Read before you book
Massage Guides: Types of Massage, Explained
The questions people search at home before they pick a spa, answered by the people who will be at the desk when they arrive. What each type of massage is and what it feels like, whether cupping hurts, how much to tip, what to wear, why you are sore the next day, and how often to come back. Every session named below is on the Tao Spa menu in Glenside or Spring House, and every health claim is cited.
In one paragraph
The types of massage on the Tao Spa menu fall into four groups. Gliding, oil-based styles for relaxation: Swedish (listed as Therapeutic), hot stone and the 120-minute Deep Relaxation Massage. Firm styles for tight muscle: deep tissue in 30 or 90 minutes, Asian Power, and the 90-minute barefoot Tao Ashiatsu. Clothed, oil-free styles: Thai and Healthy Combo. And specialty sessions: prenatal, lymphatic drainage, migraine, couples, four hands and reflexology, with cupping and gua sha as 15-minute add-ons.
The guides
Which massage guide should you read?
Ashiatsu Massage
The barefoot one. Why pressure through a whole foot feels deeper and gentler at once, who it suits, and how the 90 minutes run.
9 min read · Tao Ashiatsu Massage · 90 min · Glenside
Read the guideFour Hands Massage
One guest, two therapists, one hour. Why matched strokes switch the mind off, how it differs from couples massage, and why it is booked ahead.
10 min read · Four Hands Massage · 60 min · Glenside and Spring House
Read the guideDeep Tissue vs Swedish
The choice everyone makes at the desk. Pressure, technique and next-day soreness side by side, plus a decision order that lands on the right menu line.
10 min read · Deep Tissue Massage · 30 or 90 min · Glenside and Spring House
Read the guideWhat Is Cupping Therapy
The suction one. How negative pressure lifts a tight back, why it shouldn't hurt, how long cups stay on, and how often to book the 15-minute add-on.
10 min read · Cupping · 15 min add-on · Glenside and Spring House
Read the guideBody Gua Sha
The scraping one. What a smooth-edged stone does that a thumb can't, why it leaves red streaks that fade in days, and how it compares with cupping.
10 min read · Gua Sha · 15 min add-on · Glenside and Spring House
Read the guideHot Stone Massage
Why warm stones let a therapist go deep without leaning hard, how hot stone compares with deep tissue, and where salt stones fit.
10 min read · Hot Stone Massage · 60 min · Glenside
Read the guideLymphatic Drainage Massage
The lightest session we offer: what the strokes are for, which benefits the evidence supports, and what the day looks like before and after.
10 min read · Lymphatic Massage · 60 min · Spring House
Read the guideThai Massage
The clothed, oil-free one: assisted stretches and rhythmic pressure along the body, what it does and doesn't do, and how the 60 minutes run.
10 min read · Thai Massage · 60 min · Glenside
Read the guideHow Often to Get a Facial
Every 4 to 6 weeks for most skin, with a table that shifts the gap for dry, oily, sensitive and pre-event skin, and a plain answer to what a back facial is.
10 min read · Classic Facial · 60 min · Spring House
Read the guideTipping & Etiquette
The desk questions: what a normal tip is, what to wear for each service, how early to arrive and how often to come back.
10 min read · Therapeutic Massage · 60 min · Glenside
Read the guideAfter Your Massage
Water, a walk, a warm shower and an early night: the first 24 hours after a session, why you might be sore, and when to call.
10 min read · Deep Tissue Massage · 90 min · Glenside
Read the guideCupping Marks Explained
Why cupping leaves circles, what the colors mean, how long they last, and when a mark deserves a doctor's look.
11 min read · Cupping add-on · 15 min · both locations
Read the guideMassage for Migraines
Migraine vs tension-type headache, what the research actually supports, and when to see a doctor instead of a spa.
