About Oriental Massage

Many have heard of oriental massage, but the term is a little misleading. Because massage has been practiced in the East for a very long time, many different methods were born. There are many different types originating from this area, but sometimes they are all labeled simply as oriental massage.
(Left: Pictures of Thai massage pressure points at Wat Po in Bangkok)

In a way, that term does denote the difference between that massage, and that which is more well-known in the western part of the world. While western-style massage tends to deal with a specific problem a person is having, this type often works with the entire self, and hopes to alleviate problems by bring balance and harmony back to the body.

Oriental massage is a broader term for those techniques that have been traced back to China, Thailand, and Japan. One common type of this massage is called Tui Na. This massage is not so much for relaxation as it is to heal. It has always been considered to be a healing massage, and can be quite involved. This can be great for chronic pain or the injuries associated with sports. This type of massage is done with clothing on the body. As with acupuncture, a long and detail history of medical problems needs to be documented along with details about lifestyle. This helps the therapist tremendously. Tui Na is just one type of oriental massage you can try.

If you are familiar with acupuncture, you have some idea of how oriental massage is supposed to work. There are different types, but they do all have the same theory behind them. As with acupuncture, this type of massage will endeavor to bring balance (or chi) to the body. By the way of massage, those who practice this style work with the natural energy of the body to bring things back into balance. By removing stress and other emotional stoppages, the body can relax and heal itself as it is supposed to do. This type of healing has been used in the Far East for centuries.

Oriental massage uses acupressure in the same way that acupuncturists use a needle. They use the same spots along the body's meridians (energy channels) to help the patient, but instead of inserting needles, they apply pressure to these spots along with various massage techniques to open the energy channel. Acupuncture helps to release blockages and allows endorphins to move through the body to where they are needed. Oriental massage works on the same principles.

If you have a specific problem that needs to be corrected, you can most certainly opt for oriental massage. Just remember that this will focus on your entire body as well as your spiritual well-being. It is thought that once the energy is balanced within your body, and after it has begun to flow freely, you will find relief. You may even find you are feeling better than every before, and that stiffness and pains you had learned to live with melt away. You may not have realized they were there until they have gone away. Many people come out feeling energized and ready to take on the world.