Medical or commonly called clinical massage is outcome-based massage, primarily the application of a specific treatment targeted to the specific problem you may have that has been diagnosed by a medical doctor and or chiropractor. Medical massages are administered after a thorough assessment/evaluation by the medical massage therapist and our chiropractor to create the appropriate plan to achieve a specific outcome.
A medical massage and a spa-like massage may feel similar however, they differ in the techniques that are used. During a regular, Swedish massage that more basic and centers on your relaxation, a medical massage a professional may use a broader set of modalities such as Trigger Point Therapy or Myofascial Release to offer to aid in muscle health recovery.
Another factor where the two types of massage differ is how your session is planned based on your individual needs. Someone who is a runner may use medical massage to deal with a difficult injury. While someone who was in a car accident and is suffering from whiplash will have completely different needs during their therapy session.
And finally, you will find the difference in the suggested frequency of you medical massage therapy visits. Because there is a targeted plan during your medical massage treatment, there will be a goal that’s based around a health outcome and includes a series of timed visits versus a sporadic spa visit. A medical massage has a larger plan to improve specific challenges with tangible results that are expected.