Swedish Massage vs. Deep Tissue Massage: What’s The Difference?

Swedish Massage vs. Deep Tissue Massage: What’s The Difference?

There’s no doubt about it — with so much stress, anxiety, and pressure out there in the world, we could all probably use a little more relaxation in our lives. 

Unfortunately, though, more often than not, we don’t appropriately prioritize our own self-care — which is where we like to step in with our spa services. In particular, we’d like to draw your attention to our massage services.

With massage, it’s never been easier to get some much-needed relaxation into your life. Having said that, if you’re struggling to figure out which massage service is right for you, we’re going to focus particularly on Swedish massage and deep tissue massage, so you can get the perfect massage for your specific needs.

We’ll compare the two, let you know what the services entail, and how you can expect to feel after. Let’s dive in!

What does a Swedish massage consist of? 

When you think of a traditional massage, you’re likely imagining a Swedish massage. 

With this technique, the purpose of the massage is to help release muscle tension by applying stimulation to the body’s soft tissue. This is accomplished by kneading, circulation motions, and relaxing strokes 

You’ll find that this form of massage is excellent for people who sit at desks all day, who hold a lot of tension in their neck and shoulders, and/or who are just generally tense. You’ll also find that this particular massage is ideally suited for those who are looking for a full-body experience. You can, of course, request that certain parts of your body receive more attention than others, but in general, you’ll get the full-body experience with this soothing massage..

Is Swedish massage good for you?  

The simple answer to this question: yes, definitely!

In general, with our hectic schedules, anything that can bring relaxation into our lives is always good.

Also, keep in mind that beyond relaxation, Swedish massage also promotes blood flow, can help elevate your mood by releasing endorphins, increases flexibility, improves sleep, relieves headaches, and delivers nutrients to your muscles. Getting regular Swedish massages can even help improve your immune system

In other words, you have everything to gain from a Swedish massage.

What does deep tissue massage consist of? 

While the benefits of Swedish massage are clear, this isn’t the only option when it comes to a massage.

Another popular service that we want to shed light on is deep tissue massage.

A deep tissue massage is similar to a Swedish massage in the sense that pressure is applied to tense muscles; however, with a deep tissue massage, the pressure is much more intense, meaning the experience likely won’t be as relaxing since the intense pressure can sometimes be slightly painful.

Because of this, deep tissue massage is most well suited for those who have specific injuries to certain body parts (i.e. athletes, lower back pain, sufferers of fibromyalgia, etc.).

Having said all of this, you are able to communicate with your massage therapist to convey the amount of pressure you want to feel. For instance, maybe you have a lot of pain in your right shoulder and would like the therapist to apply a good deal of pressure to this area, but you would like them to go lighter on your calf where you don’t have as much pain.

The bottom line: If you have intense areas of pain that require attention, deep tissue could be right for you.

Is deep tissue massage good for you?

Similar to Swedish massage, of course, deep tissue massage is good for you.

Again, while you might not feel super relaxed during the actual process, you will experience benefits after the massage, such as lowered blood pressure and less tension, but most clearly with deep tissue massage, the benefit comes in the form of reduced pain in the area of focus.

The only people who deep tissue massage might not be good for are those with osteoporosis, a history of blood clots, or anyone undergoing cancer treatment.

To sum up...

It should be clear by now the difference between Swedish massage and deep tissue massage, but to sum up, Swedish massage is a relaxing full-body experience that has many benefits that extend beyond just pain relief. With deep tissue massage, the benefits are more targeted towards specific areas of pain and are more well suited for those who can tolerate pain in order to release muscle tension.

Make sense?

We hope that by answering the question of what is a Swedish back massage versus a deep tissue massage you have a better understanding of which form of massage you think will be best for you. If so, we highly recommend booking your appointment so we can help soothe your tension.

If you’re still uncertain about what form of massage you’d like to go with, reach out to Balsam Spa today. We’re more than happy to chat about our various massage services with you.