Massage therapy
Massage therapists use various hand motions to apply pressure to the skin, fascia (connective tissue), muscles and tendons. The idea is to get the blood circulation going and release tension. Massages have an effect on the nerves and lymph and blood vessels, and can also stimulate internal organs.
There are lots of different types of massage – from traditional (Swedish-style) to methods from the Far East. They use different techniques or focus on specific areas of the body. Some of them use equipment or additional external stimuli. Underwater pressure massage, for instance, involves lying in a bath of warm water with the therapist using a hose to apply a strong jet of water to massage you.