Massage is one of the oldest and most basic forms of healing across the globe which fell out of favor in the West and is only recently making a return into our health care practices. In fact, President Obama made a statement on April 29, 2009 indicating his openness to including complementary and alternative modalities (CAM) in a US health care system.
There are as many types of massage as there are therapist and finding the right one for you may seem overwhelming. Some of the most basic forms of massage are: swedish, shiatsu, deep tissue, trigger point, reflexology, myofacial, hot stone, raindrop technique and many more. Specialization in each field is not necessary to use each technique, since each massage session is a joining of all techniques the therapist is familiar with to achieve a unique solution. So, as with anything, the type of problem must be fitted with the type of treatment. How and when to use or not use (contraindicated) a modality is something to discuss with your therapist before you begin treatment.
Besides finding a modality of massage that suits you, you will want a therapist that you can form a rapport with. If you can relax with the therapist then half of the battle is won. However, remember it can typically take a session or two for a client to relax and become familiar with a new therapist.
Becky