Category: Features

Arthritis is a joint condition that can seriously impede mobility and range of movement, while also being extremely painful. There are lots of different types of arthritis, and they don’t just affect the elderly like is commonly thought. There is currently no way to cure arthritis, but it can be treated to help manage the pain and stiffness, and to help slow down the progression of the condition.

In addition to any treatment or medication prescribed by your doctor, massage can be effective in helping to manage the pain and stiffness associated with many types of arthritis. Regular massage therapy can even allow patients to rely less on medication, offering a natural form of pain relief.

Why is massage good for arthritis?

Many of the benefits of massage are thanks to the increase in circulation caused by massage treatment. This increase in blood flow can aid healing in the affected areas. It also helps to reduce inflammation, which is often a contributing factor to the pain and stiffness around arthritic joints.

Massage is also good for flexibility. Massaging the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around a joint helps to relieve tension and generally loosen things up. This can result in greater mobility and also less pain as the stiffness and lack of flexibility are addressed.

The best types of massage for arthritis

Before receiving a massage, make sure to inform your massage therapist of your condition and which joints are affected. As well as adjusting their pressure or technique to accommodate any pain or discomfort, they may also be able to recommend the best type of massage to suit your needs. As with any massage, let your massage therapist know if the pressure is too much so they can adjust for you.

These are some of the best types of massage that can help arthritis sufferers:

• Swedish massage – The long, kneading strokes help to reduce tension in the muscles and joints.
• Deep tissue massage – A deeper, firmer massage that’s ideal for targeting specific joints that are affected by your condition.
• Shiatsu massage – Targeting pressure points around the affected joints can help to improve flexibility and range of motion.
• Lymphatic massage – Helps to drain excess lymphatic fluid that can cause inflammation

If you suffer from arthritis, then talk to your doctor for advice on whether massage can be a beneficial complementary therapy for your condition. Contact Moonstone Massage for more information about our different massage services or book a treatment via our online portal.

If you’ve ever had plantar fasciitis, then you’ll know how painful it can be. There are a number of ways to try to manage the pain and speed up the healing process, and massage can be one of them. Read on to find out more about plantar fasciitis and how to treat it.

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that affects the plantar fascia, which is the ligaments that connect your heel bone to your toes. It is caused by inflammation of this tissue, leading to pain in the heel and arch of your foot. This can affect one or both feet and can feel like a sharp pain or a dull ache.

Pain from plantar fasciitis typically fades while the patient is active, but flares up again after high levels of activity. It is also worse when you first stand up after sitting down for a while or when getting out of bed in the morning.

What causes it?

The main cause of plantar fasciitis is excessive pressure on the ligaments in your feet. So, anyone who is extremely active is more likely to suffer from this condition. This means that runners and athletes commonly develop plantar fasciitis, as well as anyone in a profession where they are on their feet all day.

Excess weight also increases the pressure on your feet, making plantar fasciitis more likely. As a result, pregnant women and anyone who is overweight or obese are more likely to experience this pain.

Some people may be more prone to plantar fasciitis due to structural differences in their feet, such as tight Achilles tendons or flat feet. Additionally, wearing shoes that are ill-fitting or have poor arch support over long periods of time makes this condition more likely to develop.

Treating plantar fasciitis with massage

Plantar fasciitis can be treated and managed primarily through rest and anti-inflammatory medication. You can also help to speed up the recovery process by icing your foot and performing foot stretches and exercises to loosen and strengthen the ligaments.

Massage can also help to stretch the ligaments and improve their flexibility while also increasing blood flow to the area, which promotes healing. But it’s not just the sole of the feet you need to focus on, the muscles running down the back of your lower leg and ankle also connect to the heel. If these areas are tight, then this will place more strain on the plantar fasciitis.

There are some self-massage techniques you can try yourself, but for a more effective treatment, book a professional massage to help loosen all the muscles and ligaments that could be causing your pain. Contact Moonstone Massage for professional massage treatment in Winston Salem, NC.

