Swedish or deep tissue massage?

[rabcnesbit]

I often tend to suffer from muscle aches in my upper body area, especially the lower back, shoulder blades and neck area. I also have along term pain in my lower back and right shoulder blades. Not sure how I sustained this, but probably a side effect of when I used to do some free weight training.
I am thinking of taking some massage sessions and have heard of Swedish massage and deep tissue massage. However, not sure which of the two would be most beneficial for my condition. Any advice or suggestions please? Thanks.

PS. I have already gone the orthodox medicine way without much success.
Aedan, not sure what you suggestion has got to do with my question! What has losing weight got to do with massage!

 

[kdr_cmt]

Probably you'll end up getting a combination of both. I hardly ever give a massage that is totally Swedish technique, because almost everyone needs a little deep tissue work somewhere. This is something you'll discuss with the therapist before and during the massage; you don't have to know all about it because they will figure out what you need. If they tell you you have to choose before you can even schedule an appointment, go somewhere else.

Why do you consider massage to be "unorthodox"? It is actually categorized as a complimentary therapy, meaning it gives the best results when combined with conventional medical treatment. It is not meant to be an alternative to medical care. If you have a condition that you are seeing a doctor about, you need to let the doctor know that you are considering massage as a treatment option and heed any advice given.

 

[Sabeena]

I have back & shoulder issues too because I used to be a competitive bodybuilder and now I destroy my body doing massage for a living. I've tried years of deep tissue, sports, and Swedish massage from many different practitioners. It absolutely does not work for me. I always feel much worse for at least 3 days after. Sometimes the muscles spasm even more because of the extra stimulation. I NEVER get massage any more!

Yoga and progressive relaxation work wonders for me. I do one or the other 4 days a week. After a session I do 10 minutes of moist heat followed by 10 minutes of ice. Now I am 90% pain-free! It works very well, I am in control, and it's a LOT cheaper.