With hundreds of different types of massages and acupressure treatments, it's hard to find out which form of natural pain relief is best for you. So today I'm going to breakdown the differences between two of the most popular massages- Swedish and Shiatsu. If you're interested in any other forms of body work, check out our other articles on Lomi Lomi, Reflexology, Acupuncture, and many others.
Differences between Swedish and Shiatsu Massage
The main ways in which both types of massage vary are in pressure, technique, and areas of focus.
A Swedish massage has no specific area of focus and more so was designed for total body relaxation and stress relief. Swedish massage therapists use a combination of long strokes and kneading with the overall purpose of relaxation, blood circulation, and lymph drainage.
While during the session you can ask for variances of pressure, typically it'll still be milder than the force required for a Shiatsu massage.
If you're looking for something with more strength for a deeper sense of muscle tension relief or pain relief, then Shiatsu will be more effective, as Swedish massage is a gentler alternative better suited for those seeking a relaxing session of stress relief. Shiatsu is recommended for athletes of any kind, as well as anyone with injuries or chronic pain. This is due to the fact that this form of deep tissue massage targets the inner layers of tendons and fascia that are most likely to tense and firm up as a result of intense training and/or high stress injuries.
Alternative Forms of Pain Relief
Due to COVID-19 and the proximity restrains, these forms of body work have not been readily available. Luckily, there are some alternatives that can benefit you from the comfort of your own home. Electrical stimulation in the form of TENS/EMS can produce the same circulatory and pain relief effects in the body as these massages. We always recommend the VPod, since this wireless electrical stimulation device has 24 different settings, 2 of which are Swedish and Shiatsu Massage. So you can choose whichever one fits your needs best!
Visit VPod.Life to learn more about how the VPod would benefit you.
Happy Healing!