Massage is a great way to relax and relieve any stress or tension that you’re experiencing. You want to keep that post-massage feeling going forever, but chances are you can’t get a professional massage every day. So, how can you stay relaxed in between your appointments?

Different people have their own ways of relaxing, but one effective method you should try is meditation. Read on for more about the benefits of meditation and how to get started.

Reduce stress

Many studies have found regular meditation practice to be effective at tackling stress. Meditation can train your mind to be more restful and gives you a good way to manage your emotions when you’re feeling particularly stressed or anxious. This can also have a positive effect on symptoms of anxiety such as OCD behaviors.

Improve mood

Meditation can literally make you happier, teaching you how to show more compassion to yourself and others, more gratitude, and generally giving you a more positive outlook on life. As a result, meditation can be effective at reducing or managing feelings and symptoms of depression in patients.

Increase focus

Meditation is all about staying mindful and training your mind to focus on something without getting distracted by other thoughts and emotions. So, it makes sense that you would carry this ability into your everyday life, including work. Meditation could help to improve your productivity at work or school.

Improve sleep patterns

The relaxing effects of meditation along with its ability to reduce stress and anxiety can also help people with difficulty falling or staying asleep at night. Many factors can lead to insomnia and other sleep disorders. If you find yourself unable to fall asleep because your mind is racing with multiple trains of thought, then meditation practice can help you move your focus away from these thoughts, making it easier to drift off to sleep.

Pain management

Your brain is a powerful tool, and training it through meditation can even help to reduce or manage feelings of pain. Our brains control how we perceive pain, and people who regularly meditate have been found to have a lower sensitivity to pain and a greater ability to control the pain response. This can even help people who suffer from chronic pain.

Meditation and massage complement each other brilliantly, so book your next massage appointment with Moonstone Massage and get into the habit of meditating extend that zen, relaxed feeling.

You don’t always need a full body massage the achieve the relaxation and health benefits you’re looking for. Sometimes, more localized massage treatments can be just as effective. Foot massage, hand reflexology, and head massage are great examples of massage therapies that focus on a specific body part for a number of benefits.

In this article, we’ll look at head and scalp massages to show you what benefits they offer.

What is scalp massage?

During a scalp massage, your massage therapist will work their fingertips through your hair at the roots to gently massage the scalp. This can be performed either with or without oils. A more general head massage may cover other areas of the head and face, including the forehead, temples, and cheekbones.

Head and scalp massage offer numerous benefits, both mentally and physically. Here are some of the key benefits you’ll experience from receiving a head massage…

Relaxation

Like any type of massage, a scalp massage provides instant relaxation, and it simply feels really good. Its relaxing effects can help you both physically and mentally, which in turn leads to a reduction in stress and anxiety. These benefits also help you naturally fall asleep at night and enjoy a better quality of sleep.

Headache treatment

If you frequently suffer from headaches or migraines, then scalp massage can help to relieve your symptoms and even help to prevent headaches. This may be due to its ability to relax the muscles of the head, face, and neck, helping to reduce the frequency of tension headaches. This can also help to relieve eye strain for those who spend their working day staring at a screen.

Scalp health

Scalp massage helps to condition the scalp and increase blood flow to the areas. One result of this is healthier skin, helping to treat dandruff and prevent dry, flaky, or itchy skin across the scalp.

Hair growth

Improving the condition of your scalp and boosting blood flow to the area can also help to nourish your hair and strengthen the hair follicles. This can help to promote hair growth and improve the quality and thickness of the hair, making it a potential remedy for hair loss and thinning.

Whether you want to treat migraines, improve your hair growth, or just enjoy a nice, relaxing massage, head and scalp massages are a great choice. Contact Moonstone Massage to find out more about the styles of massage we offer or to book an appointment.

