What is Medical Massage Therapy?

Medical massage therapy is a massage designed to treat specific medical conditions, such as chronic pain, inflammation, and injuries.  Typically, it is performed by a certified massage therapist who has received additional training in medical massage techniques.

Usually, relaxation massages are designed to promote relaxation and stress relief.  Unlike relaxation massages, medical massage therapy focuses on achieving specific therapeutic goals, such as pain reduction and improved range of motion.

Techniques in Medical Massage Therapies

There are different medical massage therapies designed to target specific medical conditions.  And we list a few examples:

1. Medical Swedish Massage:  This type of massage combines traditional Swedish massage techniques with other therapies, such as deep tissue massage and trigger point therapy.  And we typically use it to treat musculoskeletal injuries and chronic pain.

2. Neuromuscular Therapy:  Neuromuscular therapy focuses on the treatment of trigger points, which are areas of muscle that have become tight and tender.  Often we use it to treat conditions such as fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome.

3. Myofascial Release:  It is a massage that targets the connective tissue (fascia) surrounding muscles and organs.  And we use it to treat various conditions, including chronic pain and injuries.

4. Craniosacral Therapy:  This therapy involves gentle manipulation of the skull and spine to relieve pain and improve function.  Often we use it to treat these conditions such as migraines, neck and back pain, and TMJ disorders.

How Medical Massage Therapy Differs from Relaxation Massages

While both medical massage therapy and relaxation massages involve hands-on manipulation of the body, there are several key differences between the two. 

1. Goals:  The goals of medical massage therapy are specific and focused on treating a medical condition.  Whereas the goals of relaxation massages are generally focused on providing a calming and soothing experience.

2. Specialised Therapists:  Medical massage therapists are professionals with knowledge of medical conditions such as geriatric, post-natal, and chronic conditions.  And they know how to work with patients having medical conditions.  In addition, they have a more in-depth understanding of how the medical condition will affect the body to react differently to each person.

3. Approach:   Like Lifeweaver’s approach to therapy, our specialised massage therapists do not use a standard one-size-fits-all massage.  Every person and their condition is different.  Firstly, they will assess and then personalise the massage therapy to suit the person’s needs and align with the goals of the therapy team.  They will often discuss and share notes with our attending physiotherapists or occupational therapists of the case to achieve a unified result.

Massage As a Prescription

Most of the time, we do not deploy our medical massage therapists as a standalone service.  They work in tandem with our allied health therapists as a prescribed activity to enhance what our attending therapists are doing.  Firstly, our attending therapists need to assess the client’s health and medical condition to get a clear understanding.  Then our massage therapist comes into the picture to work with the therapy team to ensure we deliver the highest standard of therapy.

Feel free to share your case with us.  As we are open to direct referral to our therapy services, we are glad to discuss your case.