Gay Massage Now - Resource Guide to Massage Therapy & Spa Services for Men

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How Can I Find the Right Massage Therapist?
It is important to find a massage therapist with the skills you need. Below are some easy steps you can take.

How Can I Find the Right Massage Therapy/Style?
With more than 200 variations of massage, how do you know what's what, and what's best for you?

1. Identify your goals and health status
The first thing you should do is set goals for the massage session(s). Are you interested in:

Reducing stress?
-Reducing muscle contractions or tightness?
-Living without chronic or acute pain?
-Improving your work performance?
-Enhancing your general health and well-being?
-Improving your ability to participate in sports?
-Secondly, think about why you want to see a massage therapist:

Did a licensed medical professional such as physical therapist, medical doctor, or chiropractor suggest you try massage?
-Are you managing any conditions your doctor is not aware of but hope that massage might alleviate?
-Do you know someone who has many of the same aches and pains as you and who has benefited from receiving massage therapy?
-Are you looking for a sensual touch by a man?
-Your answers to these questions will help you determine what skills you are looking for in a massage therapist. (You may want to look at the explanation of massage styles in our Learn:Styles link above)

2. Get some names
Many people are most comfortable getting a personal referral from a friend. Sometimes your friend can answer questions about the massage therapist and explain how they benefited from visiting this therapist.

Another great source for referrals is right here - Gay Massage Now. Our directory of masseurs can help you narrow down your search.

Remember: Most advertising venues do not screen for therapists. It will be up to you to do some homework.

3. Consider your personal preferences
You may want to include or eliminate potential therapists or styles based on personal preferences. For example:

Would you be most comfortable with a certified therapist or someone self-taught? Is location important? (If you plan to go once or twice a week, you may want to find a therapist close to work or home.)

4. Make a phone call to find out more about the therapist If you don’t already have this information, call and ask about:

Style or techniques used
-Philosophy of care
-Years in practice
-Specialty areas, experience with particular conditions
-Training, advanced certification
-The type of atmosphere and room decor
-Does he use a massage table?
-If there is any doubt or apprehension on your part, it is always appropriate to clarify the style or techniques that the massage therapist uses.

5. Ask about costs and logistics
Ask about the fee. Specifically, ask:

What lengths of sessions are available and what is the fee for each. Typically, therapist will offer you a number of options, generally 30, 45, 60, 75 or 90 minutes. Ask if the rate is for hands-on time or if the intake is included in the time.
-Are there different fees for different techniques?
-Are there any additional fees?
-Do they offer any special or discounted package rates?
-Also ask about logistics:

How far in advance do you generally need to make an appointment?
-What does the scheduled time mean—when you should arrive or when you should be ready to start the massage?
-What is the cancellation policy?
-What is the therapist’s draping policy?
-Finally, to arrive more relaxed, get clear directions and learn about parking options.

Almost anyone - from infants to seniors - can enjoy the benefits of a good massage.

Massage is one of the oldest healing arts. Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use. The ancient Hindus, Persians, and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments, and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems.

Today, the benefits of massage are varied and far-reaching, says Les Sweeney, executive vice president of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP). Massage therapy has proven beneficial for many chronic conditions, including low back pain, arthritis, bursitis, fatigue, high blood pressure, diabetes, immunity suppression, infertility, smoking cessation, depression, and more. And, as so many of us already know, massage also helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living that can lead to disease and illness.
But with more than 200 variations of massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies, how do you know what's what, and what's best for you? First, a definition of the different therapy categories is in order, says Sweeney.

Massage is the application of soft-tissue manipulation techniques to the body, generally intended to reduce stress and fatigue while improving circulation. It taps into the energy systems in the body.

Bodywork includes various forms of touch therapies that may use manipulation, movement, and/or repatterning to affect structural changes to the body.

Somatic, which means "of the body," is often used to describe a body/mind or whole-body approach as opposed to a physical perspective only.

According to William F. Burton, Jr., a professional massage therapist/bodyworker and co-owner of the Enraptured Day Spa in Philadelphia, most varieties of massage and bodywork therapies can be broken down into four broad categories:

1) Contemporary Western massage
2) Oriental methods
3) Structural/functional/movement integration
4) Non-Oriental energetic methods

Here's a brief explanation of some of the more common techniques of Western and Oriental massage.

Swedish massage: This is the predominant example of Western massage and is the most commonly used method in the United States. Developed in Sweden in the 1830s, it uses a system of long, gliding strokes, kneading, and percussion and tapping techniques on the more superficial layers of muscles. It is designed to increase circulation, which may improve healing and decrease swelling from an injury. This technique also results in generalized relaxation.

Neuromuscular massage : Trigger point massage and myotherapy are varieties of neuromuscular massage, which applies concentrated pressure on trigger points of pain and passive stretching of specific muscles.

Deep tissue massage : This approach is used to alleviate chronic muscle pain by reaching deeper muscles in problem areas.

Sports massage: This uses techniques similar to deep tissue massage but more specifically adapted to deal with the needs of athletes (both professional and the weekend variety); it's often used before or after athletic events as part of an athlete's training and to promote healing from injuries.

Acupressure and shiatsu : These are similar varieties of finger pressure massage, with pressure applied to specific points that correspond with acupuncture points. In acupressure and shiatsu, pressure is applied to specific points with the thumb, finger, and palm to release muscle tension and increase circulation. Acupressure is the more generic term used for this approach and shiatsu is the Japanese version.