Massage: positive effect on body and soul

You probably know the feeling of coming home tense after a long and stressful day at work. Your back and neck feel rock-hard and you long for nothing more than a pleasant touch? Then a massage can work wonders. A professionally performed massage can not only effectively relieve tension and hardening, it is also good for your psyche. We’ll tell you when a massage makes sense, how often you should book one and when it is more likely to be counterproductive.

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What is a massage?

Massage is a mechanical influence on the skin, connective tissue and muscles. The massage therapist tries to release tension in a targeted manner with the help of various grips that make you feel better. A distinction is made between therapeutic massages, which are carried out by an experienced physiotherapist, and the wellness treatments. The former are prescribed by the doctor for diseases of the musculoskeletal system such as back pain, muscle tension or chronic pain.

The best known type of massage is the classic massage, also known as Swedish massage. It consists of various movements such as knocking, kneading and stroking. The main goal of this classic massage therapy is to loosen up the muscles, relieve tension and thus alleviate existing pain. The therapist begins with stroking movements. In this way he gets an overview of the muscles and can then react with more or less pressure, depending on the clinical picture. The principle applies: as strong as necessary, as gentle as possible. You should feel comfortable throughout the treatment; Pain, on the other hand, is a warning sign. So if you feel pain during your massage treatment, you should definitely tell your expert. Rubbing, kneading or knocking can then penetrate the deeper tissue layers and mobilize the muscles. Through these targeted movements in conjunction with the warmth of the therapist’s hands, the muscles relax almost instantly. This in turn means that you instantly feel more relaxed and happier. You will hardly achieve this effect with various commercially available aids such as massage devices – simply because the therapist’s warmth is missing.

In addition to classic massage therapy, there are a number of other special types of massage. The Thai massage and the hot stone massage, the sports massage or the Shiatsu massage are also very popular. The aromatic oil massage is also very relaxing, which is often offered in the spa, but is unsuitable for the at-home business. With aroma oil therapy, essential oils are massaged into the skin, which leads to deep relaxation. This type of massage combines the power of aromatherapy with the relaxing grips of the most popular massage techniques. A positive side effect of the aromatic oil massage: In addition to the relaxing effect, your skin also benefits and, depending on the oil used, is cared for, feels relaxed or refreshed. Similar to classic massage therapy, aroma oil massage also manages to relieve physical and mental tension and prevent diseases.

Furthermore, massages are differentiated according to their area of application. In most cases it will be a part-body application. So one part of the body is massaged at a time. This can be the back as well as the neck, the head or the legs. The full body massage, on the other hand, is particularly good for the soul. This wellness treatments not only extends to a certain area of the body, but to the entire body.

How often does a massage make sense?

The positive effect of a massage treatment is diverse. In addition to relaxation and beneficial effects on the psyche, a well-executed massage is also helpful for the following:

• Blood circulation is stimulated
• Lymph fluid is broken down
• The muscles are relaxed
• Pain is proven to be alleviated

Massage therapy is one of the oldest healing treatments. In most cases, a back massage is prescribed for chronic back pain or neck pain. In fact, a back massage has been proven to help people with chronic back problems. In the case of severe back, neck or shoulder pain, however, classic massage therapy alone will not lead to the desired success. Rather, you should try to change your lifestyle, i.e. integrate regular exercise into everyday life and strengthen your muscles with the help of specific movements.

So that the massage treatment can develop its full effect, it should last at least 60 minutes. A massage should not only be used when there is already painful tension. Preventive massage therapy makes sense from a young age. Everyday stress ensures that the muscles are more and more tense without us even noticing it at first. Professionally trained masseurs quickly recognize which problems are looming in the musculoskeletal system and work against them in a targeted manner. So don’t let it come to pain and tension in the first place, but use professionally executed massage treatments to prevent them. A 2-week cycle is sufficient for such precautionary measures. However, if you already have symptoms, a massage application every two weeks will not lead to the desired success. In the case of chronic pain, the following applies: three treatments per week, each lasting 60 minutes, would be optimal. A daily massage, on the other hand, does not make sense because, similar to sport, the body needs time to regenerate.

There are some indicators that classic massage therapy should not be used. These include, among others:

• Skin inflammation
• Thrombosis
• Febrile illnesses
• Taking blood clots
• Osteoporosis

What does a massage cost in Germany?

If the massage is prescribed by a doctor, the health insurances cover a large part of the costs and you only pay a small contribution. This is usually ten euros. Please note that all Soulhouse massages are for self-pay only. So what does it look like if you want to book a massage without a prescription. The costs for such a treatment depend on various factors. A full body massage is of course more expensive than a partial body massage, especially since it usually takes longer. Basically, the longer the massage lasts, the more expensive it is. Low-priced massage studios take between 20 and 25 Euros for a 20-minute massage. 

The costs in a wellness center or spa are slightly higher than in classic massage studio. With a price between 69 and 89 Euros, our Soulhouse massages are up to 30% cheaper than in comparable studios. 

