The Art Of Chinese Massage

Chinese massage blends well with many other healing practices like herbalism, energy work and even western medicine. Massage can stimulate your body to heal faster and help herbal medicines be more effective.

Having hands directly on the patient can help detect issues that may help with diagnosis and treatment. Touching also adds a human and compassionate level to healing that is left out of many healing methods. An additional benefit is that it can be used to apply herbal oils or liniments that may be beneficial.

Chinese massage uses the same meridian system that acupuncture does, and it is useful for healing similar complaints. It is believed that massage affects the physical and mental health, as well as being effective in keeping the qi balanced.

It has long been taught in medical schools and used in hospitals and is considered to be an essential element of primary healthcare. It is used routinely on athletes and gymnasts in China, and we all see how well they perform.

The Five Methods Of Chinese Massage

• Amno, or press and rub. This method is commonly used at home as well as in qi gong, martial arts and other athletics. This method rejuvenates and maintains health.
• Tuina, or push and grasp. Used medically, this method is common for injuries, muscle and joint problems and internal disorders.
• Infant Tuina is based on how the Chinese routinely treat children and babies. The massage channels and pressure points are very different from the standard ones used for adults.
• Dian Xue, or point press. This is commonly known as acupressure and it uses simple pressure on different points on the body to relieve pain, stagnation or other problems. This method is often used at home as well as by acupuncturists when needles are not the right treatment.
• Wai Qi Liao Fa, otherwise known as curing with external qi. This method is used by qi gong masters who have undergone many years of training in the technique.

During a treatment, the massage therapist draws on all of these methods as needed. Some massage techniques are considered yin, or sedating, while others are yang, or stimulating.

A single technique will have different effects depending on if it is applied with the flow, against the flow, clockwise or counter-clockwise. The depth and rhythm used for applying the techniques are also important, and can change the effect you will feel from the treatment.

A typical session of Chinese massage is done on a couch or a stool. In some busy clinics, the massage is given to a clothed patient, while other practitioners believe the full benefit is only received through skin to skin contact. The treatment may last for up to two hours, and should be balanced between yin and yang strokes. The complaint and its underlying pattern should be discovered during the treatment and addressed.

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