Complementary Therapies available at Malahide are designed to help you restore your body’s balance, relieve stress and improve overall wellbeing. But what exactly is meant by the term ‘complementary therapies’ and just how do these treatments work?

The term ‘complementary therapy’ can be defined as the use of non-pharmaceutical techniques as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, traditional medicine, with the aim of improving health and wellbeing. Complementary therapy takes a holistic approach to health, combining mind, body and energy systems, and is beneficial in the treatment of conditions such as asthma, migraine, eczema, insomnia, fatigue and stress.

So what does complementary therapy involve?

This will depend on the complementary therapy treatment you choose. For instance your therapy may involve stimulating pressure points on the head, feet and hands (reflexology), or palm-healing to align energy channels throughout your body (reiki), or the use of fine needles placed in key areas to encourage healing (acupuncture). For almost every common ailment there is a complementary therapy, with its own unique techniques, that can assist with the specific healing of that ailment while providing overall improved wellbeing.

Below are some of the popular complementary therapies available at La Spa Malahide, demystified…

  • Indian Head Massage

    Massaging of the head, neck and face manipulates energy channels (or chakras) with the goal of clearing blockages. Blockages mean a build up of negative energy that can be the cause of ailments such as stress, aches and pains, and even hair loss.

  • Reflexology

    More than just a foot massage, reflexology accesses nerve endings in the feet that are linked to every organ and nervous system of the body. Through manipulating certain points in the feet, your reflexologist can rebalance your body’s energy and promote healing.

  • Reiki

    Using a technique called palm-healing, reiki promotes self-healing and restoring of your body’s sense of equilibrium by using various palm techniques to transfer energy to where it is needed.

  • Hopi Ear Candle

    Named after a Northern American Indian tribe called the Hopi, this treatment involves safely and gently rotating a candle composed of special healing ingredients in your ear. Absorption of the candle properties helps to regulate pressure within the ear and head and can relieve sinus, headache, and tinnitus problems.

  • Cranio Sacral Therapy

    This gentle “hands-on” therapy involves monitoring your body’s rhythms and pinpointing sources of obstruction to aid the movement of that blockage. It’s very beneficial for neck, shoulder and back pain, and sciatica and mobility problems, and also works well for tinnitus, migraines, vertigo and sleep apnoea.

  • Acupuncture

    This ancient Chinese holistic therapy relieves pain and discomfort and promotes healing. Fine sterilized needles are inserted into predetermined points on your body in order to stimulate that zone and restore health.

These are just a handful of the therapies available at La Spa. See our full list of complementary therapy services on our website.Other treatments include stress management, integrated energy therapy, hypnotherapy & psychotherapy, as well as sessions to help you quit smoking, lose weight and improve emotional wellness.

We hope this brief introduction has helped your understanding of what complementary therapy is all about. We’ll take a closer look at each of these treatments in future blog posts and answer any questions you might have.

Over to you… have you experienced a complementary therapy treatment? How did it improve your wellbeing?

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