Therapeutic Mmmmmmmmassage!
Massage as a part of Chinese medical treatment goes back about 4,000 years. Written massage textbooks began to appear as early as the fourth century B.C., along with the earliest Chinese medical texts. Massage appears to have developed alongside both therapeutic exercise (qigong) and acupuncture, as it depends on the same understanding of the meridians and the flow of qi in the human body. The type of massage known as qi healing, or curing with external qi, was developed by master teachers of qigong.
Benefits
Chinese massage is not intended to be an experience of pampering or relaxation. It is a form of deep tissue therapy that conveys the following benefits:
- speeding the healing of injuries and clearing bruises
- stimulating blood circulation and regulating the nervous system
- removing scar tissue
- easing emotional distress
- curing some conditions affecting the internal organs
- increasing flexibility in the joints and improving posture
- relieving chronic pain
- maintaining wellness and functioning as a form of preventive care
- improving athletic performance
- strengthening the body's resistance to disease
Other benefits include the fact that some forms of Chinese massage do not require extensive training and can be used at home.
Massage therapy is one of the most pleasurable ways to become healthy. An increasing number of research studies show that massage slows heart rate, lowers blood pressure, improves circulation, increases range of motion, and simply feels terrific.
Jeannette Westlake, A.P., offers Oriental bodywork and massage to patients in the Melbourne and Palm Bay offices. J.D. Hallowell, LMT (#MA35848), offers outcall Oriental and Western massage for those who prefer the convenience of an in-home treatment.
