Massage Therapy in Toronto: An Effective Pain Reduction Technique
Massage therapy in Toronto can be a wonderful way to ease muscle and joint pain in the body. The techniques used to restore mobility and ease pain will vary with the individual’s preferences as well as with the injury or inflammation type. Some techniques which are highly recommended include massage therapy, osteopathy, physiotherapy acupuncture, Bowen therapy, Reiki and naturopathic medicine. Below are brief explanations of these techniques and their advantages:
Massage therapy means the gentle manipulation of muscles under the skin by a skilled Registered Massage Therapist or RMT. This may be perceived as rubbing or kneading, or other sensations designed to loosen tight muscles and help with blood circulation to inflamed areas. Sometimes, machines which vibrate or apply pressure are also used to assist with the massage.
Osteopathy is the physical manipulation of muscle tissue and bones. More akin to physiotherapy, this technique is based upon diagnosis of mechanical dysfunctions in the muscles, skeleton and bones.
Physiotherapy Acupuncture is a technique in which very thin needles are inserted at pressure points throughout the body in order to restore the healthy flow of energy. It can relieve pain and help restore movement. Though the patient must sometimes have the needles in for up to 20 minutes, only a mild discomfort is usually felt on insertion of the needles.
Bowen Therapy is a hands-on, gentle pressure applied directly to certain points in the body and accompanied by sets of rolling-type moves. The goal of Bowen Therapy is to be subtle and relaxing; there is no manipulation of muscle or joints involved. Shoulders, headache pain and respiratory issues can often be helped with this therapy.
In Ontario, massage therapy in facilities like Sage Health and Wellness Clinic is not a publicly funded healthcare service. There are many private health insurance plans which may offer coverage for the services of a RMT. It is likely that you will not require a doctor’s note to have your massage therapy session covered by insurance.
Before booking an appointment it is important to find out if the RMT in Toronto which you will be seeing does direct-billing, or if you must pay upfront and be reimbursed by your insurance company. The most common health insurance system requires upfront payment and future reimbursement.
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