Are you stressed, sore or overtired, but not in the mood for a strenuous muscle-kneading treatment? If so, we’ve got just the thing for you – the Ultimate Aromatherapy Experience from our Breckenridge spa. This type of massage is not necessarily geared towards physically working out your muscles and sore spots, but instead uses the restorative properties of essential oils to relax and heal your body and mind. The following will give you all you ever wanted to know about an aromatherapy massage so you can decide if it’s the right choice for you.
What is Aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy is typically defined as the art and science of exploiting aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and encourage the healthy of body, mind and spirit. There are over 3,000 essential oils out there, each 100 percent natural, and each with its own therapeutic merits. The oils are extracted from plants and therefore contain all the properties of the plants themselves, and can be applied by adding to your bath, inhaling them or the most popular method … through an aromatherapy massage. These oils can help relieve many different ailments, but the most popular are pain, muscle spasms, depression, stiffness, asthma, insomnia, congestion and hypertension. It is important to recognize the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils – the latter smell great, but don’t have the same therapeutic benefits.
How Does Aromatherapy Work?
When you first visit our spa in Breckenridge, we will consult with you to find out what your physical and emotional needs are. We will then carry out an aroma test to find out which essential oil is right for you. We offer 12 signature oils to choose from, all formulated with natural plant and flower oils with exotic scents and therapeutic benefits. Each oil works on a specific condition … you name the ailment and there’s an oil that could relieve it.
How is the Massage Performed?
Once the correct oil has been chosen, your massage therapist will utilize carefully applied pressure to stimulate your nervous system, neuromuscular techniques to relieve muscular tension and lymphatic drainage to inspire healthy circulation. Be ready for a full head to toe treatment that will dissolve away all of your stress and tension. At our Summit County spa, this ritual draws from a fusion of eastern and western massage techniques that will achieve your desired results by using a gentle, but firm procedure.
What Techniques Are Used?
The oil is administered in long sweeping strokes which will warm your skin and muscles to prepare the body for a deep tissue massage. Once your muscles have been adequately warmed, your therapist will continue with a slightly deeper massage by rolling and squeezing the skin and underlying muscles. This technique should not be painful like some deeper massages, and should be deeply relaxing.
It is often assumed that the oils work their magic by your skin absorbing them – and that’s definitely part of it – but a lot of the benefits come from inhaling the aromas and absorbing them through the soft tissues of your nose and mouth.
What are the Benefits of Aromatherapy Massage?
Just like many other massage techniques, an aromatherapy massage helps to increase circulation and boosts the elimination of toxins from your body. This should ultimately speed up the recovery time from any illness or injury. Additionally, with the manipulation of your muscles, knotted muscles should be released by diffusing the build up of lactic acid which typically occurs after exercise.
Now that your circulation has been increased, the essential aromatherapy oils are absorbed through your skin and carried throughout your body to allow for the healing effects to permeate all your major organs.
What about the After-Effects?
The effects of an aromatherapy massage can last up to 48 hours, depending on which oils are administered. You skin may feel slightly greasy, but you will feel deeply calm and relaxed. Since you are in such a deep state of relaxation, it is not recommended to drink alcohol or drive a vehicle right after the massage. Some oils may increase the effect of alcohol, making you feel drowsy after just one drink.
Often, the benefits of an aromatherapy massage are felt immediately, but over time, you may notice that long-term problems have also been improved. It is not recommended to have a full body massage more than once a week, but a weekly massage is an excellent way to keep your body relaxed and free of toxins.
Conclusion
Now that you know all there is to know about aromatherapy massages, it’s time to decide if this is the correct treatment for you and your condition. If it is, please contact us to book one now, or to find out more answers to any questions you may have that we did not cover here.
