Today’s fast-paced world is simply affecting all of our living styles. The levels of frustration, chronic illness, and several mental issues are higher than ever. Though modern medicine has medicines for almost all health issues, many are turning to natural alternatives to cure their stress and pain.
Well, among many natural methods to prevent physical and mental illness, massage therapy one. Getting a massage is one of the best ways to reduce stress and increase relaxation. There are about 350 types of massage therapy available and the most popular are deep tissue massage and Swedish massage.
Swedish and deep tissue massage contains many similar techniques, but they both offer far different purposes. We will show the differences through a comparison of Swedish Vs Deep Tissue Massage. Simply follow this context to get all reliable information about Swedish and deep tissue massage.
Swedish Vs Deep Tissue Massage: What Is the Difference?
Deep tissue massage and Swedish massage both are popular massage techniques that have a lot in common. Among some similarities, they also contain some distinct differences too; here are some core differences between them:
1. What Is?
Swedish Massage:
Swedish massage is one of the most popular massage methods that is primarily used to relax and alleviate stress. Through soothing muscles, Swedish massage also helps to improve circulation. It uses deep kneading, long strokes, and circular motions along the back and eventually moves to the shoulders, arms, and legs.
Deep Tissue Massage:
A deep tissue massage is defined as a massage method that is commonly used to deal with musculoskeletal issues. It targets the inner layers of muscles to treat the muscles and tendon injuries, stiffness, and pain in your major muscle joints and all other connective tissue.
A deep tissue massage is usually done to rupture the scar tissue to create scars and inflammation. Deep tissue massage also helps to remove the knots from muscles and helps to improve posterity and freedom of movement.
2. Dress
Swedish Massage:
Swedish massage is a gentle and full-body massage method. Therefore, your therapist may ask you to remove your dress following your level of comfort. You can keep your undergarments, like underwear and bra, but remember the straps will interfere while accessing your back.
That’s why to get the full benefit; a therapist may ask you to be nude. However, the therapist will drape a towel over you to cover your private zones or body parts.
Deep Tissue Massage:
A deep tissue massage can be both massage only a few areas or full-body massage. When it’s about dress code, it will be up to you to determine the comfort level of your undressing.
If you are taking a full-body deep tissue massage, then you should be naked or in your underwear. However, you can also keep your loose shorts and tank top if you feel uncomfortable, but you’ll not get full massage benefits because of it.
3. Techniques
Swedish Massage:
Swedish massage therapy method uses five basic massage techniques for massaging. Here are the five techniques:
Effleurage – This technique involves applying long, gliding, or circular massage strokes with varying degrees of pressure. It helps to reduce body waste through the lymphatic system, also release tension, and loosen muscular knots.
Petrissage – Petrissage massage technique is applied by manually integrating the soft tissues through rhythmic knots, signals, and rotation. This technique follows some movement, including kneading, wringing, skin rolling, and lifting or pick-up-and-squeeze.
Friction – This technique refers to using fingers or thumbs to perform firm and focused rubbing. It helps to loosen tense muscle fibers and increase circulation.
Vibration – By rhythmically shaking any particular body area, the vibration technique is applied to loosen and relax. A vibration massage creates a shaking and vibrating motion to loosen the body.
Tapotement – There are mainly five types of tapotement: Beating, Slapping, Hacking, Tapping, and Cupping. It uses rhythmic percussion through the massager’s hand’s edge, tips of the fingers, and a cupped hand.
Deep Tissue Massage:
Though now most people use deep Tissue Massager Machine, the manual deep tissue massage approach is still most worthy. Deep tissue massage follows also follow five useful techniques, here they are:
Cross-fiber friction – It is a massage technique that does not use any oil or cream to perform massage. The therapist will apply pressure through her or her fingers or thumb. It helps to heal tissue fibers and release adhesions.
Active release method – It is a combination of both examination and treatment, where the therapist will use his or her hand. They will examine the patients’ muscles, ligaments, tendons for treatment.
Muscle energy technique – This technique is commonly used in physical therapy and therapists. It stretches muscles that are tended to contractions and relax postural muscles.
Trigger point method – The trigger point method is used to deal with the pain and the pain source. The target is to find out the discomfort area, identify the issue and then deal with it.
Myofascial release – Myofascial release technique treats myofascial pain by relaxing the contracted muscles. This technique doesn’t require any oil, cream, or lotion.
4. Health Benefits
Swedish Massage:
- Boost your mood
- Relief stress
- Increase blood flow
- Improve flexibility
- Improve immune system
- Improve posture
Deep Tissue Massage:
- Reduced chronic pain
- Work as injury prevention
- Lower blood pressure
- Prevent arthritis symptoms
- Reduce stress
- Reduce scar tissue
5. Side Effects
Swedish Massage:
- Lingering pain
- Muscle aches or fatigue
- Headaches
- Fatigue or sleepiness
- Inflammation
- Nausea
Deep Tissue Massage:
- Light-headedness
- Ongoing soreness
- Ongoing tiredness
- Bruising
- Sore muscles
Swedish Vs Deep Tissue Massage: Which One Is Right for You?
Are you still stumped about which massage you should go for between Swedish and deep tissue massage? Well, now you know both massage methods offer different benefits and techniques. Though Swedish and deep tissue massages are similar in many facts, the amount of pressure used makes the main difference.
Swedish massage will be the right choice if you are looking for relaxation and relief from tens and loosening tight muscles. Or you can go for a deep tissue massage if you have a nagging pain and boost your injury recovery process. Always discuss with your therapist your concerns before regarding which type of treatment you should choose.
Conclusion
This is all about Swedish Vs Deep Tissue Massage, and now you can quickly decide which massage therapy you should choose. Through this face-off, we tried to include and outline every important detail about both massage techniques. Although some of their strategies are similar, they differ in their intended purpose and the amount of pressure involved.
Swedish massage promotes circulation and helps to relax the surface muscles. On the other hand, deep tissue massage will work on muscles in deeper layers to relieve chronic tension. If you are still confused about which one you should take, talk to an accredited massage therapist for further guidance.