From Shiatsu to LPG: What is the difference between different types of massage and which one to choose

MASSAGE - A BUSINESS THIN. On the one hand, its benefits are indisputable: the procedure perfectly relaxes muscles, improves lymph flow, improves blood circulation, thereby triggering the body's regeneration processes. A properly prescribed massage course can help relieve stress, tone the body and recover from trauma.
On the other hand, finding a good masseur is not an easy task, and if you succeed, hold onto the master with both hands. Only a professional who knows how it works is to entrust his body: a massage therapist must have a secondary medical education, and the services of hairdressers or manicurists who have completed three-month massage courses should be avoided. Beauty salons and massage studios can be trusted only if they have a license for medical massage. Even if the massage was performed professionally, it can aggravate the course of some diseases or provoke their exacerbation, because doctors recommend doing without self-prescribing and consult a doctor before recording a massage to assess the condition of the body and learn about possible contraindications.
Massage includes a huge number of different practices and approaches, some ritualism and alternative therapy are often adjacent to science. Eastern and western massage systems are divided, and within these schools there is a whole gradient of techniques - from ancient traditional to modern technological, from light to deep and intense. We chose several popular types of massage and in a few words told how good they are.

Classical
One of the most common types of massage is also called Swedish. The name “sports massage” was also attached to it, because this technique is used for strong physical exertion on muscles and joints. When performing a classic massage, the therapist can work with varying degrees of intensity, but always tries to penetrate deep into the tissues to rub the seals, stretch the neurovascular bundles and muscles. The impact occurs through stroking, patting, intensive kneading and a slight “shake” of the muscles. As a rule, massage oils or special lotions are used. The classic “sports” massage not only improves blood circulation and relaxes muscles - it lowers blood pressure in patients with hypertension, reduces back pain and even helps lower cortisol, the so-called stress hormone.
Thai
The founding father of Thai massage is Dr. Jivak, the personal physician of one of the Indian kings who ruled over two thousand years ago. Thai massage has always been used for therapeutic purposes in conjunction with Thai traditional medicine.
The main principle of this direction of massage is a point effect on the body in accordance with the breathing of the patient and the massage therapist. It is necessary to provide soft transitions from one acupressure point to another. Thai massage is very intense and deep, which is often taken aback by negligent spa clients who did not bother to delve into the specifics of the service. Classical Thai massage is done on top of pajamas, but they also practice the technique using oils. Elements of yoga and oriental physiotherapy are used, when the masseur makes the patient a soft stretch. The beneficial effect of Thai massage is to deeply warm the muscles and joints, relieve swelling, improve peristalsis, stimulate and normalize the activity of the nervous system.
Shiatsu
Comprehensive Japanese shiatsu therapy is based on the theory of qi energy circulation, its various styles in addition to massage include traditional Japanese therapeutic practices, elements of Chinese medicine, achievements of Western anatomy and physiology. The technique of shiatsu is to pressure the muscles with the fingers and palms. Like most Eastern school techniques, shiatsu massage is done on the floor: the patient lies on a thin mat, and the therapist works on his knees. Shiatsu is regulated as a licensed medical therapy by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Japan. Scientific facts do not confirm the practical benefits of shiatsu, but, according to studies in the field of holistic medicine, traditional Japanese massage can relieve pain and reduce anxiety in patients over time. In any case, a shiatsu session will pass as a good experiment in the case of a trip to Japan, although the technique is no less popular in European spas.

Ayurvedic

Abhyanga massage is one of the main components of Ayurveda, the system of traditional Indian alternative medicine. Ayurvedic massage is aimed at eliminating toxins and normalizing the lymphatic system, it is believed that it stimulates the production of lymphocytes, which have a key role in maintaining immunity. There is no mysticism in this - this is just an ancient manual method of lymphatic drainage, which today is sometimes trusted in hardware lymphatic drainage procedures. Traditional Indian massage is good primarily for relaxation: the masseur's touches are not intense and quite soft (fingers, palms and forearms are involved in a light warm-up and pressure). Abhyanga massage is done using natural oils, the composition of which is selected individually, so that in addition to aromatherapy, you will be provided with skin nutrition and deep uniform heating of muscles and joints.

Endermological

With traditional practices figured out, we turn to advanced technologies. Endermological massage (or LPG massage) is a patented technology, which consists in treating the muscle layer and subcutaneous fat with a vacuum, by deep and intensive kneading with special roller manipulations. LPG massage is used in medicine to treat varicose veins, radiculitis, to recover from injuries and burns, and in sports - to strengthen muscles and ligaments, recover from injuries, and to prepare athletes for competitions. The LPG technique has gained a real boom in hardware cosmetology, where it is used to eliminate visible signs of cellulite, reduce body fat and increase skin elasticity - and, judging by the results of studies, is relatively effective. Even if cellulite does not decrease (its visible signs have significantly decreased only in 15% of women participating in the study), after a course of endermological massage, the skin will surely come in tone, become soft and supple.

Pressure therapy

In medicine, pressotherapy, or rather pulsed barotherapy, is used in the complex treatment of persistent muscle tension and the prevention of varicose veins, helps fight post-traumatic and postoperative edema. Pressotherapy (or lymphatic drainage) consists of sequential pressure on parts of the body (mainly arms and legs) with the help of special cuffs, in which compressed air is supplied alternately. As a result of this air pressure, skin is cleaned and nourished with lymph, and blood circulation in the capillaries of the skin and soft tissues improves. Due to the effect on subcutaneous fat after a course of pressure therapy, the skin becomes more elastic and soft, many patients notice a decrease in the visible manifestations of cellulite. The main bonus of pressotherapy, of course, is that the whole process resembles cosmonaut training.