Thai massage

[Jared Traveler]

Here in Thailand an hour long Thai massage costs about $7. It is done with essentially a karate 🥋 gi on, and ranges from relaxing 😌 to eye popping 👀 painful 😖.

But overall I do see the health benefits, and get one fairly often. I'm thinking about studying this art just to help my wife with pain and discomfort when we are traveling and sleeping on hard beds.

I have never been into the healing arts, but this is something that interests me.

Is Thai Massage Really Good for You? The Claims Vs. the Science

Is Thai massage good for you? What are the benefits & is there any scientific evidence? I take a look beyond the curtain at the truth.

www.thethailandlife.com

 

[Gyakuto]

In my limited experience, any type of massage is very pleasant

Swedish Massage: A Systematic Review of its Physical and Psychological Benefits - PubMed

Context • Swedish massage is the systematic application of manual pressure and the movement of soft tissue, with rhythmical pressure and stroking to obtain or maintain health. Studies have revealed its many benefits. Objective • The aim of the current study was to determine the results of past...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

has many benefits

The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention - PubMed

Many coaches, athletes and sports medicine personnel hold the belief, based on observations and experiences, that massage can provide several benefits to the body such as increased blood flow, reduced muscle tension and neurological excitability, and an increased sense of well-being. Massage can...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

possibly some benefit to sports people

Effectiveness of sports massage for recovery of skeletal muscle from strenuous exercise - PubMed

Case series provide little support for the use of massage to aid muscle recovery or performance after intense exercise. In contrast, RCTs provide moderate data supporting its use to facilitate recovery from repetitive muscular contractions. Further investigation using standardized protocols...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

…but compared to other treatments for musculoskeletal issues, massage show no particular advantage

Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review - PubMed

Massage therapy, as a stand-alone treatment, reduces pain and improves function compared to no treatment in some musculoskeletal conditions. When massage is compared to another active treatment, no clear benefit was evident.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Massage and Performance Recovery: A Meta-Analytical Review - PubMed

The effects of massage on performance recovery are rather small and partly unclear, but can be relevant under appropriate circumstances (short-term recovery after intensive mixed training). However, it remains questionable if the limited effects justify the widespread use of massage as a...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I recently paid £25 ($30) for 30mins of sports massage for rhomboid muscle pain. The three sessions were very pleasant inducing deep relaxation but had no long term effect on my pain. Free, NHS physiotherapy where I was assessed and given rehabilitative exercises sorted my pain within a week!

If back and neck massages were $7 here, I’d have two a week…at least!

I say go for it….learn a new skill, but beware of what happened to Ross Gellar and Phoebe’s massage client.

 

[windwalker099]

Having lived in thailand for a couple of years..
Thai massage is considered a therapeutic…by the locals

Relies on their version of energy lines in the body..

"In the Thai healing system energy lines are known as “sen”. The sen lines are conduits-they are able to connect and move substances and sensations from one place to another. The sen are pathways for prana to flow. Prana is a Sanskrit word for “life force” or “vital energy”.


As such a little different then other massage modalities

Thai massage sometimes referred to as applied “yoga”

For those interested having the time

Massage pavilion @ Wat Pho temple​

Visit website Branch


WatpoTraditional Medical School
Chetawan Health Center, Wat Pho Branch @The pavilion in the Wat Pho temple
2 Sanam Chai Road, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
For more information
Tel: 02-221-2974
Mobile: 084-206-3580

watpomassage

www.watpomassage.com

General Thai Massage​

General Thai Massage
General Thai Massage Course - 30 Hours
Teaching the art of massage, starting from the basics, etiquette, hand laying, alignment, positioning and line massage.
The cautious and contraindications to massage. For Patient's security, they will get treatment. Eliminatefatigue and loosen the tight lines. Pull the slack line into place.Relax stressing out and prepare the body to be complete to work or exercise.
The students will learn how to massage for health and relieve stressing out correctly in the traditional way of Wat Pho, which is recognized as the traditional Thai massage model. Divided into 2 parts as follows.

