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If you are stressed out and need some relaxation, try massage in its many forms: muscle massage, shiatsu massage, hot stone massage or the most traditional of all massages, Swedish massage.

For a great overall body massage that relaxes the muscles, try a Swedish massage. This is one of the most common and most popular types of massages and many other massage treatments have developed from the original Swedish-style techniques. Available in most spas and health clinics, it is a good and thorough treatment if you are suffering from muscle aches and pains or neck and shoulder tension. If you have never had massages before, this is a good way to start.

Shiatsu originates from Japan, but it has become very popular in the West in the recent years. The main purpose of the treatment is to relieve blockages in the body’s energy channels and to stimulate the flow of energy. Like with many other treatments from the East, shiatsu practitioners believe that blockages in the body’s energy pathways cause many health problems. Unlike in Western-style oil massages, a shiatsu treatment is always performed with the client fully clothed. The client lies on a comfortable mat on the floor, and the therapist works on the muscles and on specific points along the energy lines. If all the talk about energy work sounds too new age for you, all you need to know is that shiatsu can relieve pain very effectively and will leave you both relaxed and invigorated after the treatment.

Hot stone massages, sometimes called La Stone treatments, are a trend that started some years ago but has stayed popular in spas around the world. The treatment uses smooth stones that are first heated and are then placed gently on various parts of the body, especially on the back and other areas that often suffer from tension. The stones are believed to calm down the nervous system and to relieve muscular pain. Those who have received this treatment swear by its relaxing effect.

Whether it is hot stone massage, Swedish massage or shiatsu massage, or a simple therapeutic muscle massage, there is no better way to de-stress than massage.