Understand each massage before you book

Looking for a massage can be confusing. There are many different names —relaxing, decontracting, sports, lymphatic drainage, facial— and it is not always clear how they differ or which moments they suit. Here we explain it calmly: what each technique is, what a session is usually like and what expectations are reasonable. The aim is that you arrive at the centre knowing what to ask and what to expect.

We are an informative guide, not a clinic or a booking service. So we do not diagnose or prescribe, and we do not promise to cure anything. A massage can help you relax and may contribute to a sense of wellbeing; it can be part of a self-care routine. What it does not do is replace healthcare when there is intense pain, a recent injury or a health problem. In those cases, the first step is always to consult a health professional.

How to use this portal

If you are not sure which service suits you, start with the massages section: you will find a description of each technique and how they differ. If you are interested in caring for your skin and body beyond massage, take a look at body treatments. Once you know what you are after, the Barcelona section helps you choose a centre with good judgement, and in Les Corts we have a first neighbourhood focus with a partner centre of reference.

If what you have are practical questions —which type of massage to choose, how to prepare or when it is better not to have one— the practical guide gathers short, honest answers. And whatever the service, it is worth keeping in mind that a massage is a wellbeing experience: its effect is subjective and temporary, and it does not guarantee any particular outcome.

Services we explain in English

In this first English phase you can read about the most sought-after massages: the relaxing massage and the decontracting massage, the chiromassage and the sports massage, the lymphatic drainage and the facial massage —with techniques such as Kobido—, plus options by body area such as the back massage, the neck and shoulder massage or the leg massage.

We also include services that call for more caution and that are best validated in advance with a health professional, such as the pregnancy massage. For each service we explain what it involves, how the session usually unfolds and what precautions to keep in mind, without inventing prices, opening hours or reviews.

Why we start with Barcelona and Les Corts

We prefer to grow slowly and well. Starting with Barcelona, and within the city with the neighbourhood of Les Corts, lets us explain services carefully and keep the quality of the information high, rather than covering everything at once with empty pages. Content is written with care and reviewed periodically. The Catalan version of the portal is broader; here we offer the pages of greatest interest in English.

What you will find (and what not)

Each page explains a service or answers a specific question with the same approach: what it is, what the session is usually like, who it may suit and what precautions to keep in mind. You will not find invented prices, opening hours, phone numbers or reviews: that information changes and depends on each centre, so we always point you to confirm it directly with the place where you want to book.

Nor will you find diagnoses or promises of results. If what you need is to solve a health problem, the right place is not a wellbeing guide but your health professional. What we do offer is honest context so that you arrive at the session knowing what to ask and what is reasonable to expect from a massage.

Keep reading

• → Massages Understand each technique and its differences.
• → Body treatments Skin and body care beyond massage.
• → Massages in Barcelona How to choose a centre with good judgement.
• → Practical guide Answers to the usual questions before booking.

Informative content from massatge.cat, reviewed periodically. It does not replace the advice of a health professional.