Therapeutic Massage
Swedish Massage | Deep Tissue Massage | Cupping
NEW CLIENTS
New clients will be limited to those seeking Prenatal Massage, Mercier Fertility Programs, and/or Mercier Therapy.
New clients, please call/text (813) 758.9957 or email to schedule your session.
Existing clients please use the “Schedule Your Appointment” button on the top of any page to schedule your session today.
About
Therapeutic Massage
Massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever. Massage is recognized as a part of integrative health care, During your session, a variety of techniques may be used, including trigger point, myofascial release or cupping.
Therapeutic Massage is available in 60 or 90 minute sessions.
Benefits
- Loosening tight muscles and stretching connective tissues
- Relieving cramps and muscle spasms and decreasing muscle fatigue
- Loosening joints and improving range of motion
- Increasing muscle strength
- Calming the nervous system
- Stimulating blood circulation
- Firming up muscle and skin tone
- Relieving symptoms of such disorders as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic and acute pain syndromes, myofacial pain, headache, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, and athletic injuries
- Speeding up healing from injury
- Improving lymphatic drainage of metabolic wastes
Mental Benefits
- Mental relaxation
- Improvement in length and quality of sleep
- Relief of stress
- Increased ability to concentrate
- Improved sense of well-being
About
Swedish Massage Therapy
Swedish massage therapy is the most popular modality of massage. It involves the use of hands, forearms or elbows to manipulate the superficial layers of the muscles to improve mental and physical health. Active or passive movement of the joints may also be part of the massage. One of the primary goals of Swedish Massage is to provide relaxation to the entire body. Swedish Massage incorporates long kneading strokes which promote total relaxation and improved circulation. Swedish massage therapy includes benefits beyond relaxation. Swedish massage is extraordinarily beneficial for increasing the level of oxygen in the blood, decreasing muscle toxins, improving circulation and flexibility, mental and physical relaxation, decreased stress and muscle tension, and improved range of motion. all while easing tension.
Swedish Massage is available in 60 or 90 minute sessions.
Swedish massage was invented by a Swedish fencing instructor named Per Henrik Ling in the 1830s. When he was injured in the elbows, he reportedly cured himself using tapping (percussion) strokes around the affected area. He later developed the technique currently known as Swedish massage. This technique was brought to the United States from Sweden by two brothers, Dr. Charles and Dr. George Taylor in the 1850s. The specific techniques used in Swedish massage involve the application of long gliding strokes, friction, and kneading and tapping movements on the soft tissues of the body. Sometimes passive or active joint movements are also used.
Unlike drug therapy, which is often associated with many systemic and long-term side effects, massage therapy is relatively safe and has few contraindications. It also provides many benefits.
About
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep Tissue Massage is similar to Swedish Massage, but includes deeper pressure. Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is especially helpful for chronic aches and pains and contracted areas such as stiff neck and upper back, low back pain, leg muscle tightness, and sore shoulders. Deep Tissue Massage focuses on the deep tissue structure of the fascia and muscles, commonly referred to as connective tissue. Of the many types of massage, deep tissue focuses on the release of muscle tension and chronic muscle tension and knots or adhesions. This neuromuscular massage, features slow, specific strokes focused on where you need it most. Ease areas of chronic tension or pain with 60 or 90 minutes of this modality of massage therapy.
Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain in order to reach the sub-layer of muscles and the fascia (the connective tissue surrounding muscles).
How Does It Work?
- When there is chronic muscle tension or injury, there are usually adhesions (bands of painful, rigid tissue) in muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
- Adhesions can block circulation and cause pain, limited movement, and inflammation.
- Muscles must be relaxed in order for the therapist to reach the deeper musculature.
Does Deep Tissue Massage Hurt?
At certain points during the massage, most people find there is usually some discomfort and pain.
It is important to communicate to the therapist when things hurt and if any soreness or pain you experience is outside your comfort range.
There is usually some stiffness or pain after a deep tissue massage, but it should subside within a day or so. The massage therapist may recommend applying ice to the area after the massage.