You may have suffered from repetitive strain injury (RSI) before, perhaps if you have a job which has you performing the same movements over long periods of time, day in and day out. It can also affect people who frequently play certain sports, such as golf or tennis. Repetitive strain injury affects a variety of people and can be extremely painful.

What is repetitive strain injury?

Repetitive strain injury is an injury that results from performing repetitive movements or from overusing muscles and joints, particularly in the wrist. It can present itself in a number of ways including an aching pain, tenderness, numbness, cramp, and stiffness. Depending on the part of the body affected, the symptoms of RSI can be felt in the muscles, nerves, and tendons.

How can massage help?

Deep tissue massage is one of the best treatments to help relieve you of the pain caused by RSI and to help you heal faster. Tight muscles, ligaments, and tendons all contribute to the pain and stiffness that you feel during RSI. This can also reduce your mobility. Massage helps to relieve this tension and improve mobility, addressing the source of pain at the same time.

Increasing blood flow to the area through massage also helps the healing process by delivering increased nutrients and helping to flush out toxins more effectively. This can particularly help to relieve any inflammation caused by the injury. Massage also helps to break down any scar tissue which could be causing pain and mobility issues.

More prevention tips for RSI

Other than massage, there are certain things you can do in your daily life to help prevent RSI.

• Maintain correct posture – Whether you’re sitting at your desk all day or lifting heavy objects, proper posture is extremely important. Make sure your desk, chair, and computer are all at the right positions to aid this if you have an office job.
• Stretch regularly – Breaking up your regular, repetitive movements by stopping to stretch gives your muscles, tendons, and ligaments a break. Stretching can help to prevent RSI and also speed up the recovery process if you suffer from it.
• Get enough rest – Pushing yourself too hard in a workout or not taking enough breaks during the workday make RSI all the more likely. Make sure you take regular breaks and get plenty of rest each day.

If you suffer from repetitive strain injury, then talk to Moonstone Massage to find out how our massage therapy services can help you. Providing a variety of massage services around Winston Salem, Pfafftown, and Lewisville.

There are so many different types of massage treatments to choose from, each with their own properties and advantages for your physical and mental health. One difference between some types of massage is which muscles, tissues, and body parts they focus on. In this article, we’ll look at the differences between full-body massage and types of treatment that are more focused and body part-specific.

Full-body massage

During a full-body massage, you will spend a portion of your treatment laying on your front, and a portion of it on your back. You are usually asked to undress, but you will be draped with a towel at all times. If you feel uncomfortable with this, then you can request to keep your underwear on.

Swedish massage and deep tissue massage are the most common forms of full-body massage. The main areas focused on are the neck, back, shoulders, legs, feet, arms, and hands. The buttocks, abdomen, and pectoral muscles may also be treated. The idea is to provide full-body relaxation, helping to relieve muscular tension and improve circulation throughout the body.

During a full-body massage, you can ask your massage therapist to focus more on a certain area if you’d like. For example, if you have a lot of tension in your neck and shoulders, they can spend more time working this area. Your massage therapist will still treat the entire body, but they will have to spend less time on other areas as a result.

Half-body massage

Many spas and massage therapists also offer a half-body Swedish massage. This is a shorter appointment and typically focuses on the neck, back, and shoulders first, as these are the main areas where people carry tension. You may be able to ask your massage therapist to prioritize other areas first.

Localized massage

Some massage types treat specific areas, such as a scalp massage or foot massage. People may seek out treatment for an injury or pain in a specific area, such as the feet, in which case localized massage can be extremely useful. Scalp massage and foot massage also have great relaxation benefits, so they can be a good choice for someone who wants to relax but does not feel comfortable with undressing or having a full-body massage.

Sports massage also involves localized treatment because it is often used as a way to address injury or pain. This is especially useful for athletes who need to recover after a game or a tough workout, or from a specific injury. However, sports massage is beneficial for lots of people, not just elite athletes.

