Before I studied massage I had no idea what "medical" massage was... In fact, I had only had 1 massage in my life up to that point, and it was "meh". It was just not something that men in their early 30's sought out for relaxation. So when I interviewed the Southern California Health Institute (SoCHI) massage school I told the dean of studies that I wanted to REALLY HELP PEOPLE, not just "rub peoples' bodies". She laughed and oriented me to who the staff were, why they were qualified and why they are considered massage masters.
Fast forward to today, and I am SO grateful that I was trained in medical massage in addition to the other relaxing modalities of east and west. We learned so much about the anatomy, how the body works and how it functions, that you can receive even better results than seeing a physical therapist. Trust me, i fixed an elderly woman's frozen shoulder in 2 sessions when 22 PT sessions (10 weeks) could not. I will keep my opinions about our medical system to myself.
Medical Massage leaves you feeling better in a more permanent way. It makes changes to your fascia, the muscles, and their attachments. It addresses trigger points and releases muscles without having to cause the usual pain from deep tissue massages. It is replete with intentional massage techniques that will leave you feeling great for more than just an hour or two after the massage.
When you couple that with a caring therapist who will also provide corrective exercises and stretches, now we are talking PERMANENT structural change through massage.
Medical massage can't even compare to Spa massage. They are just 2 completely different types of bodywork. So, if you are experiencing tight neck, shoulders, back, hips, or even low back, and you have been disappointed by traditional massages in the past... it behooves you to give Medical Massage a try.
Even better, if you want to try something completely out of this world - Quantum Healing Massage not only incorporates Medical Massage, but also energy healing to address every layer of you.
If you live in Southern California, whether Laguna Beach, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, or anywhere in between, I am your man!