inside can become potentially dangerous to your organism.

What to Expect in a Moroccan Bath?

The Moroccan bath experience is quite unique and is done through three simple steps. It has a deeply relaxing effect on people and it is guaranteed that once you try it, you will become a fan instantaneously.

When you arrive to the Moroccan bath facility, you will be given a fine robe made of silk or any derivate to put over your underwear. There are places that sell disposable underwear to the clients and you can take that option or you can just bring an extra pair of your own.

Once you are ready, a specialist will lead the way and show you your private steam room. The entire process takes about one hour. During that hour, these are the three steps that you will go through: The Rinsing Ritual The Rinsing Ritual

1.The Rinsing Ritual

This is the first part of the Moroccan bath and can very well be considered the preparation for it. You will be taken to a hot shower and given a true black Moroccan soap that has olive oil among many other ingredients and will help the first stage of cleansing and nourishing your skin. The interaction of this specific soap with the warmth of the water will make your muscles, mind and skin ease and relax.

In this first step, you are requested to apply the black soap to your skin and hair alike in an effort to clean and relax your entire body. Once you are done, you are ready for step number two, the steam.

In this first step, you are requested to apply the black soap to your skin and hair alike in an effort to clean and relax your entire body. Once you are done, you are ready for step number two, the steam.

1.The Steam

Once you are inside your private steam room (it might or might not be the same room as the rinsing ritual), you will find a huge stone or concrete piece in the center. You have to either sit down or lie on your back over it. Don´t worry, it is a warmed piece, you won´t feel cold at all.

This is the point in the massage session in which that black soap works its wonder and those pores open widely to release all toxins accumulated in the past time. Especially if you live in a city with a big smog condensation or chemicals in the air, those can really pile up in your skin. With the hot steam of water pouring in, you will feel something close to your skin “breathing” through the open pores. It is a great process that will moisturize your skin deeply and also relax your muscles, increase blood circulation and relieve the pain.

Additionally, your hair will get a great organic treatment and look better than ever. Once the steam part is done, then you are ready for part three: exfoliating

1.The Exfoliating

This is most people´s favorite part of the Moroccan bath, the part of the rubbing and scrubbing. Once you are done with the steam relaxation, a therapist will exfoliate your skin. Most therapists do it with mittens vigorously throughout your body. All the dirt and clogging you might have in your skin will be gone from the fingers of these specialists.

This rubbing will also improve your skin´s tone and firmness while stimulating the production of collagen creating an extended-youth kind of effect. You will not only feel better after stage three of the Moroccan bath, you will also look much better.

After stage three is done, it is time for a mildly cold to cold water shower to close the pores and get them ready to face reality once again. By this moment you will be invigorated, energized and fresh as a leaf of lettuce.

Optional – A Massage Session

Some people like booking an extra session of massage after going through the experience of Moroccan bath to potentiate the effects on them and make them last much longer. Our suggestion is to choose a spa that can fit both in one visit.

Conclusion – Get a Moroccan Bath

Once you know what to expect of a Moroccan bath, the ideal is that the place you choose is the one that performs this ancient technique as close to its standard as possible. Because of the facilities, the attention to detail and the friendly crew, we recommend you go to Cora SPA to get the best Moroccan bath in Dubai. Besides, you can also get other services, they are all top-notch. Get ready to experience a whole new level of relaxation at Cora SPA Dubai.

Old Asian massage techniques have spread throughout the planet and gathered an increasing amount of fans in the past decades. Arabic massage is a mixture of different techniques that have a unique result.

If you want to enjoy the best of every culture, then Arabic massage sessions are tailor-made for you. Read on and find out which are the techniques that make Arabic massage a world-wide favorite.

What is Arabic Massage?

One of the strongest points of an Arabic massage is the communication that it establishes with the masseuse. It is deeply relaxing; that has earned it the name of “the soul massage”. Although it is a deeply relaxing practice, it also is an energizing session. Patients usually leave the facilities feeling equally stretched, energized and relaxed without any kind of back or neck pain. Let´s take a look at some of the techniques that are combined to create this unique kind of massage.

Acupressure

Most people are familiar with a technique based on the same principle that is called acupuncture. Familiarity comes from the shared basis in the belief that energy of life flows through the different points in our bodies called “meridians”. With time, stress and modern life, these spots get tensioned and blocked. By applying specific pressure to them, masseuses can unblock them and relieve the pain that comes from a blocked energy flow.

