Vicky Zyra wasn't always aware of the power of massage. "I used to believe that massage was an extravagance—an occasional 'pampering' item meant for special occasions," she states on her website. All of that changed when she received trigger-point therapy. The treatment was so effective at eliminating Vicky’s musculoskeletal pain that she enrolled in massage-therapy school and started her own practice, Massage by Vicky.

Here, she tackles aches and tension with several modalities. For example, trigger-point therapy uses deep-tissue and static pressure techniques to zero in on specific problem areas. Swedish massage incorporates gentler strokes to soothe and relax, and the raindrop technique combines reflexology and therapeutic methods with essential oils.