Benefits of Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage usually focuses on a specific problem, such as chronic muscle pain, injury rehabilitation, and the following conditions:
- Chronic pain
- Lower back pain
- Limited mobility
- Recovery from injuries (e.g. whiplash, falls, sports injury)
- Repetitive strain injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Postural problems
- Muscle tension in the hamstrings, glutes, IT band, legs, quadriceps, rhomboids, upper back
- Ostearthritis pain
- Sciatica
- Piriformis syndrome
- Tennis elbow
- Fibromyalgia
- Muscle tension or spasm
- After a workout or bodybuilding
About
Cupping
Better health is on everyone’s list of goals and cupping is wonderful technique that can improve your health and provide numerous benefits. One way to think about cupping is that it is the inverse of massage. Rather than applying pressure to muscles, the suction uses pressure to pull skin, tissue and muscles upward. I often combine cupping and other massage modalities into one treatment, but it could also be used alone.
Cupping was developed thousands of years ago and though the techniques have modernized, the original philosophy remains the same. Cupping involves placing silicone or plastic cups on the skin and creating a vacuum by suctioning out the air. The underlying tissue is raised partway into the cup. The purpose of cupping is to enhance circulation, help relieve pain, remove “heat” and pull out the toxins that linger in your body’s tissues.
You usually will feel a tight sensation in the area of the cup. Often, this sensation is relaxing and soothing. Depending on your comfort and the assessment of the problem, cups may be moved around or left in place. They may remain on your body briefly or for longer amounts of time. Each treatment is unique to you on that particular day. One very common area to be cupped is the back, although cups work well on other areas, too — particularly on fleshy sections of the body.
Cupping causes the skin to temporarily turn red, blue or purple, especially if there is an injury or energetic blockage under the area that was cupped. The skin discoloration can last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, but isn’t painful. Once the marks have cleared, the procedure can be repeated until the condition or ailment is resolved.
There are a number of methods of cupping — the two most common here in the U.S. are “fixed cupping” and “moving cupping.”
Fixed Cupping:
The cups are placed on a selected area of your body and then left in place without being moved.
Moving Cupping:
As the name implies, in this method massage oil or cream is applied on your skin and the cups are placed over the areas to be treated and then moded around that region of the body — most commonly the back. The cups slide easily because the cream has lubricated your body.
Here are three reasons why cupping just might go mainstream this year:
1. Celebrity cupping enthusiasts are growing in numbers.
It was about 10 years ago when cupping first appeared in the tabloids. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow showed up on the red carpet with obvious round cupping marks on her back. She received a lot of press and later explained to Oprah, “It feels amazing and it’s very relaxing.”
2. Athletes use cupping as a secret weapon.
Michael Phelps created a world-wide interest in cupping during the 2016 Olympics in Rio by winning an unprecedented number of gold medals while displaying obvious cupping marks. But cupping is not just for movie stars and athletes … cupping is highly beneficial for everyone.
3. Cupping provides relief for many health conditions.
Cupping has numerous benefits — it can help remove toxins from the body and stimulate the flow of fresh blood, lymph, and Qi to the affected area and throughout the body, releasing tightened muscles and speeding recovery.
It should be noted that cupping is not be used on patients who bleed easily and/or cannot stop bleeding, have skin ulcers, or edema. It is unwise to cup over large blood vessels as well. Pregnant women should be cupped with extreme caution and never on their abdomen or lower back.
To be cautious I generally practice a less intense treatment the first time, and then see how the patient reacts before implementing longer amounts of time and more suction.
Will this year be the year that you try cupping?
client love
What Our Clients Have to Say…
“Wonderful massage. Knowledgeable massage therapist. Her style will cater to your needs. She cares about her skills and knowledge of massage and is always wanting to learn new techniques to help people feel their best.”
“Anita is truly INCREDIBLE. My husband and I both get regular massages from her. We have been to a lot of massages therapist over the years but now will NEVER go elsewhere. Her massage room is beyond beautiful and relaxing, her techniques are perfect. I’ve suffered from back pain and migraines for years and Anita has greatly reduced both, and I couldn’t be more thankful! 💝”