These days, whether you go to a massage salon or walk into the wellness area of a hotel, you will find a long list of massages to choose from. You may already have some experience, but reading through the rather wide range of choices, you can wonder how to choose the one you need the most.
Rita Vas-Barna, head of therapy at the Hotel Spa Hévíz, helps you to discover the mysterious world of massages.
Can massages be categorised?
Yes, there are several types of massage. I distinguish between them mainly according to the area of application, such as therapeutic, refreshing or relaxing. Then, there are the classical massages, which are mainly therapeutic or sports massages. There are also the various wellness massages, which have so many types today that it would be difficult to list them all. Moreover, there are alternative massages based on natural medicine, which, of course, also have many types.
Each of them has its own philosophy and character and within them, we can make different groupings for example, whether it is done with an instrument (e.g. cupping glass, herbal compress ball, lava stone, singing bowl, bamboo, etc.) or with different carrier substances (chocolate, honey, aromatic oils, etc.).
What are your recommendations based on?
As it is very difficult to apply a pattern to massages, we prefer to consider what would best suit the client's needs. If you have any medical condition, we would recommend a classic therapeutic massage. If you want to relax and unwind, we would recommend a pampering wellness massage, while if you want something interesting, we would recommend a treatment with an alternative massage technique. The gender and age of the client may also determine the recommendation.
Are there any massages that can only be prescribed by a doctor?
Therapeutic massages are usually prescribed by a doctor taken into account the patient's complaints. The physician will prescribe a therapeutic massage, if, according to the guest's health condition, he/she deems it necessary to alleviate the symptoms. The majority of these massages can be given at the guest's own risk based on their own experience or the massage descriptions and recommendations. However, it should be noted that a massage given as part of a socially insured treatment may be free of charge to the patient, whereas a massage given at the guest's own request, even if it is a therapeutic massage, is a service to be paid for. (Massages financed by social insurance are provided in establishments contracted with the social insurance company.)
Does a massage therapist who performs therapeutic massages have different qualifications than a masseur doing wellness massages?
Therapeutic massage requires a high level of clinical knowledge. The masseur needs to know what changes are taking place in the musculoskeletal system and therefore in the body in different conditions and should structure the massage accordingly, or follow a predefined protocol accordingly. The therapist of wellness or refreshment massages learns the basic concepts of these treatments in a course of about 40 lessons, without any clinical knowledge. This leads me to conclude that the activities of masseurs are also subject to examinations and training.
Today, in Hungary, the profession of a medical massage therapist requires a higher qualification obtained at the courses of the National Qualification Registry. These courses are available in several schools with two years of training and considerable professional experience. During this training, the basics of therapeutic massage, Swedish massage, segment massage, connective tissue massage and periosteal massage are taught. All other types of massage are based on these.
How can the patient know if the masseur really knows what he or she is doing and has the necessary qualifications?
No one can practise as a therapeutic masseur in Hungary unless they are registered, which requires a therapeutic masseur's qualification, membership of the Hungarian Chamber of Health Care Professionals (MESZK) and the required further training. In accredited institutions, this is a basic requirement, and in private salons, proof of qualifications must be displayed in a visible place.
What types of massages are usually available in Hévíz? What kind of massages do you have at your hotel?
The whole range of massages, including many new types, can be found in Hévíz, as everyone is striving to make the spa and wellness area of their hotel more unique and attractive.
The profile of our hotel is mainly focused on massages based on therapeutic methods. These massages can be well integrated into the treatments even as a complementary, supportive therapy. These include classical therapeutic massage, or a combination of these with mobilisation, disease-specific massages, special massage techniques, such as massages performed with acupressure pillow or cupping glass, or Breuss massage. We also try to meet the needs of the guests who want to relax, in such cases, we suggest wellness or alternative massages, such as relaxing or Yumeiho massage.
What would you suggest to the average guest to choose from the many different types of massage?
My suggestion is definitely to ask for advice if they are unsure. In our hotel, you can find a brochure that describes in detail which treatments are recommended for certain conditions, but a short conversation with the masseur or the head of the massage department or even the person who assigns the treatment can be very helpful. Both the patient and the therapist must know the purpose of the massage.
How long does a massage treatment usually take?
The length of a massage is determined by the size of the area to be massaged, but it is specified in the protocol when the treatment is assigned. The massage of a body part takes 20 minutes, while the full body massage takes 40 minutes at us. Alternative massages can take up to 60 minutes depending on the type of massage.
Should a patient be prepared for a massage?
Patient should arrive for the massage clean and in as little clothing as possible. I think it's best if they relax in a bath beforehand. However, it is also important never to go for a massage in a wet swimsuit. For alternative massages, cotton clothing is often required.
It is not advisable to eat before the massage, especially heavy, acidic foods, and the last time you should drink is about fifteen minutes before the treatment. However, it is very important to drink after a massage.
If you like to exercise, do it before rather than after the treatment. We try to schedule the massages after a wet treatment, such as a weight bath or mud wrap, but there are some conditions where a massage before the physiotherapy can help to relax the muscles and help the physiotherapist.
Speaking of clothing, to what extent should the patient be undressed?
For most massages, patients need to undress because the carrier substances, chocolate, massage oil, honey act through the skin. However, the intimate areas will not be exposed, they will remain covered with a sheet or towel during the massage. In some cases, patients are allowed to use their own underwear, in others, disposable cloths are provided for this purpose. Some of the alternative massages, such as Yumeiho, are done in the patients’ cotton suits, or they are given clean clothes on the spot.
How often is it recommended to take a massage treatment?
If you do "recreational sports" or lead a stressful life, it is recommended twice a week but at least once a week if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. We are talking here, of course, about not specifically therapeutic full-body massages of at least 50 minutes. For professional athletes, massage is recommended three times a week or every time after training. There is also a special Hévíz massage. The Hévíz mud massage is one of the outstanding services of the Lake Baths developed by the staff of the therapeutic department of the Lake Baths and is performed in the summer season in the pavilions on the shore of the lake with the world-famous Hévíz mud. During the upper body massage or, on request the whole body massage, Hévíz thermal mud is applied onto the body of the guest, which is worked on the skin with continuous massage. The fine-grained, slightly heated mud feels very pleasant as it touches the skin, and during the massage, it gives a warming sensation. The essence of this wellness massage is to combine the dual effects of massage and medicinal mud. Not only is the skin renewed and the body is refreshed but the mineral-rich effect of the mud can also be enjoyed. At the end of the massage, guests are advised not to take a shower, but to go directly from the pavilion into Lake Hévíz, where they can take a refreshing bath after the relaxing massage. During bathing, the beneficial mud will continuously soak off the skin.
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