Chinese massage meaning and benefits: Origin, history, meaning, Benefits, relieves pain, increases energy level, Accelerates recovery from soft tissue injuries, improves blood circulation, supports emotional health, Conclusion, note (Essential oils ).
Have you ever thought of learning more about Chinese massage, in particular massage, and its uses and benefits?
Millions of people worldwide use traditional Chinese medicine every day, which has many health benefits for individuals across generations, cultures, and countries.
The Chinese have also made significant contributions to the field of medicine by developing massage, also known as ‘an mo’ or ‘tui na’. It is an external type of physiotherapy that has been found to be very effective.
The network of the human body – ‘jing luo’ – is a passage for vital energy, blood flow, organs and joints, and its regulatory function is to turn pathological changes or improve organ function through direct external force of the hands on the injured part.
Long known for its health benefits, massage has long been enjoyed by many. One of the most often referenced studies states that massage reduces cortisol (the stress molecule) by 31% on average and increases serotonin and dopamine by about the same percentage (31 and 28 percent, respectively).
This has led to the use of massages in physical rehabilitation and holistic medicine for many years. Western culture commonly refers to Tui na as “Chinese massage.” Tui na is an ancient form of self-treatment.
Here you will find detailed descriptions of Chinese massage techniques and its benefits.
Origin
Chinese medicine has a long history of massage dating back over 4,000 years. Chinese medical writings and written massage textbooks date as far back as the fourth century b.c.
The development of massage is closely related to therapeutic exercise (qigong) and acupuncture since they use some of the same knowledge of meridian pathways and qi flows. Qi healing, or curing with external qi, is a sort of massage created by master qigong teachers.
China has practiced massage therapy for thousands of years, with documents dating back to the 2nd century BC. Chinese massage techniques aim to improve overall health by facilitating the flow of energy or Qi throughout the body, unlike deep tissue and sports massage, which aim to release muscle tension by increasing blood flow to specific areas.
History
As a branch of Chinese medicine, this wonderful treatment has an extensive history. Inscriptions found on bones and tortoise shells from the Shang Dynasty (16th -11th century BC) show that massage was already widespread. An account of a doctor named Bian Que healing the faint prince through massage dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 – 476 BC), indicating the astonishing effect of the treatment at such an early date.
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386 – 589), six hand massage techniques evolved and developed into more professional ones, including stranding, shaking, twining, twirling, kneading, and rolling, which are still popular today. It has now produced over 20 different strategies, and research into them is growing.
Based on the strength and direction of the hand, a different amount of power sinks into the body. In this way, some of the chemicals simply reach the skin, while others reach the pulses, muscles, and even bone marrow.
Many people who have experienced the benefits of massage claim that it relieves bones and muscles, causes detumescence, causes acesodyne, corrects dislocated joints, and reduces muscle spasms. Because of the result and the opportunity for a job, blind massage has become fashionable in China nowadays.
Around 2700 BCE, massage therapy made its way to China and Southeast Asia as society and history developed. Traditionally Chinese medicine, martial arts, and Buddhist and Taoist spiritual yoga training all played a role in developing Chinese massage techniques.
Their methods, which are quite similar to those of the Indians, were based on the idea that disease was caused by an imbalance or deficit in energy. A mainstay of alternative massage therapy medicine (acupuncture, acupressure, and herbal remedies) is the Yellow Emperor’s Classic Book of Internal Medicine, which was created by the ancient Chinese.
The ancient Egyptians had already begun to use massage therapy by 2500 BCE, as evidenced by tomb paintings. It involves applying pressure to certain zones or points on the feet and hands to promote healing. Reflexology was developed by the Egyptians.
Later, in 1000 BCE, monks studying Buddhism in China brought massage therapy to Japan and gave it the name “anma,” which became Shiatsu. This approach is intended to regulate and strengthen organs by harmonizing energy levels through pressure point stimulation in the hopes of introducing natural resistance to illness
Meaning
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the term ‘Chinese massage’ is a misnomer, since there is no such thing, nor is it a true massage in the purest sense.
This form of bodywork is described more accurately as therapeutic Asian body work, which involves twisting, pulling, turning, pushing, and kneading. The purpose of meditation isn’t just to relax the muscles or to relieve stress.