Knowing what you want to achieve from a massage can help you choose the right kind. If you have any questions about the different types of massage we offer and which is right for you, then contact us at Moonstone Massage in Winston Salem.

Massage takes so many different forms that it can be difficult to choose the right type of massage therapy for you. When people tend to think about a standard massage for relaxation, it’s likely to be the Swedish massage. In some countries, including Sweden, this practice is simply known as “classic massage”.

What does Swedish massage involve?

A Swedish massage is typically a full body massage, although you can ask your massage therapist to focus more on certain body parts than others. This is useful if you have tension in your neck or shoulders, for example. It involves 5 standard types of massage technique, these are:

• Stroking and gliding
• Kneading
• Rubbing
• Tapping
• Vibrations

These techniques are similar to those used in deep tissue massage, except this kind of massage typically uses greater pressure and focuses more on specific, localized areas of the body. Swedish massage typically uses slightly softer strokes, making it a great type of massage for relaxation as well as its other benefits.

The massage therapist will usually adjust their pressure depending on the part of the body they are working, allowing greater pressure on areas of dense muscle compared to more delicate areas. Although Swedish massage focuses more on the top layers of muscle rather than deeper tissue. As with most types of massage, you may also ask your massage therapist to adjust the pressure if it is too light or too hard for you.

What are the benefits of Swedish massage?

Swedish massage has a number of benefits for you both physically and mentally. It is one of the most popular types of massage for relaxation purposes as it typically involves long, light strokes. This relaxation creates many benefits of its own, helping to relieve stress and anxiety, promoting a good mood, and helping you get a better night’s sleep.

And the relaxing benefits of Swedish massage are physical as well. It helps to relax your muscles, which can improve your flexibility and range of motion. Swedish massage has also been found effective at managing pain arising from chronic conditions like arthritis.

Like all massage, Swedish massage helps to promote blood flow in the body. This ensures that plenty of oxygen and nutrients are reaching your muscles, which can help them to recover after an injury or a tough workout. It also aids your body in eliminating toxins from the body.

If you want to get a Swedish massage in Winston Salem, NC, then contact Moonstone Massage to find out more about our massage services and how you can book with us.

There are lots of different types of massage that bring relaxation as well as a variety of benefits to your physical and mental health. In this article, we’re going to look at aromatherapy massage, including what to expect from it and the benefits it can offer. Read on to find out more about aromatherapy massage…

What is aromatherapy massage?

Aromatherapy massage uses typical massage techniques but adds the use of essential oils in order to enhance the benefits of the massage. Usually, essential oils are combined with Swedish massage for an aromatherapy massage. However, essential oils can be used with many types of massage.

During an aromatherapy massage, essential oils are combined with the massage oil that your massage therapist uses. This allows the oils to absorb into the skin. Oils may also be diffused into the air of the treatment room to add to the pleasant scent and relaxing environment.

Various essential oils are used in aromatherapy massage and are often combined together. Massage therapists may have premixed blends to use during your massage or they may allow you to choose the oils for your massage by allowing you to smell them and explaining the properties of each. Some popular essential oils used in aromatherapy include:

• Lavender
• Bergamot
• Peppermint
• Eucalyptus
• Rosemary
• Cedarwood

What are the benefits of aromatherapy massage?

Just like regular massage, aromatherapy massage has a wide range of benefits for your overall wellbeing. The essential oils are thought to complement and boost the already established benefits of massage. This means that it has all the relaxing and tension relieving effects of regular Swedish massage.

A number of essential oils have been found to aid relaxation, which can help people manage stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. Aromatherapy massage has also been found effective at relieving pain, from headaches and menstrual cramps to pain from injury or chronic conditions. A proper aromatherapy massage can be extremely useful when recovering from an injury or a tough workout.

If you let your massage therapist know specifically what you want to achieve from your massage, whether it’s for overall relaxation or to help a physical ailment, for example, then they will be able to recommend the best essential oils for your treatment.

