With the growing number of spas worldwide offering an extensive range of treatments, it is interesting to know that massage is still the most frequently requested spa therapy. Massage is primarily about touch, and touch in itself has healing qualities. Despite the many techniques and principles, the effects, psychological and physiological, remain the same. Massaging the muscles relaxes and stimulates the circulation so that blood flows freely, carrying oxygen and nutrients to where they are needed. By working on the circulation, regular massage can help normalise blood pressure, easing the pressure on overburdened arteries and veins. Massage stimulates the lymphatic system which is responsible for nourishing cells, carrying waste products out of the body and defending the body against infection. At the same time bodywork improves muscle and skin tone, stimulates the nervous system and improves overall body health. The treatment menu at a good spa will invariably include several types of massage. Many of the more popular ones including Thai Massage originated in the East. But whether Western or Eastern there are similarities in the techniques used, and often they consist of a combination of the different forms of bodywork.

Thai Massage

Nuad pan boran is the name for traditional Thai Massage which dates back at least 2,500 years. It is recognised as a practical application of the Buddhist concept of metta, or loving kindness. Thai Massage is a known healing technique that places emphasis on the mind and body connection and, with a skilled therapist, it is also used as a tool in the treatment of emotional and spiritual disorders. Thai Massage is based on the principle that invisible lines of force run through the body. The focus is on 10 lines called “sen”.  The massage seeks to release blockages that may exist along the sen to allow the free flow of energy throughout the body. The client is clothed and lies on a floor mattress.  The therapist applies pressure using the thumbs, fingertips, hands, feet, arms and legs. Compression using the therapists’ body weight is also applied to large areas of the body, such as the back and hips. Pressures combined with manipulations stretch the spine and pull on joints to leave the body feeling loose and relaxed, ultimately maintaining flexibility and relieving tension. The therapist works kneeling or sitting on the floor alongside the client, working from the feet up to the shoulders and neck, over the face and onto the scalp. Thai Massage is a deep-massage technique that can be very relaxing. However, it can go beyond pampering and relaxation and the more advanced practitioners are trained to treat ailments and diseases as well.

TUI NA
Tui Na is an Oriental bodywork therapy that has been used in China for 2,000 years. It uses the traditional Chinese medical theory of the flow of qi through the meridians as its basic therapeutic orientation. Tui Na is a varied technique that uses many different strokes such as rolling, pressing, kneading, plucking and vibrations that are applied to acupoints, channels and muscle groups. When done correctly there is an exchange of qi energy between the practitioner and the patient, resulting in ultimate
healing. Through the application of massage and manipulation techniques Tui Na focuses on the flow of qi through the system of channels, allowing the body to naturally heal itself. Tui Na methods include the use of hand techniques to massage the soft tissue of the body, acupressure techniques to directly affect the flow of qi and manipulation techniques. As with Shiatsu and Thai Massage, the client wears loose clothing and lies on a table or floor mat. Sessions last from 30 minutes to one hour. Tui Na is recommended for the treatment of specific musculo-skeletal disorders and chronic stress-related disorders of the digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems.

SHIATSU
Although its roots lie in China, Shiatsu was developed in modern-day Japan. Also known as acupressure, the term Shiatsu translates as “finger pressure” but similar to Thai Massage, in practice hands, knees, elbows or even feet are used by the practitioner to apply pressure to the body. Shiatsu is based on the principle that energy runs through the meridians which are said to govern the internal organs and our entire metabolism. The pressure is placed at precisely located points on the meridian lines of the body through which energy flows – there are 14 main meridians and there are approximately 600 Shiatsu points. Applying pressure on the points has the effect of balancing that energy to help maintain or restore the body’s natural vitality, working on the principle that depleted energy requires toning to give relief whereas excess energy needs sedating. In addition to localised pressure points, Shiatsu can also involve stretching and manipulations which also require the client’s participation in order to co-ordinate the breath with the manipulations. Shiatsu is performed with the client dressed in loose, comfortable clothing, on the floor on a mat or futon. Treatments can help the young or old, active or sedentary and the method is claimed to help conditions as varied as allergies, anxiety and depression, asthma, digestive disorders, insomnia, headache and migraine, menstrual problems and sinusitis. Shiatsu can be used as a complete system of health maintenance, or simply for stress reduction and relaxation.

# posted by Aom-ing : 2:56 PM