Massage History
When parts of your body start to hurt or feel uncomfortable, it is a natural instinct to reach out and touch, rub or press that area.  This action, which is done without thinking, can be traced back to the very beginnings of human development. One of the oldest forms of therapy, massage has been practiced for thousands of years.  The ancient Greeks and Romans used it to relieve pain and in the East it has been an integral part of the healing process for centuries. Anyone who has had a massage will tell you it was wonderful, relaxing and soothing.  Massage is all this and more.  It will certainly make you feel good and it is a form of natural health care that also has a range of therapeutic benefits.

 
Massage Treatments
At Simply Wellness Day Spa Retreat our massage treatments are complemented by our other day spa treatments including Hydrotherapy, Skin, Body treatments, and Wellness Programs designed to increase the therapeutic effects you receive from individual treatments. Our massage treatments include:  Relaxation; Remedial; Sports; Lymphatic Drainage; Pregnancy; Thai; Shiatsu; Reflexology; Reiki; Body Balancing; Lithos Therapy^tm and Workplace Seated Massage.

 We respect your personal privacy and ensure your comfort. Only the part of your body being worked on is exposed, as required during your massage. Your therapist will adjust the lighting and music level, and alter the pressure of the massage to meet your requirements. Please give feedback to your therapist during the massage session. As massage increases metabolism and elimination, we recommend you drink pure water after your massage session. At our Day Spa we have water fountains supplying water for your use, purified by our five-stage reverse osmosis filtration, or Infinity Alkaline bottled water (for sale).

Benefits of Massage
The stimulation of nerve receptors, through touch, causes your blood vessels to dilate and the direct physical effect of massage strokes on muscles, combine to dramatically increase your blood flow and the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your cells.  Your lymph fluid carries impurities and waste from cells to your elimination system, normally relying on muscle movements to circulate it through your body.  Massage also increases the flow of your lymph fluids, assisting your body to eliminate waste.

 Massage has the following general effects on your body:

• Loosen tense, tight muscles and stimulate weak muscles, helping to balance your posture and encourage normal muscle movement
• Gently stretch your muscles and surrounding tissues keeping them flexible
• Increase your metabolic rate helping your body perform normal functions
• Increase your digestive and elimination activity
• Balance your nervous system by soothing or stimulating it
• Reduces your “mind chatter” allowing a more relaxed mental state
• Improve the function of your internal organs by stimulating their blood supply and nerve stimulus

 Massage gives your body valuable time to return to balance, improving its functions, decreasing the effects of stress and allowing you to return to optimum health. To improve your life quality we recommend you have regular treatments every 2 to 8 weeks, depending on your general and specific conditions.

  Relaxation Massage
Relaxation massage is also known as Swedish massage. It is a soft tissue massage technique designed to relax and rejuvenate the body through long flowing strokes, muscle kneading and skin friction techniques. Your massage therapist may concentrate on areas that are particularly tight, to relax them, but will generally massage your whole body in a 60 minute session. Normally in a 30 minute session, only your back, neck and shoulders are massaged.

 Specific benefits from regular relaxation massage include:

• Providing you a general feeling of well-being
• Gently relieving your general muscle tension and tiredness
• Reducing your “mind chatter” producing a more relaxed state
• Increasing the blood flow to your tissues and organs

 Lithos Therapy^tm
Lithos Therapy^tm uses heated and chilled rocks as therapeutic instruments. Each rock instrument is hand crafted and highly polished to suit individual muscles and areas of the body. The combination of heat and cool delivers a powerful pumping effect on your lymph system, assisting your body to detoxify and eliminate waste products. Visit the Lithos Therapy^tm site here.

 A Lithos Therapy^tm session is 60 minutes, although you should allow 20 minutes before the session for a consultation. As the therapy moves lymph fluid containing toxins, to your elimination system, it is not unusual for you to experience slight headaches after a treatment. We advise sipping at least 3 litres of ‘pure’ water (or Alkaline water) in the day before a treatment and in the two days following your treatment, to assist elimination. The maximum benefit from Lithos Therapy^tm is achieved after your third treatment, as your lymph system is encouraged to perform more efficiently.