Practical session
Introduction to Thai Traditional Medicine and Thai Massage
Precaution and Prohibition of Thai Massage
Masseur/Masseuse posture
Massage position, technique, step and procedure
Welcome and give advise to customers

 

[JowGaWolf]

In my limited experience, any type of massage is very pleasant

Swedish Massage: A Systematic Review of its Physical and Psychological Benefits - PubMed

Context • Swedish massage is the systematic application of manual pressure and the movement of soft tissue, with rhythmical pressure and stroking to obtain or maintain health. Studies have revealed its many benefits. Objective • The aim of the current study was to determine the results of past...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

has many benefits

The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention - PubMed

Many coaches, athletes and sports medicine personnel hold the belief, based on observations and experiences, that massage can provide several benefits to the body such as increased blood flow, reduced muscle tension and neurological excitability, and an increased sense of well-being. Massage can...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

possibly some benefit to sports people

Effectiveness of sports massage for recovery of skeletal muscle from strenuous exercise - PubMed

Case series provide little support for the use of massage to aid muscle recovery or performance after intense exercise. In contrast, RCTs provide moderate data supporting its use to facilitate recovery from repetitive muscular contractions. Further investigation using standardized protocols...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

…but compared to other treatments for musculoskeletal issues, massage show no particular advantage

Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review - PubMed

Massage therapy, as a stand-alone treatment, reduces pain and improves function compared to no treatment in some musculoskeletal conditions. When massage is compared to another active treatment, no clear benefit was evident.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Massage and Performance Recovery: A Meta-Analytical Review - PubMed

The effects of massage on performance recovery are rather small and partly unclear, but can be relevant under appropriate circumstances (short-term recovery after intensive mixed training). However, it remains questionable if the limited effects justify the widespread use of massage as a...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I recently paid £25 ($30) for 30mins of sports massage for rhomboid muscle pain. The three sessions were very pleasant inducing deep relaxation but had no long term effect on my pain. Free, NHS physiotherapy where I was assessed and given rehabilitative exercises sorted my pain within a week!

If back and neck massages were $7 here, I’d have two a week…at least!

I say go for it….learn a new skill, but beware of what happened to Ross Gellar and Phoebe’s massage client.

I don't think all massages are the same you really have to find some who knows about the body and didn't get a quick certificate for it. There's only one person in the entire US that I would get a massage from. And that's the same guy that fixed my knees.

 

[MetalBoar]

Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review - PubMed

Massage therapy, as a stand-alone treatment, reduces pain and improves function compared to no treatment in some musculoskeletal conditions. When massage is compared to another active treatment, no clear benefit was evident.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I always wonder about the usefulness of studies with titles like this one. I'm only looking at the abstract, so perhaps they go into more detail in the full text of the study, but at least in the US saying "massage" is so general that it's too vague to be terribly informative. There's so much variation in massage, not to mention massage therapists, that about all it tells us usefully is that some form of massage can have some benefit. Obviously, they are not looking at every modality that exists within the umbrella that is "massage" and I've found that some approaches are much better than others for specific problems.

For example, I've had terrible TMJ problems and jaw clenching issues when I sleep that lead to a variety of problems in my waking life. When I got the standard Swedish or deep tissue massage, that encompasses most massage therapists' entire repertoire, it tended to result in the short term pain relief described in this study. If I had someone who's certified in intraoral massage work on the muscles from inside my mouth I got substantial and fairly long term relief.

