Bodywork: How much can a massage actually fix me?

We’ve all been there - felt a little tangled up, and wished to be held to come back to balance. Maybe you have an injury or pulled tight muscle that needs some help to release. Those of us feeling proactive might book a day of relaxation at our favorite spa, and loaded up on a massage treatment with all the extras - only to walk out disappointed, and still feeling sore. It’s happened to the best of us.

So how much does a massage really help, and how do you find the right kinds of treatments that actually go beyond relaxation to actually heal?

My search for healing began after sustaining a severe whiplash injury from a car accident. I was hit while stationary at a stoplight by a truck going 65 mph. My car flew forward and hit the car in front - and as a result every muscle and nerve from head to toe was pulled around, and then compressed in the span of a few seconds. At 23, I was not satisfied with the answers I was getting from medical professionals saying I had sustained severe injuries that may never heal and would leave me with difficulty walking or moving normally. I committed to working through the injury no matter what it took. A decade later, after committing to finding healing, I am in the best shape of my life, with more mobility, alignment, and strength than I have ever had before. A big part of my healing journey has been through bodywork. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it.

I have tried my fair share of massages. I used to love relaxing massages - but after the accident I needed something more therapeutic. I didn’t quite know what to try that would be right for me. As I tried different things, some massages felt ceremonial going through the motions leaving me with the same discomfort I walked in with, and some have deeply healed me. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to heal myself without the help of therapeutic massages - but the road to figuring out what works and doesn’t was a journey. In this post, I’m going to share with you what I wish I knew from the start.

There are many different kinds of massage you can opt for, and each has it’s own purpose. Often, if you pick something that is mismatched for your needs, you increase your chances of walking out disappointed.

Here’s my list of 7 types of massage that rank from more relaxing, to more therapeutic in their intention.

1. Spa Massage

   The most common type of massage that we have all probably experienced is your classic spa massage. Perhaps more with essential oils, hot stones, and scents to help you let you, these work on your by giving you a space to just let go for a dedicated period of time. It’s a space to just allow yourself to just be while someone provides healing soothing touch, and perhaps warmth and aromatherapy. I have definitely had some great massages that have just allowed me to let go and release in this space. I would opt for this if I want a day of R&R.

2. Swedish Massage

   The next layer up for me is a Swedish massage. Still more soothing in movements, alleviating small aches and pains or sore muscles from everyday activity, a Swedish massage can be a little physically intensive but still tends to be pretty comfortably stimulating. If I perhaps am a little sore after a long week of being active, this is the option I would opt for.

3. Ayurvedic Hot Oil Massage

   Perhaps one of the best benefits of Ayurvedic Hot Oil Massages like Abhyanga or Shirodhara, while there are many, for me is the improved clarity and circulation. It’s a great energetic reset. Using warm oil, I immediately feel my blood flow improving as I partake in this practice. The warmth really goes deep in unlocking a lot of everyday soreness while improving circulation and energy.

4. Deep Tissue Massage

   For those days that I feel a deeper level of pain or soreness, maybe if I pulled something from a strenuous activity needing more attention than an everyday level of fatigue, this is what I would go for. My favorite is a Deep Tissue Massage with some hot Tiger Balm oil for those days undoing knots or pulled muscles.

5. Thai Massage

   For those days I just need a deep stretch, but feel too tired or fatigued, or perhaps need some assistance staying in a deep stretch, a Thai massage is great. If you are someone who likes to be pushed into deep stretching postures, you will love a Thai massage. If you’re looking more for a passive experience, this is probably one for you to skip.

6. Trigger Point Massage

   For more acute injuries, stuck and sore muscles, pulled muscles that won’t let up after years of work, this is definitely one to try. A good trigger point practitioner will figure out the root cause of why a muscle is sore by following the chain down to the source and unlocking the source of the tension. These can sometimes be combined with sports massage techniques to be a combination of passive and active massages. I have found these to be some of the more therapeutic for injuries addressing and alleviating the root cause of symptoms that won’t let up through other means.

7. NKT

   NKT, or Neurokinetic Therapy, is a technique that uses the body’s nervous system to provide information on where movement might be blocked. A practitioner will use the principle that a strong muscle sends a signal of strength throughout the body when touched or given proprioception, and a weak muscle will send a signal of weakness. Through this, after very specific testing of where things are actually weak or sore can be ascertained, and then with sustained medium pressure that meets your edge, profound changes can take place.