Banish stress from your body and mind at Tullamore Massage Clinic

The newly-opened Tullamore Massage Clinic in Drumhill House on the Arden Road offers a range of stress and tension relief treatments that cater for everyone, from the sports enthusiast to the stressed-out office worker. Joanne Wharton specialises in sports injury massage, but also offers a range of holistic massages, reflexology and aromatherapy. Previously the manager of the spa in the Bridge House, Joanne is experienced and professional, and is great at making you feel comfortable. I decided to get an Indian Head Massage, as I"ve never had one before. This massage was first used as a social bonding between families in India. Generations of family members would sit in a row starting with the oldest and massage the relation sitting in front of them. Not only does the head massage banish normal, everyday stress and help ease tension headaches and migraines, it can also stimulate hair growth. And because the massage action stimulates blood circulation in the head, it boosts brain power. I should probably get one of these every morning! The head massage would appeal to a lot of people, as many have said to me that they are too self-conscious to get a full body massage done. This way, you only have to take off your jumper and sit in a chair, so you"re not too exposed but you still get the benefit of a shoulder and upper back massage, as well as the focus on the head. First off, Joanne concentrated on my back and shoulders. She worked away at the horrible knot in my right shoulder, caused by my refusal to wear my school bag on both shoulders as a teenager. As I have now graduated onto shoulder bags, the pain has worsened. Joanne used some of her sports injury techniques to apply even more pressure on this trouble spot, which caused an intense rush of pain but just as it got really sore, began to subside and there was a great release. My shoulder felt like some hard obstruction had been removed from the ball and socket joint, and now feels lighter and looser than before. Joanne then moved on to my ears, lightly rubbing them along the cartilage and earlobes. While this was a brief action with no pressure, it felt very comforting and relaxing. It reminded me of children who rub their ears when they"re tired. Joanne then moved on to my head. Using one hand to cup my forehead, which made me feel secure in the knowledge that I would not fall off the chair if I dozed off, she massaged, tapped, gently tugged the hair and used weighty sweeping movements that altogether, made me feel very relaxed and the tension drained away. Lastly, I lay down on the bed and Joanne focused on the pressure points on my face, which can help to ease sinus problems. The Indian Head Massage takes less than an hour and while it certainly boosted my mood and chilled me out for the day, the relief I got from my shoulder was worth it alone. The sports injury massages can help speed up recovery times and improve performance levels by alleviating muscle tension and inflammation. A hot stone massage will be available soon. Gift vouchers are available, as are special offers for organisations and sports clubs. As a special introduction offer, Joanne is offering 20% off all treatments during November. The Chiropractic Clinic is also situated in Drumhill House, run by Dr Maura Sheridan. Contact Joanne for a full treatment menu and price list on 057 9324570.