The instinct to touch and be touched is one of the most basic any of us have. And never more so than when we're stressed or injured. If you bang your leg, you rub it; hurt your arm, you grab it. If you are tired and overwhelmed you demand a hug (or even try to give yourself one if there's no one else about). So it is hardly surprising that there are techniques and systems of touch to address a wide range of issues - from muscle pain or stress, to digestive or circulation problems. Why not try these for starters?
Therapeutic massage
The idea of paying a total stranger to knead and stroke your limbs and torso can seem shamelessly self-indulgent. But there's more to it than just having your skin stroked (pleasurable as that may be). A therapeutic massage - sometimes known as Swedish massage because it was a Swede, Pehr Henrik Ling, who created the scientific system that still forms the basis of most massage treatments - is what you are likely to have if you book in for a "massage". It will consist of a series of strokes, kneading, friction, percussion and vibration, though other techniques may also be incorporated, to manipulate your skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia.
The benefits of massage could - and indeed do - fill a book. It can increase joint mobility, decrease inflammation, relieve muscle pain and tightness, increase flexibility, and enhance blood flow and lymphatic drainage. It can also help increase relaxation and reduce stress. And then there is the sheer sensual delight of being touched by a trained professional - well, it has to be better than a "back rub" that requires you to do the washing-up in exchange.
Find a therapeutic massage General Council for Massage Therapy gcmt.org.uk; Scottish Massage Schools scotmass.co.uk
Sports massage
Stick the word "sports" on the front of a massage and it is astonishing how quickly the mental image of candles and wafty music is replaced by sweaty locker rooms and injured athletes looking determined, while anxious physios pound them into submission. But even if your last proper brush with sport was 20 years ago, you might still benefit from sports massage: occupational, emotional and postural stress can produce similar characteristics to those of sports injuries.
Sports massage aims to alleviate the stress of physical activity on your body's soft tissues, preventing injury and speeding recovery. Acute and chronic injuries can respond to sports massage.
Sports massage is similar to therapeutic massage in style but is often deeper and more intense: it feels more like a treatment than a treat. It might also incorporate other techniques such as compression, stretching and trigger-point response, similar to shiatsu.
Deep-tissue massage can be incorporated into sports massage or, alternatively, used on its own. It works on the deeper layers of muscle tissue to relieve chronic tension in the body. It can be a bit uncomfortable at the time and afterwards - but, in a day or two, you will feel better than ever.
Find a sports massage London School of Sports Massage lssm.com; Massage Therapy UK massagetherapy.co.uk
Thai
Thousands of travellers have returned from Thailand with blissful tales of buying hours of beachside massage for the price of a takeaway coffee. Fortunately, you don't have to go that far to get one, though here it probably will cost more than a latte and a muffin - and the view won't be as good.
Thai massage actually has its roots in India and Ayurveda, though it has been used and refined in Thailand for thousands of years. Practitioners apply rhythmic pressure to different parts of the body, following the "sen" energy channels. You might also find that your limbs are stretched and pulled, that you are manoeuvred into various positions (Thai massage is sometimes described as "lazy yoga": similar effect, but minimal effort on your part) and that your fingers, toes and ears are pulled, and your fingers cracked.
If you are used to the languorous touch of a relaxing massage, the Thai variety might come as bit of a shock. It is hard to feel especially dignified while being flung around a mat, and the pressure can be surprisingly intense. But afterwards you will feel stretched and soothed and, possibly, like you are just back from holiday in Thailand.
Find a Thai massage Massage Therapy UK; Thai therapy thaitherapy.com
Shiatsu
Shiatsu is a Japanese word that literally translates as "finger pressure". It has evolved from ancient forms of touch therapy and has its roots in Chinese medicine. It was first systematised by Tokujiro Namikoshi, who founded the Japanese Shiatsu College in 1940, and has been an officially recognised therapy in Japan since 1964.
As well as being relaxing, shiatsu can be beneficial for back pain, headaches, neck stiffness, joint pain and reduced mobility - as well as digestive problems, insomnia, PMT and other stress-related disorders. It uses hand pressure and manipulation to gently adjust the body's physical structure, and also claims to work on the body's balance of "ki" - the Japanese word for energy. It often may feel as if nothing much is happening, aside from some relaxed pressure at various points on the body and some gentle joint rotations. Fans of shiatsu claim that the effect, though subtle, is powerful. And, as they include former prime ministers of Japan as well as Muhammad Ali, we won't argue.
Find a shiatsu therapist shiatsu.org; Zen Shiatsu London learn-shiatsu.co.uk
Reflexology
Treatment is focused on your feet (and sometimes hands and even ears) but is based on the principle that points on the foot relate to every other area of your body. By pressing the right areas of toes and soles a practitioner can treat everything above the ankle.
There are several hypotheses about how reflexology works. Some people think it affects the nervous system, and others believe it involves a system of energy channels in the body. It appears to have evolved from ancient medicine, though in its current form reflexology was the creation of an American therapist, Eunice Ingham, in the 1930s and 40s. Fans describe it as a relaxing and soothing experience that can reduce stress and increase energy levels. It is also claimed that regular sessions can boost the immune system, bring the body back into balance and improve circulation, and that it has helped reduce headaches, PMT and pain associated with illness.
Naturally, if you have existing problems with your ankles or feet, reflexology might not be for you. Otherwise, get your socks off and hope that it doesn't tickle.
Find a reflexologist International Institute of Reflexology reflexology-uk.co.uk; British Reflexology Association britreflex.co.uk
... and if you don't have time:
A full-on massage treatment normally takes at least an hour, can cost £50 or more and has various associated nuisances, such as taking your clothes off in front of a total stranger. If that all seems like too much of a hassle - and yet you can't quite let go of the idea of being pleasantly pummelled - you could always opt for a chair massage. Shops around the country offer quick treatments of 10 to 20 minutes for £10-£15. You remain fully clothed, sit in a specially designed chair and enjoy a quick sample of the benefits of shiatsu massage, normally on your back, neck, head, arms and shoulders. There's only one problem, of course: 15 minutes never seems like enough.
