I offer a broad range of massages (sports, deep tissue and pregnancy massages).
I take care with what I use on your skin, and use only organic oils such as almond oil, blended with essential oils, as well as Arnica and magnesium for sore muscles.
Sports Massage
Not just for sporting people, sports massage breaks down muscle adhesions and reduces the likelihood of tissue damage. By helping improve your range of motion, sports massage supports your rehabilitation from injury, resolves old aches and pains from sports activities or poor posture and repetitive actions in your daily life, such as sitting at a computer. Pain can also be caused by emotional distress.
Sports massage is superb for assisting with relieving symptoms of:
- neck and shoulder pain
- lower back pain
- muscular aches and pains, especially during training for a sports event
- migraines, headaches or jaw pain
- RSI or carpal tunnel syndrome
- sciatica or piriformis syndrome
- postural issues
- inflexibility
- strains or sprains
- fibromyalgia
Deep Tissue Massage or Myofascial Release (MFR)
To loosen those tight shoulders and stiff necks, a deep tissue massage can really help break down tension in the body and leave you recharged and refreshed.
Deep tissue massage aims to connect with deeper muscles, tendons, ligaments and most importantly the fascia (a kind of connective tissue that runs throughout our body). When the connective tissue surrounding the muscles is released, pain and restrictions often dissipate and the body can realign and rebalance.
- Stiff necks
- Lower back pain
- Tight shoulders
- Limited mobility
- Recovery from injuries and operations
- Tennis elbow
- Postural problems
- Sciatica
- Piriformis syndrome
Pregnancy Massage
Pregnancy is a time of great change. It is also a very emotional time. My nurturing pregnancy massage feels great and can bring huge benefits to both you and your unborn baby. Pregnancy Massage is great for supporting you with symptoms experienced while you are expecting your baby.
Typical symptoms of the expectant mum include:
- Swollen ankles
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lower back pain due to the shifts in weight
- Hip, rib and shoulder pain
- Neck stress
- Sciatica
- Postural problems
The massage, which is given during the second and third trimester, will be tailored to meet your needs so that it plays a part in your healthy pregnancy, labour and postpartum period. I work with the whole back and shoulders, abdomen, arms and hands, legs and feet, face and scalp, or I can give more focused treatments to help with pain conditions.
Trigger point therapy
A trigger point is found in the muscles or connective tissue at the source of pain. Often the pain can refer away from the trigger point, and be felt in other areas of the body. Trigger points will cause referred pain in a predictive pattern. Successfully treating trigger points greatly reduces pain and irritation.
I may use a cold laser to treat trigger points.
Cupping Therapy
I use cupping in combination with physiotherapy or a massage. It is an ancient form of Traditional Chinese Medicine TCM and dates back to as far as 1,550 B.C. There are different forms of cupping; the most common are dry, wet, and fire cupping.
I use exclusively dry cupping. One or several cups are applied onto the skin in particularly painful areas. I use a suction device to create a vacuum inside the cup, which pulls the skin up. The procedure increases blood flow to particularly painful areas and will ease the pain.
The suction may sometimes leave circular marks for a while after your treatment. It creates a myofascial release in the tissues and most people find it pleasant and relaxing. This releases stagnation and increases blood flow. It is safe for people of all ages and ailments.
Cupping went mainstream after the 2016 Summer Olympics. During the Olympics, swimmer Michael Phelps had purple suction marks from cupping on his back. Phelps swears by cupping as a way to deal with soreness and pain during training and competition. People also use it for day-to-day pains like working at a desk for long hours, asthmas and sciatica.
The following conditions may also benefit from Cupping therapy:
- Headaches/ migraines
- Knee, shoulder and elbow pain
- Muscle pain
- Systemic Inflammation
- Muscle injuries
- Whiplash
Cupping can benefit overall health by removing toxins and stimulating the healthy flow of blood and energy, or qi, in the body. This can provide relief from a variety of conditions, including pain. In TCM, if the qi is not moving, there is pain. Stimulating the flow of blood and qi can decrease pain.