Among some of the symptoms that can appear because of these blockages are:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Stomach ache
• Back pain
• Tension

With the proper attention by a professional, these spots can be liberated, and all those symptoms will fade away as soon as they appeared.

This first stage of the Arabic massage is a very important one energetically speaking, but the client feels it as if the masseuse is just rubbing them in certain areas. The areas that the masseuse rubs and applies the needed pressure to are not necessarily related to the ones that the client is aching at. What the therapists seek is the balance of the ying, yang and qi by reestablishing the correct energy flow across all meridians. Achieving that might not need any pressure on the neck or the back, but these could be tremendously benefited from this technique.

The biggest difference with acupuncture is that this is a gentle way to unblock meridians, unlike acupuncture, which clients feel as a more invasive treatment.

The Four Elements

According to the supporting literature behind Arabic massage and borrowing from Thai massage, the masseuse will work to align the four elements: water, earth, air and fire. According to Thai knowledge, these four elements rule our bodies and are present in every atom in the universe. It is not a tangible presence, but more like a quality of each element that is in the core of everything, including us.

One of these elements is the dominant in each of us and as such, it has the tendency to be excessively present. This determination is given from birth and depends on the time and day we are born. Along with the element´s qualities comes an anchoring in certain part of our body, for example:

• Earth – Muscle, bone, skin, tendons and all solid organs.
• Water – Blood, lymphatic liquids and system, eyes and all other liquids in our body.
• Wind – All movements are associated with air and also respiration, sexuality, digestion, aging and the intestines.
• Fire – Everything related to our body´s temperature, infections, the circulatory system and metabolism is ruled by this element.

If they go out of balance, our body will start suffering by disability, excess or defect. Once that happens, we become ill. According to this philosophy, the work of the masseuse is to align the elements and allow the patient to live a healthy and balanced life.

It is important to note, though, that children and elderly people have a more fragile balance of elements. In the case of children, because elements are not fully formed yet, chaos among them is common. In the case of elderly people, elements are fully formed, but become weaker with time; it is almost as if they would wear out and eventually go out of balance. This situation needs activity from the masseuse.

Peeling Ritual, Hot Water and Rinsing

After all previous stages are completed, the Arabic massage borrows an ancient technique from the Moroccan bath and through hot water and rinsing, they enhance your body´s regeneration ratio. This final part is related to the skin, your body´s largest organ. With the peeling of old skin, the application of hot water and the rinsing, toxins and old, dead skin that might be clogging and obstructing your pores is removed.

Most people find this last part of the massage the most relaxing. It might be so, or maybe it is just the domino effect of it being the third in the chain. Whichever is the real cause (domino effect or the technique itself), the relaxation achieved with the peeling ritual, the hot water and the rinsing is superb. As pores open up with the steam of hot water and toxins are released, breathing becomes easier and clients feel that they are lighter.

Conclusion – Get an Arabic Massage to Get the Best of All

Because an Arabic massage is a mixture of techniques including acupressure, soft Thai massage and hot water, the feeling of relaxation is maximized. Also, because of the aligning of the elements and unblocking of the meridians, people feel more energized, as if they were capable of doing more with the same effort. This is a feeling somewhat comparable with that of getting extra air. An aligned and relaxed body is equal to a more energized, happier person. In fact, most clients state that after an Arabic massage session, they can think with more clarity.

The best Arabic massage center in Dubai is Cora SPA because they have experts in each of the needed techniques and the facilities are perfect. Get an Arabic massage session today and obtain the ultimate relaxing and energizing experience.

Working as a spa therapist in Dubai is a great way to make money working in a beautiful, relaxing atmosphere. Most spas are created specifically to give their customers that sense of ultimate relaxation that helps loosen up and recovering from a stressful week.

Working in such an inviting and relaxing environment is, for most therapists, the best quality of their daily job. Would you like to work daily in a place where most people can afford to go once a week, month or year? Read on and find out everything you need to know about spa therapist jobs in Dubai.

What Does it Take to be a Spa Therapist?

Let´s start from the beginning: what are the needed skills to be a spa therapist in Dubai?