 

[Gyakuto]

Massage therapy has short-term benefits for people with common musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment: a systematic review - PubMed

Massage therapy, as a stand-alone treatment, reduces pain and improves function compared to no treatment in some musculoskeletal conditions. When massage is compared to another active treatment, no clear benefit was evident.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I always wonder about the usefulness of studies with titles like this one. I'm only looking at the abstract, so perhaps they go into more detail in the full text of the study, but at least in the US saying "massage" is so general that it's too vague to be terribly informative. There's so much variation in massage, not to mention massage therapists, that about all it tells us usefully is that some form of massage can have some benefit. Obviously, they are not looking at every modality that exists within the umbrella that is "massage" and I've found that some approaches are much better than others for specific problems.

Therein lies the problem. There is no clear universal definition of what massage comprises. Or is there? I’d suggest massage appears to involve the laying on of hands (and sometimes feet, elbows and knees) onto, and around the ‘problem area’ and applying varying pressure and rubbing the soft tissues. The various types of massage appear to be variations of this.

For example, I've had terrible TMJ problems and jaw clenching issues when I sleep that lead to a variety of problems in my waking life.

Ouch! I sometimes assisted in the surgery to remove the offending fibrocartilage disc from the TMJ and removed many from cadavers! Ouch’s!

When I got the standard Swedish or deep tissue massage, that encompasses most massage therapists' entire repertoire, it tended to result in the short term pain relief described in this study.

I wonder if this works via the (somewhat simplistic) gate theory of pain…activating non-nociceptive afferents in the pain circuit as you do when rubbing a bump to the head.

If I had someone who's certified in intraoral massage work on the muscles from inside my mouth I got substantial and fairly long term relief.

The ‘white coat’ effect?

We were taught that post-operative pain control should comprise, in order, positioning the patient comfortably, distraction and as a last resort pharmaceutical analgesia. Perhaps massage provides temporary distraction from pain 🤷🏾

 

[MetalBoar]

The ‘white coat’ effect?

We were taught that post-operative pain control should comprise, in order, positioning the patient comfortably, distraction and as a last resort pharmaceutical analgesia. Perhaps massage provides temporary distraction from pain 🤷🏾

It's possible. That's always tough to assess. I tend to doubt that it was strictly distraction or placebo as the pain relief from intraoral massage lasted for days/weeks as opposed to lasting until the next time I slept (which was the case with Swedish massage) and I went into the first intraoral session with the same expectations that I had with Swedish, etc., but the psychological aspects of pain are complex.

 

[Steve]

Therein lies the problem. There is no clear universal definition of what massage comprises.

There are massage parlors, and then there are "massage" parlors. At least, that's how it works around here.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

In my limited experience, any type of massage is very pleasant

"Pleasant" may not be the right word. I had a foot massage in Taiwan. It was so painful that could make me cry.

I just don't understand why people want to pay money for "pain".

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

"Pleasant" may not be the right word. I had a foot massage in Taiwan. It was so painful that could make me cry. The Tai massage can be painful too.

I just don't understand why people want to pay money for "pain".

 

[Gyakuto]

It's possible. That's always tough to assess.

Double blind trials might tease out the answer…but of course that requires funding (I can’t see massage governing bodies doing that just in case massage proves to be no better than an untrained person giving you a rub down!) and a willing team of scientists/statisticians etc and this kind of research seems to be avoided by career scientists, which is a shame.

I tend to doubt that it was strictly distraction or placebo as the pain relief from intraoral massage lasted for days/weeks as opposed to lasting until the next time I slept (which was the case with Swedish massage) and I went into the first intraoral session with the same expectations that I had with Swedish, etc., but the psychological aspects of pain are complex.

This is the power of placebo, though. It’s an amazing thing that can bring true benefits but my issue is therapists charging premium fees, often to those desperate and in pain, for what is essentially a back rub/water drops (homeopathy)/dangling crystals/holding hands over a body part (reiki)/gong banging (sound baths) etc. An ethical practitioner would means test their charges. Rant over!😄

Be under no misapprehension, I love a back/neck rub and feel transiently great afterwards (it usually evaporates on the drive home), but paying £20-40 for 30 minutes of it does not constitute good value for me.