It is natural to feel intimidated when you first walk into a massage parlor or a spa. If you have never been to a masseuse, then the experience of being half naked can be a bit overwhelming. Especially if you are the type not casual about shedding your clothing. But the massage therapist performs an important duty. He or she gives massages to help the body recover from injury, stress or tension. It is a natural motion that you yourself have probably copied whenever you pulled a muscle. However, it always helps to know what is in store.

The first thing that will happen once you reach your massage room is that you will get undressed. The masseuse will instruct you to either lay face up or face down on the table. He or she will then cover your body with drapes. At this point in the appointment you will probably be advised about the different types of massages that you can choose from and asked what type of essential oil would work best for your particular needs. The easy part is picking the scent. The hard part is trying to decide on what type of massage to choose. Will it be a Thai massage, a Swedish massage or perhaps a stone massage.

There are a few massage techniques that seem to be more popular than others. These massage techniques are: Shiatsu massage, Swedish massage, Stone massage, and a sports massage. Each technique employs different hand pressure, working the muscle differently and may use different types of hand movements. The first three types can be found in most spas and resorts, whereas the sports massage is generally used by physical therapists and massage therapists working with athletes who have strained their muscles during their sport or have become injured.

A stone massage is very interesting in that hot rocks, not hot enough to burn the skin, are placed in different areas along your body. The heat and pressure from the stones seep into the muscles causing them to relax. This type, combined with other techniques, can give you a total bodywork massage that will leave you very relaxed and ready to tackle any other challenges that may come your way.

One final note when it comes to massages. You need to make sure you do not have the massage therapist massage you too hard or too deep. It may feel good at the time, but you may wake up the next day in worse pain than ever before. You should also drink plenty of water after the massage because the technique will release stored up toxins in your body. These toxins can also make you feel worse the next day.