Have a Degree

This is the first and most important quality to become a spa therapist in Dubai: to have a degree or any kind of title that allows you to perform as a therapist. Lately, massage therapy has become a mainstream occupation; you should have no problems finding the right place to learn. This first condition is exclusive, but if you already have that, then let´s move on.

Experience

This is a non-exclusive asset. You need to build it up with time. What is important about experience? That you´ll be forging your reputation, so you have to pay a lot of attention and care to every step of the way. It is highly unlikely you´ll be a masseuse at the best spa in Dubai the first day out of the academy, but with lots of experience and a nice set of references, it might come sooner than later.

Good Communication Skills

This is a crucial skill that is not always polished during the formal training of a therapist. To be able to communicate assertively and positively with your patients is crucial to deliver the best experience. There is a lot of interpretation about what is it that the customer really wants or how relaxed or uncomfortable they are. Use your knowledge and polished communication skills to understand and address your client´s needs perfectly. Being empathetic is also a great soft skill you should employ.

Integrity

Because as a spa therapist you are given a huge power over the physical integrity of each of your patients, you should not overlook this item at all. Also, you might be confided with health and personal information about the patients. Be discrete and act with integrity at all times.

Train and Keep your Strength Up

This is a very important item in this series and is related to the strength needed to give a massage. Most techniques require strength and also stamina from the masseuse. You have to keep that pressure level up for 50 minutes and sometimes even more; especially if you are a spa therapist and work with Swedish or any other deep-tissue massage. You might be facing days with 6 to 8 patients of 50 minutes each. Train, stretch and keep that stamina up!

Spa Therapist Job Responsibilities

Once you have all the qualifications that make you eligible for the position, it is time to go for which the responsibilities of the job are. You will have to perform several tasks as a therapist but also as spa personnel.

As Part of the Spa

1.Take care of the facilities – As a member of a team of professionals, you shall be one of the many using the facilities. It is your responsibility to be a team player and leave the work space the same way you would like to find it every time you use it.

2.Keep files updated – This is another team player requirement since files are mostly shared with other professionals for holistic patient treatment. Be tidy and fill files right after each session.

3. Be informed – Clients will very likely ask you about other services and professionals in the same building. Be informed at all times and always have extra data ready. Going the extra mile is always welcome by employers, colleagues, and customers.

As a Therapist

1. Deliver top-notch services – Regardless of you being a member of the permanent staff of a spa, your name and reputation goes in every service you give. Take this as an opportunity to grow and deliver the best service you can in every occasion you get.

2.Always be polite and communicate – This is a statement that works for clients but also for those who work with you. Your manners, politeness and language will be your best presentation card.

3. Be updated – As a professional, you have to be in tune with what is going on in your line of work in the world. It is important that you keep on reading, being informed and, whenever possible, take specialization courses to broaden your range of action. If you ask politely and convince your employers, they might even help you with them.

How Much Does a Spa Therapist Make?

Well, the amount of money paid to massage therapists working as permanent staff in a spa or outside of it is different depending on the specialization grade and the amount of experience in the terrain.

According to recent surveys, entry-level professionals can make AED 24K a year as massage therapists. The median for the job, though, is AED 54K a year, which is more than twice the entry-level wage. Finally, those who are considered the elite of spa therapists can make up to AED 160K a year.

If AED 24K seems too little in the beginning, just bear in mind that doing things the right way for a long time and building a good reputation can take you to AED 160K before you notice.

Conclusion

Working as a spa therapist is a lot like working behind curtains in a theater. You are an important part of an extreme-relaxation staging that the spa sells to the clients. Even though you are not the one receiving the services, you can still enjoy that staging of relaxation a lot.

There are few parts of the human body as important for everyday life as knees. They are needed when you sit, stand, walk, turn, drive and countless others. It is crucial for a happy, healthy life to keep them at its best for the longest possible time.

Whether you are recovering from a sports injury or suffer from a degenerative disease like arthritis or osteoarthritis, it is possible to reduce the pain and boost your life quality with massage therapy. Read on to find out why and how booking your next massage therapy session can literally change your life.

Knee pain

Your knees are complex articulations that work flawlessly only when all the little components inside of them work well. Because of this complexity, there are many distinct problems they can suffer from.

The first and most important thing when it comes to knee pain is to identify its type.