 Specific benefits from Lithos Therapy^tm include:

• Eases your muscle tension, reduces soreness and alleviates stiffness
• Stimulates your circulation, encouraging the flow of oxygen rich blood
• Improves the metabolism of your cells and your energy levels
• Encourages the release of endorphins and promotes greater flexibility
• Dramatically reduces toxins and waste stored in your body tissues
• Helps to clear your body of waste after illness, colds and flu
• Reduces fluid build-up in limbs, particularly after periods of inactivity
• Improves sluggish metabolism and reduces general fatigue

 Sports Massage
Sports Massage is used both before and after sports and exercise. It focuses on the muscle groups relevant to a particular sport or exercise. Massage before exercise relieves stress and tension in your muscles, returning them to normal movement, reducing the chance of injury during physical activity. Massage after exercise helps to disperse the accumulated waste products produced by your muscles and speed your recovery. These waste products are lactic and carbonic acids that if allowed to accumulate cause pain, discomfort and sometimes cramping.

 To be effective, the session should be for at least 60 minutes, which will enable all your major muscles associated with the sport to be treated. To achieve maximum results the massage should be timed within a few hours, of your sports activity (before or after).

 Specific benefits from regular sports massage include:

• Reduces the chance of muscle and joint injury during sport
• Increases blood flow to your muscles allowing peak performance
• Shorten your recovery time after physical activity
• Eases the fatigue you feel after sport

 Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese word meaning ‘Universal-Life-Force-Energy’. Reiki is a system for channeling energy to someone for the purpose of healing, which was developed in Japan in the late 1800's. This hands-on art of energy renewal helps to relieve stress, fatigue and low energy, leaving the client feeling relaxed and centered. Reiki is used in conjunction with other massage treatments.

 Remedial Massage
Remedial Massage, also known as Deep Tissue Massage, uses techniques that help restore normal function to your muscles, tendons and ligaments and is often used for rehabilitation and pain relief.  Deep Tissue techniques and Trigger Point Therapy help release the chronic muscle tension in your body built up as a result of injury, sprains & strains, poor posture, repetitive movements, excessive stress, or disease.

 The techniques used include slow strokes and deep pressure on the tense areas or the ‘trigger point’ that refers to it. Your muscles are massaged both along and across their length to release the built-up tension and increase the flow of blood to the area. The techniques often target the deeper layers of your muscle tissue, to break down chronic tension patterns, and release trapped blood and toxins. These deep tissue techniques can sometimes produce slight bruising, which will clear up in a few days.

 It is advisable to book for a 60 minute session initially, which will enable your massage therapist to evaluate areas requiring remedial massage treatment. We often find that when there are local symptoms, these can refer and cause related issues in other parts of the body. After the initial treatment our therapist will recommend the appropriate treatment lengths and frequency along with any appropriate stretching or strengthening exercises required to return your body to normal function.

 Specific benefits from regular remedial massage include:

• Helps restore normal function to your damaged tissues
• Reduces scar tissue in muscles that have been previously “strained”
• Makes your muscles more supple and increases their range of movement
• Help to break down chronic cycles of tension, muscle spasm and pain
• Improves the blood flow to your injured muscle and tissues
• Speeds your soft tissue healing after injury and disease

 Lymphatic Drainage Massage
Lymphatic drainage massage utilises specialised massage techniques focused on your lymphatic system. Your lymph fluid carries impurities and waste from cells to your elimination system, normally relying on muscle movements to circulate it through the body.  This massage technique increases the flow of your lymph fluids, assisting your body to detoxify and eliminate waste products.

 We recommend a session should be for at least 60 minutes. As the massage moves lymph fluid containing toxins, to your elimination system, it is not unusual for you to experience slight headaches after a treatment. We advise drinking more than normal amounts of ‘pure’ water afterwards to assist elimination.