If you’re interested in aromatherapy massage or other types of massage around Pfafftown, Lewisville, and Clemmons, then contact Moonstone Massage to find out more about our services.

Flexibility is an important part of athletic performance, but it can also aid you with everyday activities and retaining your mobility as you age. Performing regular stretches is one way to improve your flexibility over time. Massage can also help to boost your flexibility as the techniques used help to make your muscles more supple and reduce tension in them.

Since they both aid your flexibility, stretching and massage go hand in hand. Stretching can help you get the most out of your massage treatment and, together, they can greatly improve your mobility and flexibility.

Stretching before a massage

Like massage, stretching helps to boost circulation. This means that more blood is delivered to your muscles, along with all the beneficial nutrients it carries. This is especially useful if you are having a massage intended to speed up recovery after an injury or a tough workout. Stretching will also start to relax your muscles, ensuring they are ready for massage.

Your back, legs, and hips are a few areas you should focus on during your pre-massage stretches. Simple lengthening stretches like touching your toes will help to stretch out your muscles, relax them, and get the blood pumping to them.

Stretching after a massage

Just like stretching after a run or a workout, stretching after a massage has a number of benefits. It’s common to feel a little sore after a massage, either that evening or the next day. Stretching can help to reduce or prevent this soreness, as can other remedies like taking a hot bath after a massage. If you had a massage to treat soreness or injury, then stretching afterward will further help to speed up your recovery time.

Stretching your muscles also helps to boost the effects of the massage and maintain them for longer, particularly in terms of relaxation and flexibility of your muscles. Hamstring stretches like touching your toes while standing or sitting are beneficial, as are stretches for the lower leg like the standing calf stretch.

Stretches for the spine and back muscles are also advised. Try the cat-cow yoga pose or a knee hold where you lie flat on your back and hug your knees close to your chest. In the same way, activities like yoga and Pilates are greatly complementary to regular massage therapy.

If you’d like more advice on boosting the benefits of your massage treatments, then contact Moonstone Massage for more information or to find out about our massage services.

You can’t always find the time to book and get out of the house for a massage appointment, but there are ways you can promote relaxation from the comfort of your own home. Having a bath is one effective way of relaxing, and it can even have additional health benefits like lowering your blood pressure.

But not all baths are created equal. We’ve got some tips to help you draw the perfect bath to soothe and relax you.

Pick your timing

Ideally, you want to be able to block out some time where you can enjoy your bath distraction-free, which will be a challenge for some people. Firstly, leave your phone out of the room or at least turn it on silent. If you have kids, then schedule your bath for while they are sleeping or while your partner or someone else is looking after them. If you have pets, you might also want to wait until they’re sleeping or until your partner or a family member is out walking your dog, for example.

Set the scene

The environment you take your bath in can also impact your relaxation. You might want to play some soothing music or light some candles around your bath, just make sure you are careful. If there’s a noisy street outside your window, then keep it shut during your bath. Prepare a drink to enjoy while you bathe, and perhaps something to keep you entertained like a good book, magazine, or Netflix on your laptop (far away from the bathwater!)

Choose your ingredients

There are lots of different things you could add to your bath, like bath salts, bubbles, and essential oils. Think about both the scents they add and the effects they have on you. For example, Epsom salts can be used to soothe aching muscles or you could add lavender oil to aid stress relief. Other ingredients might just add a pleasant smell to enjoy during your bath time.

Have a towel at the ready

Before you step into your bath, make sure you haven’t forgotten the towel. Realizing this halfway through could disrupt your relaxation. Grab a clean, comfortable towel and hang it up in the bathroom so it’s ready to wrap you up once you get out.

Like a massage, a good bath can do wonders for your level of relaxation and can also help to soothe your muscles and aid recovery. You could even take a bath after your massage appointment to achieve optimal relaxation. If you’re interested in the different types of massage offered here at Moonstone Massage, then contact us to find out more.