Acute Knee Pain

If the pain you started feeling in your knee was sudden or it occurred right after doing a quick movement, a knee twist, a forceful falling or maybe a kick to the side of the knee while practicing sports, then you have an acute injury. It is important to get medical assistance from a professional right away to have a quick diagnose on your knee´s most important components. For example, ligament injury, torn meniscus or muscle strain can be diagnosed immediately. If it happens and you have to wait for the professional to see you, it is important that you apply the RICE technique (Rest + Ice + Compress + Elevate). If you have a professional massage therapist around, he or she can gently massage the area promoting lymphatic circulation in an attempt to minimize swelling before it happens.

Insidious Knee Pain

If what you start feeling in your knee is a minor annoyance that comes and goes vaguely, then it might be a different kind of knee injury, an insidious one. This kind might come from old, unhealed or badly healed past injuries. For example, a minor knee sprain that happened long ago in high school or an old injury in your ankle as you were playing football at college, or a bad fall that happened some years ago and you thought had healed perfectly; even just bad posture. Another huge difference between this type of knee pain and the previous is that this is chronic and micro-trauma accumulates over time. With this we mean that if you don´t treat it properly, the condition could get worse. For example chronic inflammation and progressive muscle imbalance are two candidates to become an acute injury difficult to heal.

Knee-pain Specific Massages

The first thing after assessing your knee pain will be to try and release the structures right around it that could exacerbate it. Some of the more likely techniques to be applied might be:

• Effleurage
• Muscle stripping
• Petrissage
• Myofascial release
• Trigger point therapy
• Ischemic compression
• Cross fiber friction

After these techniques, a massage therapist who is orthopedic-trained will take time to do an assessment. Each knee is unique and so is each injury. Trained, professional massage therapists will put together an action plan specific for your injury and knee and build from it.

Besides the assessment about your knee specifically, massage therapists also gather info about other areas of your body and injury history. For example, pain patterns along with postural alignment and joint movements are crucial for the action plan on your knee pain.

Additionally, massage therapists also focus on the simple movements that recreate the symptoms to start reducing knee pain. Finally, they also perform myofascial work to address all the scar tissue that might be found around your knee.

Muscles Around your Knee

As we said in the beginning, knees are articulations and are supported by the muscle groups around them. If those muscles are strengthened by a professional massage therapist, the pressure might be relieved as the weight of the body is more evenly distributed.

If addressed properly, the muscle groups supporting your knees will be your best ally during treatment and recovery. These are the muscle groups that are most likely worked at during those knee-pain relieving massage sessions.

Quadriceps

Quadriceps is a four-muscle group; the strongest muscles in our bodies. They are located just above the knee and go all the way up to the top of the thigh. With some deep-tissue techniques as well as some stretching and gentle activation, massage therapists are able to relieve pain and tension around the kneecap

Hamstrings

This is a group of three muscles that has its origin at the sit bones and end by inserting just below the back part of the knee. This muscle group tends to be hypertonic and overpower the previous group, the quadriceps, causing pain. Stretching those shortened muscles along with deep-tissue work can be helpful. Also, other techniques like petrissage, trigger point therapy and compression can do wonders in this section.

Gastrocnemius

This is the muscle connecting the knee to the ankle. It is very often referred to as the calf. It can give pain or relief the back of the knee as well as the arch of the foot. Most massage therapists treat it with trigger point therapy, petrissage, muscle-stripping and myofascial release. These treatments are very intense for the patient but provide pain relief over the affected areas and the knee.

Conclusion – Massage Therapy for Knee Pain

As a conclusion, it is important to point out that massage therapy can not only relieve your knee pain, but also help you heal and accompany you through the entire process: from diagnosis to medical discharge. Even after that, in some chronic affection, massage therapy is very useful to keep tissue from swelling and pain from returning.

Get massage therapy for your knee pain at least twice a week and once you get the medical discharge you can turn it into once a week or once every two weeks. Book your session today and don´t suffer from knee pain in vain, massage therapy is a non-invasive, long-term solution for it.

The known benefits of massage therapy are plenty and there are more being discovered all the time. As time goes by, site-specific traditional practices with thousands of years of tradition come to the light. For example, the fact that you can walk into a massage salon and choose between Thai, Russian and Swedish traditional massages all in one place is not something that always happened. Well, that situation set the ground for myths to appear about massage therapy and its benefits. Read on to unmask the myths and learn the truths about massage therapy.

