Massage, Acupressure, Tuina, Cupping, GuaSha       

Massage is the oldest and largest system of natural 
therapy. Its value has been recognized from the earliest days of history to the present time not only by drugless 
therapists but by medical professional as well. Massage is a scientific treatment using passive systematic manipulations upon the human body with the main object being promoting and maintaining a balanced circulation.

 The effect of massage is manifold. While it is apparent that one effect is to relax the muscles, massage also sets the blood in circulation, removes toxins which have accumulated, stimulates nerve activity, increases lung activity, quiets and soothes the nervous system, breaks up deposits in the joints etc. It is not the blood flow alone which is aided by massage. The lymphatic circulation is also stimulated to greater activity. In many chronic pathological conditions tissue activity is greatly interfered with resulting in accumulations of toxins (poisons or waste matter) in the system since the cells, being deprived of their proper amount of oxygen, are unable to perform their excretory functions perfectly. Stimulation of the lymphatic circulation, through massage, aids the absorption of these toxins into lymphatic channels thereby cleansing the area.

 At the same time, properly applied massage will aid cellular interchange by bringing fresh blood to the area. Thus, the work of the tissues is greatly promoted and proper nutrition to the tissues is secured.

Acupressure / Shiatsu

Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force energy to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle but firm pressure.

Energy Work: The most potent form of energy work uses acupressure points. Energy (know as Chi or Qi) flows most freely when you touch, press, or hold the points in bodywork. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) these healing points are the gateways to the body's life energy force. This universal energy source is also the basis of the Martial Arts and Healing Arts. The flow of this vital healing energy governs blood circulation and the function and balance of the human body. Studying the location and how to touch these acupuncture points is key to transformational energy work and massage therapy.

Advantages of using acupressure include relieving pain, balancing the body and maintaining good health. The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.

Several kinds of acupressure all using the same ancient trigger points in varying rhythms, pressures, and techniques create different styles of acupressure. Shiatsu, for instance, the most well-known style of acupressure, can be quite vigorous, with firm pressure applied to each point for only three to five seconds, while the Jin Shin style of acupressure gently holds each point for a minute or more. We use  a variety of bodywork styles along with massage on tables.
 

Tuina

The term "Tuina" translates into "push-grasp" in Chinese. Physically, it is a series of pressing, tapping, and kneading that removes blockages along the meridians of the body and stimulates the flow of Qi and blood to promote healing, similar to principles of acupuncture, moxibustion, and acupressure. Tuina's massage-like techniques range from light stroking to deep-tissue work which would never to considered during a recreational or relaxing massage.

Tuina can be quite powerful and sometimes quite painful during the deep-tissue manipulations. Clinical practitioners often use herbal compresses and packs to aid in the healing process, which can cause allergic reactions on sensitive skin. Tuina is not used for conditions involving compound fractures, external wounds, open sores or lesions, phlebitis, or with infectious conditions such as hepatitis. Tuina should not be performed on the abdominal portion of a woman in menstrual or pregnant periods, and it is not used for treatment of malignant tumors or tuberculosis.

When you go into a typical adult Tuina session, the patient wears loose clothing and lies on a massage table or floor pad. After answering some brief questions about the nature and location of the health problem as well as basic questions about general health, allergies and other existing conditions, the practitioner will concentrate on specific acupressure points, energy trigger points, muscles and joints surrounding the affected area. Never go for a treatment just after eating...wait at least an hour.

Don't expect a light, relaxing massage, this therapeutic method goes directly after the problems, sometimes requiring significant pressure. When excessive friction from rubbing or stroking is involved, the practitioner may choose to use talcum power, sesame oil, ointment of Chinese holly leaf, oil from HongHua, or a specialized massage emulsion or oil developed for Tuina.

Occasionally, clothing is removed or repositioned to expose a particular spot that requires direct skin contact. The patient should always be informed before this act, and no inappropriate or unexpected contact should ever be made in a professional session.

Treatment sessions last from 30 minutes to over an hour. Patients often return for additional treatments for chronic conditions. As with most "energy-based" treatments, the patient usually feels either relaxed and tired, or surprisingly energized by the treatment and release of pain.

Cupping -  Gwyneth Paltrow, Fire Cupping.

In a typical cupping session, glass cups are warmed using a cotton ball or other flammable substance, which is soaked in alcohol, let, then placed inside the cup. Burning a substance inside the cup removes all the oxygen, which creates a vacuum.

As the substance burns, the cup is turned upside-down so that the practitioner can place the cup over a specific area. The vacuum created by the lack of oxygen anchors the cup to the skin and pulls it upward on the inside of the glass as the air inside the jar cools. Drawing up the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of qi, breaks up obstructions, and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body.

Depending on the condition being treated, the cups will be left in place from 5 to 10 minutes. Several cups may be placed on a patient’s body at the same time. Some practitioners will also apply small amounts of medicated oils or herbal oils to the skin just before the cupping procedure, which lets them move the cups up and down particular acupoints or meridians after they have been applied.

Gua Sha

Guasha, also termed sand scraping , is a therapeutic method in which the practitioner applies his hand to draw a coin or spoon to scrape the patient’s acupoints or skin. This causes a purplish red colour or hemorrhagic spots like sand on the patient’s skin and is used for treatment of some diseases. Guasha is mainly used to treat sha- syndrome which is a disease caused by the exposure of wind, cold, summer-heat or wetness-evil in summer or autumn leading to the blockage of meridians. It is manifested as chilliness, fever, distension, pain of the body, vomiting, diarrhea, rigidity and numbness of the extremities and coma in serious cases.

Links:  Gua Sha

Vital Energy - Qi

The above modalities are all related to energy work  or Qi , rather than mechanical terms which we are more familiar with in the west. Oriental therapies work by treating imbalances in the level and flow of our bodies’ Energy.  

This vital  Energy, known as Qi is what keeps our bodies functioning and keeps us active. The main source of Qi is Universal Qi, which is all around us and provides the life force of all living things. Other sources of Qi include the air we breath and the food we eat.  The quality of our Qi depends on the state of balance between our mental/emotional, physical and spiritual aspects. When these aspects are in step with each other, we enjoy good health. But an imbalance in any one of them, whether as a result of emotional trauma or of a virus, will alter our equilibrium and call for our bodies to readjust. Constant readjustment taxes our Qi, and from time to time we will not be able to respond sufficiently well to restore the harmony between our minds, our bodies, and our emotions, resulting in illness.    

 At  Acupuncture New York, we are committed to providing you with your choice of massage in a safe and clean environment conducive to reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Our resident therapist can provide you with a soothing massage to calm the nerves, improve circulation and to remove toxins from your system. In the Oriental sense, we will help to bring your body and mind back to a state of equilibrium through balancing the flow of Qi. Oriental medicine practitioner believes that wherever the Qi goes the blood follows and thus help to improve circulation and also help to remove toxins from our bodies.