Neurological massage therapy is not new; it has been known in the West since the s and in the East, much before that. In fact, it is believed that the developers of neurological massage therapy, Stanley Lief and Boris Chaitow trained under Eastern physicians and then merged those concepts with a western understanding of anatomy and the muscular and skeletal system. Neuromuscular massage therapy is used to treat patients with muscular pain.
Generally, this pain will be in the large muscle groups known as skeletal muscles. Massage is done on specific parts of the body, with pressure applied directly above the muscle to provide relief from pain. Neuromuscular therapy is very similar to massage therapy, which is why it is called neuromuscular massage therapy. There is, however, one small difference.
Neuromuscular therapy is a lot more effective at treating deep-seated skeletal muscles. There is a definite science involved in this massage therapy and there are two major types of massages which are practiced. The European system relies on the identification of trigger points in the muscles. These trigger points are those places where low oxygenation in the muscles leads to a cycle where calcium is not pumped out of the cells of the muscles, inducing the muscle to remain in a state of contraction.
This is why we feel that the muscle is tight and has not loosened up. The American system is slightly different and is more technical. This system believes in identifying the causes of the pain in the muscles first. This cause is categorized into five different types, and therapy is administered depending on the underlying cause. Both systems are equally effective, and it is the skill of the therapist that provides relief from muscular pain.
Massage has been known to relieve pain for centuries. Almost every culture has some form of massage or the other that has been natively developed. The most popular techniques are listed below. Each form of massage uses slightly different techniques. For example, a Swedish massage is a slow kneading of muscles, while a Thai massage uses specific yoga techniques, and an oriental massage uses specific pressure points that are massaged to provide relief.
