When you examine the listings for various clinics and spas you can see that the term massage covers a large variety of styles of bodywork. There are hundreds of types of massage therapy. Each type offers a different benefit. Whether you're getting a massage to treat a painful condition or just relax it's important that you choose a style that is appropriate. Let's take a look the things you need to consider when you choose from the various types of massage therapy to find one that's right for you.

First consider why you're getting the massage. You may have chronic pain that's been hanging around for a while and you want relief from. You may have acute pain that you've woken up with that morning. You may just want to relax. Your reason for getting the massage is one of the most important things to consider when you're trying to decide which kind of massage to get.

The various styles of massage work to affect the body in different ways. Generally massage helps increase circulation and decrease stress hormones. Deeper forms of massage like neuromuscular therapy and deep tissue massage help ease both chronic and acute pain, but they aren't relaxing. Therapeutic methods like Rolfing are notorious for being painful. Gentler styles of massage like basic Swedish massage or Esalen massage are great for calming nerves and making you feel completely relaxed. There are even gentler forms of bodywork like CranioSacral therapy that have therapeutic purposes and are also quite relaxing.

The setting you receive your massage in might also effect how you feel about it. Some people prefer clinical settings. You usually receive more therapeutic forms of massage in clinical settings. Clinics usually cater to people who are seeking massage to relieve some type of problem, but you can sometimes get relaxation style massages in clinics too. These days spas offer all kinds of services from therapeutic to relaxation. This is good for people who are more attracted to the calming environment of a spa setting.

The amount of time you want to spend at the massage and the price you're willing to pay may also effect what type of massage you get. Many places offer sessions that are as short as a half hour or as long as two hours. Some types of massage therapy like Thai massage are most effective when given in sessions that are longer than an hour. The longer and more specialized the massage you receive the more you can expect to pay. Take these things into consideration when you're booking an appointment.

Once you've made these decision you'll be ready to book your massage. Knowing why you want the massage, the type of environment you want to get massaged in, how much time you want to send and what you expect to pay will help you choose the best types of massage therapy to suit your needs. Knowing what you want will make your massage a more enjoyable experience.