It is characterized as a therapy that focuses on human body diseases; he views the human body as a cohesive system in which energy flows between each portion, organ, and system.
Because there is no such thing as traditional Chinese medicine, and it isn’t actually a massage in the truest sense, the title “Chinese massage” is inadequate. Tui Na, which literally translates to “push and pull,” is what it is.
There are many different ways to perform it, so it is more appropriately referred to as therapeutic Asian bodywork. It involves pulling, twisting, kneading, pushing, and releasing muscles, so it’s not just about relaxing muscles or treating stress.
Traditional Chinese medicine includes acupuncture and herbal medicine, and Chinese massage therapy follows the same concepts. So Traditional Chinese Medicine encompasses a vast range of knowledge bases, and all of these distinct procedures are used to heal the body.
Chinese massage is now commonly regarded as a complementary or alternative treatment for a variety of diseases.
Pressing, stretching, squeezing, pushing, and kneading are some of the techniques of Chinese massage that have some similarities to Western massage. You may also be kneaded, dug, knuckled, and gently plucked by your practitioner. Some practitioners may use hammering and vibrating methods to treat you, or even walk on your back.
Benefits
China is home to a large number of practitioners of Chinese massage. Chinese massage has many advantages that you should consider incorporating into your daily routine.
Relieves Pain
There have been a few studies on the effectiveness of treatment for low back pain and neck pain. Chinese massage has traditionally been used to relieve stress, but that is not the only reason people seek it.
The results of one study showed that regular treatments significantly improved the health of a group of patients with persistent neck pain within a few weeks. Another group experienced less back pain when a Chinese massage was combined with exercises. Furthermore, the recovery rate for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome increased to 81 percent when acupuncture was added.
Increases energy level
Whether you are ramping up your energy (yang) or slowing it down (yin), a massage therapist knows which vigorous or soothing techniques to use for you to find inner calm. The benefits of Chinese massage also extend to increasing your sleep quality, allowing you to wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Speeds up recovery from soft tissue injuries
Soft tissue massage improves blood flow, allowing stiffness to be relieved and pain to be reduced in the cases of low back pain, frozen shoulder, and sciatica.
In conjunction with physiotherapy, Chinese massage therapy is frequently used to facilitate rehabilitation. A study found that when injecting it into skeletal muscle after injury, it reduced inflammation, resulting in faster recovery and superior performance.
Improves blood circulation
There are parallel meridians between the body’s main meridians and the circulatory system, implying that circulation is related to Qi. Two methods of stimulating and re-energizing blood circulation involve applying pressure in a perpendicular direction and rolling a fist.
Blood circulation can be improved using Chinese massage. You tell your body to bring more blood to the massage area as you push and pull. And when you do it correctly, your blood pressure drops because your arteries widen, not because there is less fluid in your system.
Supports emotional health
Its philosophy of balance makes Healing Touch Massage a particularly empowering and energizing therapy for those who are feeling down or overwhelmed. On a physical level, muscle relaxation reduces stress and promotes sleep, while energy blockages lead to anxiety and depression by keeping emotional tensions inside the body.
The researchers found that Parkinson’s disease patients who regularly received Chinese massage experienced greater improvements in coordination, balance, and frequent falls than those who participated in strength training and stretching.
Conclusion
Chinese massage styles are distinctive because of the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine, but the benefits are similar to those experienced by massage clients in a range of cultures: relief from pain and stiffness, improved function and flexibility, improved circulation, stress reduction, and improved overall health and well-being.
As ancient health and wellness practices, Chinese therapeutic massage techniques have endured for thousands of years, and modern science is increasingly recognizing their effectiveness. As such, it is well worth considering Chinese massage as an element of your health and wellness regime.
Note
The use of essential oils in a massage session is recommended for people with a lot of stress, nervousness or insomnia, because it has an additional deep relaxation effect.
When working with essential oils, direct pressure is generally not applied to the points indicated on the respective meridians, which can reduce the “quota” of pain during a massage session. This has its repercussions, as treatment in this way does not effectively resolve general or specific body pain.
Read also: Feng Shui for Health; what are relaxing massages; Wikipedia