The Myths

1 – A massage has to be painful or it is not working

This is absolutely wrong. For starters, all of us have different sensitivity toleration and what is deep and painful for some might be smooth and light for others. There are some treatments that are painful like tendinitis and frictions, but even those are carried on with patient agreement. A good massage therapist will always increase the pressure gradually according to patient´s tolerance and comfort. Massage should never be painful and should always be working.

2 – Deeper massage is always better

Another myths is a theory based on muscle tissue response. A great example of this is lymphatic drainage in which the pressure applied has to match that of a dime; otherwise the lymphatic channels will be closed. It is true that some deep tissue massage techniques are used to relieve that kind of issues, but that is only one kind of massage. Deeper is not always better and, in some cases, it is the opposite.

3 – One massage session should be enough

Some patients show up for a massage therapy session and feel like after 50 minutes they should be like new. Well, sometimes it takes more than just 50 minutes to reverse conditions that have been piling up for years. A serious massage therapist will evaluate your conditions and give you a work plan to alleviate all your symptoms.

4 – All massages are basically the same

This is a mistake that very likely comes from people who have always gone to the same spa with the same objective. There are as many massage types as patients to apply them to. For example, you can go for a spa day near you and have the ultimate relaxation experience with a full body massage in Dubai or can have a massage in a clinical environment by a licensed professional trained to focus on certain areas only. Massage

depends largely on the needs of the patient and also on the skills and experience of the masseuse. Not all massages are the same.

5 – The effects of a massage therapy session are only temporar

This is untrue depending on the masseuse you are visiting. Your muscles have a long memory and the bad postures you might be adopting in diverse areas of your life can hurt them. For example in office conditions as you bend over to watch your screen closely. A good masseuse will relieve tension and, with repeated visits, reeducate the muscles of your body to get the proper posture and avoid the tension you might be piling up.

6 – All a massage is doing for you is moving your muscles around a little

This is absolutely not true. A good massage session with a qualified masseuse can address many issues including alleviating any swollen joints moving the synovial fluid that had become stagnant in them. Also, the tissue connecting bones, joints and muscle (fascia) can be stretched when tightened.

The Truths

1 – Relaxes your body lowering stress levels

The stress hormone is well-known by most people, it is called cortisol. Most people reach peak levels of this substance after being under stressful weeks of work and family needs. Cortisol is never alone; it brings other friends with it such as insomnia, headaches and digestive problems. Massage therapy sessions have been proven to diminish cortisol levels avoiding these adverse stress effects and improving overall mood.

2 – Eases muscle pain

One of the main benefits of a good massage therapy session is to reduce muscle pain. Massage increases blood circulation and this has the same effect you get when you rub a part of your body you just hit against something. It alleviates the pain immediately.

3 – Boosts immunity

A study was conducted in 2010 by a prestigious journal of alternative medicine showing how patients who underwent massage therapy sessions had more white blood cells in their blood stream.

4 – Improves sleep

This is almost a side effect of a relaxed body with lower levels of cortisol. Your relaxed muscles feel more loose and, combined with the improved mood, you get an easier flow of melatonin (cortisol nemesis when it comes to sleep). The result is deeper and restful sleep.

5 – Alleviates depression and anxiety

There are several factors because of which people have this effect of alleviation on depression and anxiety. First of all because human touch in a safe context in the hands of a specialist can have relaxing, therapeutic effects on depressed patients who wouldn´t receive such touch on their skin otherwise. Second because the reduction of cortisol and the release of endorphins fight back against the symptoms of these syndromes.

6 – Improve circulation

Because of the relaxation of certain tissue, muscles and tendons, the blood flow of your body will be improved. If your massage therapy sessions are not sporadic, but continuous, this can be a long-term benefit. Bringing the needed blood supply that your damaged, tense and stiff muscles need for healing is crucial for wellness. Also, the hands-on pressure that therapists apply can help the flow of blood through congested, damaged areas of your body.

Conclusion

Despite the myths and misconceptions that are in everybody´s mouths about massage therapy, there have been many studies conducted to prove the real benefits of this alternative medicine. Don´t just take it from us, book a session of full body massage in Dubai and see it for yourself, you will not regret it.

