Category: Massage Blogs

The type of massage most people think of is the traditional western, or Swedish, massage.  The massage session will usually last about 45 minutes, which is considered one clinical hour. But Swedish massage is not the only type of massage; depending on which type is being used, a massage session can last anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. For example a chair massage or a massage for a sports injury or pre-game warm-up may last just 15 minutes, while a session using a polarity or cranial-sacral technique may last up to two hours. Many Eastern style massage techniques,...

Massages are a great way to release tension and stress and promote relaxation. But a new study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine has revealed for the first time that massages also provide a measurable, therapeutic benefit to the immune system as well. Dr. Mark Rapaport and his team of researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., evaluated 53 people, 29 of which received 45-minute Swedish massages–one of the most common forms of massage used in the U.S.–and 24 who received gentler, light touch massages. Researchers took blood samples at intervals before and after the massages...