 Specific benefits from Lymphatic Drainage massage include:

• Reduces toxins and waste stored in your body tissues
• Improves the metabolism of your cells and your energy levels
• Helps to clear your body of waste after illness, colds and flu
• Is particularly useful to detoxify after breaking an addiction like smoking
• Reduces fluid build-up in limbs, particularly after periods of inactivity
• Improves sluggish metabolism and reduces general fatigue

 Reflexology Massage
Reflexology is also known as foot massage. It uses thumb and finger pressure on the reflex points of your feet and / or hands. These reflex points correspond to the organs and parts of your body. Its principals have been known for many thousands of years and were practiced by the early Indian, Chinese and Egyptian people. It was first called Zone Therapy, as by observation it was found that congestion in a part of the foot mirrors congestion or tension in a corresponding zone of the body. In the 1930’s the early techniques were refined into what is now known as Reflexology. It can be used to assess and treat many ailments, and restore balance to many parts of your body. Treating both feet with Reflexology often has a relaxing and healing effect on your whole body.

 We recommend a 30 minute session for Reflexology although, by utilising remedial massage techniques, targeting the areas of your body highlighted by Reflexology, in a 60 minute session, often has increased benefits.

 Thai Massage
Thai Massage origins can be traced back more than 2,500 years.  It is a treatment, performed on a comfortable mat on the floor while you are fully clothed. The therapist employs a combination of appropriate stretches, pressure point work and deep tissue massage techniques.  We recommend 90 to 120 minutes for a full body Thai massage, to gain the maximum benefit from the techniques.  We advise you to wear loose clothing that does not hinder movement during the stretches of Thai massage.

 Thai massage treats your whole body as the intelligent system it is. Your body is more than a structure of bones, muscles, joints and tissues; it also has a life force or energy circulating throughout it. Thai massage revitalizes the body, stimulates normal energy flow, promotes relaxation and tranquility of your mind.

 Specific benefits from regular Thai massage include:

• Balancing the energy flow in your body
• Stimulating your nervous system,
• Increasing your muscle and joint flexibility
• Activating your body’s natural healing process
• Promoting your awareness of your body as a whole system

 Shiatsu Massage
Shiatsu is also known as Acupressure Massage. It is an ancient Japanese healing art that combines thumb, palm, knee, or elbow pressure along the acupuncture meridians or energy ‘pathways’ in your body. Its aim is to restore and balance the flow of energy, known as ‘Chi’ or ‘Ki’, throughout your body.

 Specific benefits from regular Shiatsu massage include:

• Reduces symptoms of poor energy flow such as back, shoulder & neck pain; headaches; cramps, etc
• Increases your general energy levels

Pregnancy Massage
Pregnancy is a time of great physical and emotional change for a woman, and it is important that however busy, she finds the time to take good care of herself. Massage is a beneficial therapy during the prenatal period, which can help reduce feelings of nausea, minimize stretch marks, combat fluid retention, and alleviate the additional stress and strain on muscles and joints. Please check with your doctor before booking your massage session.  Massage can not be performed during the first trimester of pregnancy.

 Body Balancing Massage
Through the ages traditional healers have used the special properties of wildflowers to restore our balance and renew our spirit. Aromatherapy also utilises the therapeutic properties of essential oils to help restore balance and relieve tension. In our Body Balancing Massage, we use Ayurvedic principles to analyze your current persona, namely Earth, Water, Air or Fire. We then select Australian wildflower essences and aromatherapy essential oils to customise your full body massage, focusing on your individual needs. This helps to balance you, both physically and emotionally allowing your natural health to return.

 These techniques are utilised with a 60 minute massage. We use a questionnaire for the Ayurvedic analysis, so it is advisable to arrive 20 minutes before your massage booking. We also have home care products available, to enable you to continue the emotional balancing between treatments.

 Workplace Seated Massage
Seated massage is performed in your workplace, while you are clothed and seated in a specially designed massage chair. Our portable chairs slope forward with a comfortable cushion to rest your face, chest and arms, allowing our therapists to massage your back, shoulders, neck and arms. The massage is for 15 or 20 minutes and relaxes tense muscles and improves your circulation, giving you renewed energy.

 Many organisations are finding regular workplace seated massage is having a positive effect on their staff’s morale and working environment, thereby improving productivity and reducing lost time through sickness and absences.

Health Funds
Remedial Massage is recognised by most health funds. You can claim part of your treatment fee depending on the level of health cover you have. Please check with your Health Fund for specific details that apply to you. When booking your appointment, please advise our receptionist if you will be claiming on your Health Fund and which fund it is.

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