Holistic Medical Massage is a blend of techniques drawn from a number of disciplines around the world. 

These techniques can be combined to aid relaxation, to relieve pain and help the body self-heal and additionally can be used in a preventative manner to help avoid injury.

Much of the work is aimed at releasing trigger points within muscles.

Trigger points can be described as knotty sensitive areas in muscles whose entangled fibres are prevented from proper action. Often created through overuse they can shorten/weaken muscles preventing proper function and also give rise to pain.

Overuse can result from normal everyday activities e.g. extended periods sitting at a computer (neck, shoulder and back and possibly wrists) or long periods standing up (calf muscles and lower back), for example hairdressers. Both of these can often include poor posture and the problems that that creates.

This resultant pain does not always occur in the same place as the trigger point. In some cases it can be quite remote. This condition is called “referred pain” and occurs in a predictable pain pattern. This makes it possible to identify which areas to treat, based on the location of the pain. This technique is referred to as trigger point therapy.

Trigger point therapy can give rise to slight discomfort whilst being treated, but it should never be painful, as this would result in muscles reacting adversely, creating more of a problem. “Exquisite pain” is a description that has been proffered. Clients therefore need to offer feedback.

By removing the trigger points it encourages the muscles to return to their normal functioning state and also alleviate the pain. Once the trigger points have been eliminated the session will conclude with some gentle stretching to encourage the muscles to return to their natural relaxed length. Work is always within a client’s tolerance for stretching though I can stretch the client a bit further than the client can stretch themselves.

The combination of these techniques can maintain flexibility and mobility of joints and may help reduce pain associated with conditions such as arthritis (not the condition itself).

To be most effective initial treatments should be frequent, at least weekly, with a view to extending the periods between sessions. It may be up to six 6 sessions before an impact is noticeable dependent on the nature of the problem.