10 min read · Migraine Massage · 60 min · both locations
Read the guideAt a glance
Pick a guide by what you want to know
| Guide | Best for | Read | Pair it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashiatsu Massage | Heavy pressure without the sharpness; whole-back tension | 9 min | Tao Ashiatsu Massage · 90 min · Glenside |
| Four Hands Massage | Full-body relaxation when an hour is all you have | 10 min | Four Hands Massage · 60 min · Glenside and Spring House |
| Deep Tissue vs Swedish | Deciding how much pressure you actually want | 10 min | Deep Tissue Massage · 30 or 90 min · Glenside and Spring House |
| What Is Cupping Therapy | A tight upper back; guests who dislike firm pressure | 10 min | Cupping · 15 min add-on · Glenside and Spring House |
| Body Gua Sha | A knotted upper back or neck after screen work; firm pressure fans | 10 min | Gua Sha · 15 min add-on · Glenside and Spring House |
| Hot Stone Massage | A back that is tight all over; comfort as much as depth | 10 min | Hot Stone Massage · 60 min · Glenside |
| Lymphatic Drainage Massage | Feeling lighter and calmer; the lightest touch on the menu | 10 min | Lymphatic Massage · 60 min · Spring House |
| Thai Massage | Stiff hips and shoulders; anyone who'd rather stay dressed | 10 min | Thai Massage · 60 min · Glenside |
| How Often to Get a Facial | Picking a facial rhythm; a first facial; back congestion | 10 min | Classic Facial · 60 min · Spring House |
| Tipping & Etiquette | First visits; gift-card recipients; anyone unsure at the desk | 10 min | Therapeutic Massage · 60 min · Glenside |
| After Your Massage | The evening after a deep session; first-timers | 10 min | Deep Tissue Massage · 90 min · Glenside |
| Cupping Marks Explained | Mark timelines before a wedding, pool day or photos | 11 min | Cupping add-on · 15 min · both locations |
| Massage for Migraines | Headache-prone guests choosing a gentle session | 10 min | Migraine Massage · 60 min · both locations |
Definitions
What are the types of massage on the Tao Spa menu?
Eleven styles, each defined in one paragraph. Session lengths are the ones on the Glenside and Spring House menus; where a style is offered at only one of the two addresses, the paragraph says which.
What is a swedish or therapeutic massage?
Swedish massage, listed on both Tao Spa menus as Therapeutic Massage, is the gliding, medium-pressure style most people picture when they hear the word massage: long strokes with oil, kneading, and a pace built for relaxation. It runs 60 minutes, or 120 minutes as the Deep Relaxation Massage.
What is a deep tissue massage?
Deep tissue massage uses slower strokes and firmer, more specific pressure from thumbs, elbows and forearms to reach the deeper layers of muscle. It is the booking for one stubborn knot rather than general relaxation, and it comes in 30 and 90-minute sessions at both locations.
What is an ashiatsu (barefoot) massage?
Ashiatsu massage is a barefoot deep-pressure style in which the therapist stands over the table and works the back, hips and legs with the soles of their feet, using controlled body weight. A foot spreads pressure across the whole muscle, so it feels deep without the sharpness of a thumb. The Tao Ashiatsu Massage is a 90-minute session at Glenside.
What is a hot stone massage?
Hot stone massage places warm basalt stones along the back and uses them in the therapist's hands, so warmed muscle gives way to pressure with less force. It is a 60-minute session at Glenside, with a 90-minute version that adds a back scrub and a 100-minute Massage and Facial that pairs 50 minutes of hot stone with a facial.
What is a thai massage?
Thai massage is done fully clothed and without oil. Instead of gliding strokes it combines rhythmic compression along the body with assisted stretches, so it suits people who dislike oil or would rather not undress. It is a 60-minute session on both menus, alongside the clothed Healthy Combo Massage.
What is a couples and four hands massage?
A couples massage is two guests on side-by-side tables, one therapist each, for 60, 75 or 90 minutes. A four hands massage is the reverse: one guest, two therapists working in sync for 60 minutes. Both are listed under Couples & Four Hands at both locations.
What is a prenatal massage?
Prenatal massage is a 60-minute session adapted for pregnancy: side-lying or supported positioning, lighter pressure, and a therapist who asks about your trimester and your doctor's advice before starting. It is on both menus and should be reserved ahead rather than walked into.
What is a lymphatic drainage massage?
Lymphatic drainage massage is a very light, slow, rhythmic style that follows the direction of lymph flow rather than working muscle. Guests tend to describe it as the gentlest hour on the menu. It is a 60-minute session at both locations.
What is a reflexology?
Reflexology is seated pressure-point work on the feet, with the guest reclined and dressed apart from rolled-up trousers. Sessions run 30 or 60 minutes at both locations; the 60-minute Glenside version includes an herbal foot bath, and Couples Reflexology seats two side by side.
What is a cupping and gua sha?
