Which Treatment Style Works For You?

If you are looking for the best mobile massage treatment you can get, then choosing the most appropriate type of massage for your own particular needs is important. But, with so many different therapeutic types available, differences between the various options can become bewildering. To make things easier, we explore the key features that distinguish one massage style from another.

What’s In A Name?

First off, it’s important to note that depending on where you are in the world, the same style of massage therapy may be referred to by a different name. For example, one of the most well known and popular choices, Classic massage is also known as Swedish, Californian or even Esalen ... or simply a relaxing massage!

So sometimes you may think there are several options but actually they are all referring to pretty much the same kind of treatment. 

But putting aside various names for the same underlying treatment, what are the key factors which do distinguish massage styles from each other?

Therapeutic Effects

All the massage styles offered by the therapists on this platform are therapeutic in their nature. A key aim of any delivered treatment is to help protect, maintain or restore the health of your mind and body. In this sense, each of the available treatments is a healing therapy.

Healing can of course come in many guises. In general, massage techniques can be divided into soothing and intensive therapy types.

Soothing Styles

Sometimes your body (and mind) needs a soothing approach. A soft, subtle touch, that helps create a peaceful environment and encourages relaxation. 

Treatments of this type can help slow down a fast heart rate, reduce anxiousness and calm nerves, leaving you feeling mentally refreshed and renewed at the end of the session.

An added benefit of this kind of style is that you will often find yourself opening up emotionally. Recipients of a deeply relaxing massage often reach such a level of comfort with their therapist, that they feel happy to also use him or her as a sounding board to share niggling concerns and worries. Whilst massage therapists are not usually also qualified psychologists, sometimes all that is needed is a friendly listening ear of a stranger and (in the case of a masseuse) a healing touch too!

The most popular treatment types that offer a primarily soothing treatment are: Classic, Jet Lag, Pregnancy and Four-Handed massages.

Intensive Styles

Whilst we all love a bit of rest and relaxation, from time to time our bodies may better benefit from a slightly more involved or rigorous treatment.

These kinds of therapies can help improve blood circulation, revitalise mood and provide a much needed boost to overall energy levels. They also incorporate specific remedial techniques such as muscle stretching, deep tissue manipulation and myofascial release which can help speed the natural recovery of many minor muscular and skeletal sprains and injuries.

The most popular intensive treatment types are: Deep Tissue, Thai and Sports massages. 

Combination Styles

Massage is by nature a bespoke service, which should be individually adapted to meet the needs of each client’s body and mind. Often the most appropriate and best massage is they type where the massage therapist merges elements from both soothing and intensive styles all into one session.

This may be something as simple as starting and ending the treatment with soft, relaxation based effleurage strokes and keeping only the central part of the massage deep tissue based and vigorous. However the most popular combination styles are those in which the therapist is trained in a number of significantly different techniques and is able to apply them in harmony through the same session. 

The Physio-style and Thai-oil combo massages are two of the most requested such types but even if you book a different style, most therapists will apply a range of techniques during their session, especially those which last for 90 minutes or longer. 

Tailored Treatments

Finally, remember that as unique as your needs are, so are the skills and energy of each therapist. It is unlikely that any two therapists, even those that have graduated from the same massage training school, will deliver exactly the same treatment. 

Every therapist’s assessment of the body is individual to her thought process. Similarly, class learned techniques are usually applied alongside moves developed personally through experience, all delivered in the therapist’s own unique style. This means every massage is likely to be a little different, whatever it is named, reflecting your therapist’s personality. 

So, whichever treatment style you choose, remember to enjoy the uniqueness of your body and your therapist’s interpretation from top to toe.