Swedish Massage

San Antonio Swedish Massage Wellness

Many people who have turned to chiropractic adjustment for successful treatment of a spinal imbalance, chronic ailment or acute injury find that they also benefit greatly from Swedish massage, one of the various massage techniques we offer here at Dr. Phillips Chiropractic Nutrition and Wellness in San Antonio. This gentle yet effective practice not only relaxes the body and mind, but it also stimulates your body’s own natural healing and immune responses, making regular massage sessions a smart complement to other forms of therapeutic treatment.

Swedish massage has been developed around five basic massage techniques: Effelurage, Petrissage, Friction, Tapotement, Vibration/Shaking. Effleurage is a type of light stroke across the body, while Petrissage grips and lifts individual muscles or muscle groups. The therapist may also apply friction to the muscles by applying thumb pressure in a circular pattern. Vibration, or rapid shaking of the muscles, is sometimes used. The percussive “chopping” or tapping motions commonly seen in this form of massage are collectively known as Tapotement. Each of these massage techniques plays a role in breaking up muscle tension and stimulating many vital health functions.

This form of massage conveys a variety of different wellness benefits. The most immediate and obvious of these is a sense of stress release, as muscles strained by various physical and emotional circumstances finally have a chance to loosen up. When muscles relax, they stop building up stores of uric acid and lactic acid, toxins produced as a byproduct of exertion. These waste products are responsible for the discomfort you feel when muscles are overtaxed. Loose muscles are better able to repair themselves and become stronger; meanwhile, the increase in local circulation enables oxygen-rich blood and nutrients to enter the muscles more efficiently while carrying toxins away.

Stress Release/Pain Management Among Benefits of Swedish Massage

In addition to providing stress release from muscle relaxation, this form of massage also lengthens and loosens tight ligaments and tendons to some degree, though not as forcefully as in deep tissue massage techniques. The stress release effect of the massage also acts as a tonic for the nervous system, reducing the hypersensitivity that some forms of emotional and physical strain can bring on. Since nerve and muscle stresses often produce such common symptoms as back pain, neck pain and headaches, the combination of chiropractic adjustment and Swedish massage can help provide natural, drug-free pain management. The loosening effect of these relaxing massages on your muscles and connective tissues can even make adjustments go more quickly and easily than they already do.

If massage sounds like an appealing way to address your pain management, injury recovery or stress reduction needs, contact our chiropractor, Dr. Phillips, at (210) 545-1144 for an initial consultation and evaluation. We predict that our gentle massages will rub your health the right way!