Cupping uses suction cups on the back to lift tissue; gua sha uses a smooth-edged tool stroked along oiled skin. Both are 15-minute add-ons to a massage at either location, both leave temporary marks that fade within days, and both are dry techniques here: the skin is never pierced.
What is a migraine massage?
The Migraine Massage is a 60-minute head, neck and shoulder session at light-to-medium pressure that includes gua sha, offered at both locations. It is a relaxation session for the tension that sits between headaches, not a treatment for migraine itself.
How to use them
How do you choose a massage from a guide?
The four-step routine we walk people through at the front desk, in the order it happens there:
- Pick the guide that matches the question, not the treatment name: sore the morning after points to the aftercare guide, a tight back that wants heavy pressure points to ashiatsu or deep tissue.
- Read the one-paragraph answer at the top of the guide first. It carries the session length, where it is offered and the two or three facts that decide most bookings.
- Check the who-should-ask-a-doctor-first paragraph. Pregnancy, blood thinners, recent surgery and active skin conditions each come with a call-your-doctor note.
- Book the shortest version of the session first. A 30-minute Deep Tissue Massage or a 30-minute Reflexology session at 106 N Keswick Ave tells you more about whether you like a style than an hour of reading will.
Tao Spa is a relaxation and wellness spa, not a medical provider. Our sessions support relaxation and general well-being; they do not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Talk with your doctor about persistent pain, swelling or skin changes, and tell us about any health condition before your session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of massage should I get?
Decide by pressure and clothing first. Want firm, specific work on a knot: deep tissue. Want firm pressure across the whole back without sharpness: ashiatsu at Glenside. Want to relax and drift: Swedish (Therapeutic) or hot stone. Would rather stay dressed: Thai or Healthy Combo. Want the gentlest hour: lymphatic drainage. The desk will talk you through it in two minutes if you are still unsure.
Who writes these massage guides?
The Tao Spa team, the same people at the front desk at 106 N Keswick Ave in Glenside and 752 N Bethlehem Pike in Spring House. Where a health claim comes up we cite the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the Mayo Clinic or the Cleveland Clinic, and we say plainly where the evidence is thin.
Do I need to read a guide before booking?
No. Walk in at either location during open hours, or call or text (215) 824-8585, and the therapist will ask what you need at intake. The guides exist for the questions people search at home first: does cupping hurt, what to wear, how much to tip, why am I sore the next day.
Are these guides medical advice?
No. Tao Spa is a relaxation and wellness spa, not a medical provider. Every guide describes what a session is, what it feels like and what the published evidence does and does not support, and every one points you to your doctor for pain, swelling or a condition you are managing.
Which guide is best for a first-time spa visitor?
Start with the tipping and etiquette guide, which covers what to wear, how early to arrive and what happens at intake, then read the deep tissue vs Swedish guide to pick a pressure. If you are curious about cupping, the cupping marks guide explains the circles before you see them in the mirror.
Ready to Relax at Tao Spa?
Whether you're planning a self-care day, booking a massage, or exploring facial treatments, Tao Spa offers a relaxing spa experience at two convenient Pennsylvania locations.
Tao Spa
Glenside: 106 N Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038
Spring House: 752 N Bethlehem Pike, Spring House, PA 19477
(215) 824-8585 Text UsPlan your visit
How do I book a massage at Tao Spa?
Book a massage at Tao Spa in 4 steps: pick Glenside or Spring House, choose a 30, 60, 90 or 120-minute session, reserve online or call (215) 824-8585, then arrive 10 minutes early. Walk-ins are welcome at both Pennsylvania locations whenever a therapist is free, and gift cards are valid at either address.
- Choose your location. Glenside is at 106 N Keswick Ave, Glenside, PA 19038, open Mon–Sun 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM. Spring House is at 752 N Bethlehem Pike, Spring House, PA 19477, open Mon–Sun 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Closed Tuesday).
- Pick a treatment and a session length. Massage, reflexology and facials run 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes; couples rooms are booked in 60, 75 or 90-minute blocks. Not sure what you need? Our full service menu lists every treatment with its length.
- Reserve online, call or text (215) 824-8585. Weekend evenings and couples rooms fill first, so book 2 to 3 days ahead for those slots. Walk-ins are taken any time a therapist is open.
- Arrive 10 minutes early. A first visit starts with a short intake about pressure preference, problem areas and any health notes. Gift cards never expire and work at both locations.