Oriental Massage

The culture of the orient is full of various manifestations of the power of touch. The popular massage therapy, now catching up world wide, is one such manifestation. The power of touch to heal!

Oriental massage therapy is probably the oldest and simplest form of healing. This home medical care approach has been observed within all the great civilizations of the past that have been unearthed. The exquisite paintings of the famous Egyptian tombs show royalty and the commoners being massaged. In many cultures of the Orient, massage therapy has been practiced and part of healing since ancient times. The practitioners from the Orient recommend breathing exercises, exclusive massage of affected body parts and exercises of the hands and the feet. The Eastern gurus actually declare these as the appropriate treatment for complete or partial paralysis, and fever.

Oriental massage therapy has also been extensively used as the principal method of relieving pain resulting from neuralgia. In fact, the Orient acknowledges the masseur as a ‘physician’ experienced in ‘rubbing to bind a joint that is too loose or to loosen one that is rigid’. The traditional Indian massage therapy system of massage emphasizes on the power of massage with aromatic oils and even certain spices. These specialty massages have now become very popular the world over and are practiced extensively as part of spa and medical treatment. The massage is an overall approach that is a ‘whole’ made up of various components like the massage table or chair, the massage oil, the massage wraps and the experience and expertise of the masseur.

The Oriental massage therapy was successfully used as a treatment for various ailments, especially during World War I, for patients suffering from nerve injury or shell shock. The application of this healing approach has also witnessed breakthroughs in medical technology and pharmacology. This resulted in a momentary lapse in the demand for manual methods of stimulating the muscles and tissues and a greater demand for electrical instruments specially designed. However, authentic practitioners and genuine clientele realized the power of the pressure and rubbing action delivered manually and sadly, the oriental massage lost some of its prestige due to the unsavory image that was generated by certain ‘massage parlors’.

However, the awareness towards the therapeutic properties of the oriental massage continued to grow and today, it is flourishing once more as a treatment adopted within many medically recognized rostrums for effective application. Oriental massage therapy is even used in intensive care units, for children and elderly people and even babies in incubators. The therapy is also effective in treating and de-stressing patients with cancer, AIDS and cardiac problems. The Oriental massage therapy or ‘body-work therapy’ is also offered by various health care centers, drug rehab and treatment clinics. The various massage techniques now incorporated within the art include aromatherapy, reflexology and osteopathy. Rolfing and Heller-work are also being applied in various massage therapy spas and special clinics.

The ‘relaxation’ massage is a smooth and easy flowing style that helps the person to generally relax and greatly improves blood circulation. This type of massage is applied to increase range of movement and relieve muscular and tissue tension. The ‘remedial’ massage is part of paramedical treatment. It helps in the restoration of the function of injured muscles, tendons and ligaments and is aimed at assisting quick recovery. The popular ‘sports’ massage is a very effective combination of different massage techniques. The overall aim of this massage is to enhance the sportsman’s performance on the field and recoup from muscular tension.

Aromatherapy Massage is a very effective part of Oriental massage therapy and uses the combination of the therapeutic properties of essential oils found naturally and specific massage techniques. The aim of this type of massage is to promote good health and well-being. Reflexology is yet another form of massage that involves the extensive use of the thumb and finger pressure on the reflex points under the feet. Practitioners of the art believe that these reflex points correspond to all individual body parts and organs. This massage helps in achieving balance within the body and curing various aches and pains.