When most people think about a full body massage, they think of a luxury one can afford every once in a while. But is that true or you can have weekly or monthly sessions in sustained period of time? Read on and find out which are all the factors you need to bear in mind before you make a decision about having regular massage sessions.

Why do You Need a Full Body Massage?

The answer to this question is very personal. Usually, people who need a full body massage is people who is tensioned from daily working and/or has some kind of physical condition that makes some muscles sore. A full-body massage can certainly help you relieve all tension from muscles, keep away the pain and, by draining your lymphatic circulation system, help you get toxins and tension out of your body. If you suffer from stress or some stress-related affection as well as generalized nervousness, insomnia or a high pressure-rate, then a massage could be an awesome non-invasive all-natural treatment for those. Also, you could just use a full body massage in Dubai for relaxation or as a gift for someone else. Some massage salons have gift cards so you can give them to someone else as a present in a special occasion (“needing” suddenly becomes “wanting” a full body massage).

How Often Should You Get a Full Body Massage?

Well, the benefits of a full body massage are plenty. According to recent studies, they have the best impact in improving your health when the action is repeated and sustained in time. For those who have difficult weeks at a stressful job, the benefits of a massage to fight that pain on a weekly basis can really improve their life quality. Also, full body massages do calm the central nervous system down and improve blood circulation. Besides those, full body massages relieve your body from all kinds of muscle pain (derived from stress, bad posture or heavy physical activity among others) and help with pain management in general. People suffering from illnesses that involve chronic pain such as arthritis, muscle spasms and sciatica are the most benefited from this quality.

Once a year

Even if you get a full body massage by the best professional in the world, he or she will not be able to relieve a year of pain in a single session. So, having a massage once a year is a great relaxation technique with a great short-term result.

Once a month

Moving forward to once a month; you will start feeling the benefits of the tension not building up on your muscles and your tissues gaining health. The lymphatic draining will get your body into a slimmer look because the tissue that once was swollen will now be drained. Also, contractures in key muscles due to stress and bad postures will be dissolved by the masseuse. Due to this practice you will no longer feel you are carrying the world upon your shoulders.

Once a week

Finally, this is by far the most recommended distance between massage sessions. Going from once a month to once a week is like going from a Ford Festiva to a Lamborghini Diablo. You will feel like you are lighter, more energetic, capable of doing much more and, most of all, in a different, better mood most of the time. Massage sessions can alleviate the pain that daily life and stress produce. If you don´t let those negative feelings pile up, you will not feel their effects on your body. Letting go of daily tensions with a Friday afternoon massage session every Friday afternoon is the perfect recipe for avoiding more severe problems.

How Often Can You Afford to Get a Full Body Massage?

Most people think that massage therapy is too expensive for their monthly income as to schedule weekly sessions. Some of that people have actually tried it and others just think that way because they have never experienced it and find marketing strategies by most massage places advertise it as a luxury and not a healthy practice that can help you cope with every-day life. If that is your case, we recommend you visit a good masseuse and experience for yourself how relaxation feels like. Moreover, if you can go for a monthly or weekly session a couple of times in a row, you will experience the true benefits of a full body massage.

Reducing other costs with periodic full body massage

If you start getting monthly full body massage in Dubai and feel better, then go for it on a weekly basis. You will relieve many of the worse effects that stress has on you. For example, chronic contractures on muscles from a combination (very common, by the way) of nervousness and bad postures will very likely turn into a more serious issue if not dealt with on time. In extreme cases of overlooking these symptoms, some professionals even experience deeper effects like the temporal paralysis of their faces due to stress. Dealing with these symptoms from an early stage will definitely save you money in the long run. Seeing massage therapy this way is to see it as an investment in your own health. Preventing minor problems from becoming bigger is the best way to take care of your body in the long run. If you stretch the time period from one massage session to another, you will not be taking proper care of your body and hence, exposing it to other, more difficult to resolve problems.

Conclusion – Get a Weekly Massage Whenever Possible

Massage sessions are not only a luxury relaxing moment that you can give yourself as a present from time to time. A weekly massage session can prevent serious health problems and help your body get rid of the toxins of a week of work and stress as well as improving circulation and promoting lymphatic circulation. Get a weekly full body massage in Dubai and take proper care of your body starting today.