MASSAGES

Please note that all massage prices below are subject to HST.

Relaxing Massage (Non-RMT)

Massage is a great way to help maintain your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. There are many significant benefits to massage; some include calming the nervous system, reducing tension and anxiety, improving blood circulation, preventing and relieving muscle cramps and spasms, and helping manage the pain of arthritis. We offer a relaxed, tranquil atmosphere, which is very clean. Here, soft music plays in the background, allowing your mind to unwind as well. The Relaxing Massage is an alternative for people who are not able to submit the cost of their massage to a group health provider for reimbursement. A non-RMT offers it, so you do not get a receipt, but you do get a great massage.

45 Mins $65; 60 Mins $80.

Lymphatic Massage (MLD) Women Only – 70 mins, $120

Lymphatic Massage (a.k.a. manual lymphatic drainage massage or MLD) is a specialized, gentle massage created just for women, using a technique to increase lymph flow and encourage the natural drainage of lymph from the body tissues. This very safe and effective technique is helpful for many conditions in which lymph flow may be compromised, such as lymphedema and swollen limbs caused by conditions including diabetes, sports injuries, and post-surgical conditions.

Lymphatic massage involves massaging or manipulating muscles or soft tissue to relieve tension and relax sore muscles. A sedentary lifestyle promotes toxin build-up, requiring external pressure to encourage elimination. Lymphatic Massage treats the entire body, including special attention to the breast, chest, and tummy areas. Using specific pressure and methodical stimulation, lymphatic fluid is directed to the lymph nodes, where it can be filtered and waste products eliminated.

At the end of the massage session, a hot towel is placed on your upper back. Through the towel, selected pressure points are stimulated, releasing endorphins that make you feel fantastic! Overall benefits include faster drainage of toxins in the Lymphatic System and the release of soreness or stiffness in your muscles. Add $20 to invest another 20 minutes in an Infrared Hot Blanket for maximum benefit. The combined session is $140.

Cupping – What Is It?

The original cups were made from carved-out animal horns. This ancient Chinese practice of cupping is in The Handbook of Prescriptions, an early fourth-century text written by the herbalist Ge Hong. It appears to have become particularly popular during the Tang and Qing dynasties, with herbalist manuals from that era describing the practice in great detail. The beneficial effects include alleviating headaches, abdominal pain and dizziness.

The carved-out animal horns, with sanded edges to form a seal on the skin, would be heated and placed upside down on the skin. The heat would create a vacuum over the desired meridian or acupoint (the points where different circuits of qi—vital life energy—intersect).

Different sizes of custom-made glass jars are just for this purpose. We employ the dry cupping method because we have found it to be the most efficient and needle-free. Unlike other types of jars or cones, the glass allows us to see what is happening with the vacuum and the effectiveness of the treatment.

The focus and desired outcome of cupping is the release of pain and increased blood flow in the treated area. Cupping works in much the same way as acupuncture, stimulating blood flow in and around meridians or acupoints to remove blockages that prevent qi (vital life energy) from flowing smoothly throughout the body. This is a welcome addition to a lower back massage for anyone experiencing discomfort in the lower back.

Cupping is generally used on the fleshier areas of the body, such as the stomach, back, and, occasionally, the legs and arms. The number of cups used and the time left in place depend on the treated condition.

Cupping is primarily used in China to treat congestion, asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory disorders, as well as some types of pain, gastroenteritis, and other abdominal conditions. It can also help reduce swelling and alleviate depression.

Many pictures on Google Images show “after cupping pictures,” do not be alarmed. The pink area (as it appears on a white person) left after cupping can look very traumatic and painful. The only side effects may be some slight circular bruising and swelling afterwards, caused by the drawing of tiny blood vessels into the vacuum. However, this quickly resolves for most people within a day or so of treatment and is usually not painful. For clients with susceptible skin, the bruising may last a week or two; be assured, it does disappear. The general joke is telling people an octopus struck you.

Cupping is not suitable for every person. People who suffer from convulsions, inflamed skin, or a high fever, who take a blood thinner, or who bleed easily, should not undergo cupping. Pregnant women should avoid cupping on the lower back and stomach. In addition, an experienced practitioner will not usually move cups over bony parts of the body, such as the shoulder blades or spinal bumps.

Traditional Fire Cupping – $35

This is accomplished by inserting a wad of alcohol-soaked cotton wool into the cup, then lighting it on fire. It is a speedy process that requires only a few

seconds to generate sufficient heat inside the cup with the heat source removed. Next, the cup is quickly inverted and strategically placed on the client’s skin over the treatment area. The burning of the cotton wool removes all oxygen, creating a vacuum inside the cup so that when it is inverted and placed on the body, it draws up the skin and flesh beneath as it cools.

The cup is left in place for 5-10 minutes or longer if required, during which time it exerts a gentle pressure on the meridian, opens the pores, stimulates the blood’s circulation, breaks down obstructions, allows toxins to flow out of the acupoint and in this way realigns and balances the healthy flow of qi.

Air Cupping – $20

This method is less invasive and uses a machine to create a similar effect. A cup-like apparatus is placed on the selected area, and the air in the cavity is removed, creating a vacuum. Unlike traditional fire cupping, the vacuum intensity can be adjusted for a better effect. This treatment is much faster and accomplishes the same objectives. However, it does not yield the relaxing effect of traditional fire cupping. As it is more mechanical, it is quicker and less expensive.

Massage with a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT)

A registered massage therapist is a health care professional committed to assisting you in maintaining optimal health and assisting in the mitigation of muscle discomfort.

30 mins- $70; 45 mins- $85; 60 mins – $106; 70 mins – $120; 90 mins – $160

 

Before your massage, you are required to complete a Health History Form (updated annually) and a Consent for Assessment and Treatment of Sensitive Area(s) form, which must be dated and signed for the initial and all subsequent visits. Please note that we do not bill your group health provider directly. You will receive a receipt, which you will most likely submit to your group health care provider online.