But which type of massage is right for you? With a classic neck and back massage, you never make a mistake. The Thai massage is less suitable for inexperienced people. The therapist might work with very strong pressure, his or her own body weight and is therefore not for the faint of heart. The peculiarity compared to the classic massage: The patient is lightly clothed; the treatment itself can last up to three hours. In contrast to normal massage, the therapist not only works with his hands, but also uses the ball of the hand, elbows and even the feet to help. This can be unfamiliar to the inexperienced and even painful at first. Nevertheless, the positive effects of the Thai massage cannot be denied. Muscle tension can be effectively relieved and stress hormones in the blood can be reduced. At the same time, the metabolism is stimulated and pain is relieved. The treatment known as Nuad Phaen Boran in Thailand initially has little to do with classic massage treatment. Rather, you will be brought into yoga-like positions by the therapist with the help of pulling and stretching exercises. The masseur works with full physical effort. So that the Thai massage can develop its full effect, it should be used at least twice a week, but never more often.

The hot stone massage is much calmer and more relaxed. It uses the power of warm stones that are placed on your body. The warming stimuli promote blood circulation. A hot stone massage is not only very pleasant, but can also help with back pain and tension. The hot stone massage can be used as a partial or full body treatment, using between 30 and 50 stones. These are lava stones with a pleasantly smooth surface that can store heat very well. Before treatment, the stones are first heated to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Then they are placed on different parts of the body, usually starting in the prone position. In addition to the laying stones, which are suitable for larger muscle groups, there are also very small lava stones. They are placed between the fingers and toes and should develop their relaxing effect here. The hot stone massage is a real treat for muscle problems, especially in winter. The hot stone massage is a wonderful treat that you will find on the menu of our Soulhouse locations (coming soon!). You should definitely try it out in one of our massage boutiques. 

Another exciting treatment is the herbal stamp massage. This traditional massage technique uses cotton bags filled with herbs or flowers. The herbal stamps are heated in a hot water bath before use. Similar to the hot stone massage, the herbal stamp massage also uses the power of warmth. During the treatment you will immediately feel how your muscles relax. The herbal stamps are guided over the body with different levels of pressure depending on the body region and complaints. The herbal stamps are small cotton bags with a diameter of about nine centimeters. The herb Stamp massage can also be used on the face, whereby the sachets are a little smaller. Like most other types of massage, the primary goal of herbal stamp massage is to release tension and loosen up the muscles. Numerous joint problems can be alleviated in this way. For the time being, the herbal stamp massage will only be available in our Soulhouse locations (coming soon!). Like that, we have various offers ready for you and you can always try something new. 

Effective massage for neck tension

Nowadays, neck tension is the most common type of back pain alongside lower back pain. The reason is obvious: we spend most of the day sitting; Movement is absent. Constantly staring at the computer, television or smartphone also damages our necks. Misalignments and associated neck problems are the result. But even with too much stress or an unhealthy sleeping posture, neck problems are the result. If the neck pain lasts longer than twelve weeks, it is considered chronic. The problem: Neck pain can radiate quickly and cause headaches or other complaints. You should then consult a doctor if there are signs of paralysis in the arms or fingers. In most cases, however, the neck tension is not based on organic causes.

A professionally performed neck and shoulder massage can then work wonders. To ensure sufficient relaxation, it is first of all important to provide a suitable set up. The treatment should be carried out in a well-tempered room. As with the back massage, the same applies to the neck: Under no circumstances should too much pressure be applied to this sensitive area of the body. During a neck massage, the therapist works intensively with the thumb and forefinger. The primary goal of a neck massage is to stretch the tense muscles in the shoulder and neck area.

A good neck massage should take at least 60 minutes. After the first use, you may feel sore muscles. After about eight to ten sessions, however, you will be symptom-free at best. Your tension should then be completely released. A wellness neck massage is particularly pleasant when it is carried out with a high-quality massage oil. The following oils have a circulation-promoting and therefore pain-relieving effect and are therefore particularly recommended:

• Juniper
• Rosemary
• Arnica
• Lavender
• Eucalyptus
• Peppermint

The neck massage can be done while sitting or lying down. Incidentally, a neck massage can be combined with a facial massage, which also provides relaxation.

In addition to the massages, which can provide relief, you should regularly incorporate exercises to strengthen your neck muscles into everyday life. If you sit at your desk a lot, plan special stretching and relaxation exercises for the shoulder and neck region about once an hour. Commercially available Shiatsu neck massage devices usually only help to a limited extent.

Conclusion: If you are looking for a little relaxation from everyday life, there is nothing better than a massage treatment from Soulhouse. Use our app or our online booking process and book your next break with ease here. Come to rest with a comfortably warm bath and look forward to your very own massage ceremony. Even if you suffer from tension or even chronic pain, our wellness treatments can work wonders. So let yourself be kneaded deeply and you will feel newborn!