Social Norms in a Massage Parlor
Few people would not enjoy a massage by a qualified massage therapist. A good massage can be extremely relaxing but also helps to reinvigorate the body and help to compensate for the stresses of daily life. If you are about to go to a massage parlour for the first time its wise to remember that there is a right and wrong way of doing things. Massage therapists expect a certain standard of behaviour and respect like any other professional. Below are some ideas for how to behave when in a massage parlor or spa.
Most good massage parlor expect prior bookings. This is not to say that if you turn up on the spot that they won’t be able to attend to you but don’t rely on it. It’s a bit like going to the dentist or the doctor – it’s always best to arrange a visit beforehand to make sure you get the best service.
There are some people who think of massage therapy as being necessarily involving some pain - however this is definitely not the case.
Let’s have a look first of all at the difference between two main types of techniques: light touch pleasure-inducing massage and deep tissue or deep touch therapeutic massage.
Pleasurable massage has had its association with massage parlor for a long time. It aims to use the attraction by our brain to pleasurable sensations caused by light but repeated touching. This type of massage releases neurotransmitter chemicals called endorphins from the nerve endings. These chemicals are transmitted to the brain and cause pleasurable sensations. The same process occurs naturally when we experience a “high” such as happens when we go running or have sex.
The pleasurable sensations caused by endorphin release are certainly not confined to sexual arousal of the body’s various erogenous zones such as the ear lobes, navel, tongue, lips and so on. Massage therapy does not aim to stimulate these areas of the body during therapy sessions. The therapy aims to result in relaxation and relieve stress during a session by a qualified and trained massage therapist. There might be some confusion by a minority of people as to the purpose of massage therapy and it must be spelled out that sexual arousal is not the aim of these sessions but the intention is rather to release physical and emotional stresses. There are of course other places where unqualified massage practitioners are involved in eliciting sexual arousal but these people are not trained or qualified in therapeutic massage techniques.
Massage in its various forms has been around for centuries – particularly in Asia where it was used as a way of healing before it became popular and spread to the west. The use of massage as an art form and health therapy was practised long before the various techniques that we now associate with massage came into use. Massage is useful not only as a way of helping top treat people with health problems but it is great for healthy people who simply want to feel relaxed. Massage is definitely not just for the rich and famous –any body can visit a massage parlor and avail themselves of the beneficial therapy that can be experienced there. That doesn’t mean that massage sessions are free – of course they are not, but they do not have to be exorbitantly expensive either and are well within most ordinary people’s budget.
One does have to be a bit choosy when it comes to selecting a parlour or spa that has all the right ingredients for relaxation and stress relief. What sort of things should one look for if one hasn’t been to a parlour before?
The first thing that comes to mind is the initial external appearance and the reception area. If you are going to have a massage that results in you feeling relaxed and healthy then you want somewhere where the immediate environment is particularly conducive to creating that sort of atmosphere. Clean, neatly kept places where there is a lack of noise or rush are ideal and best of all the place should be of a pleasant and calming appearance.