Tag Archive for: Holistic Massage Therapy

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Na Chen

3 Things Your Massage Therapist Wants You To Know 

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There’s nothing worse than leaving the spa feeling unrelaxed or still tight in muscles. Even though we are trained to help your body, however massage therapists can’t read your mind, The best way is to tell us your preference of therapists, pressure, or massage types when you book your appointment. This will help ensure you’re matched with someone who will be able to best work with your needs—for example, relaxation vs. deep tissue injury work.  Here are 3 things every caring massage therapist would want you to know before you come in to get a massage.

1) Speak Up

As a massage therapist, we try our best to understand your needs and your preference of massage. Either the room temperature or massage pressure, so please Speak Up! We love to hear you asking us to do “more of this” or “less of that,” and it will be great opportunity for us to understand you so that we can plan your long-term treatment plan.  During the massage, please don’t be afraid to tell us if something we are doing is uncomfortable, the pressure is not right, or if you have a question about a particular treatment. We will give you a form to fil to try to undertand you better at the start of session and we plan to work on your sore or tight area more but please Be sure to ask us to spend more time on a certain area if that is what you want—at the end of the session is too late, and this is your massage!

2) We Don’t Judge

As a health services provider, we care only for you, without any kind of prejudices. All of our treatment is focused on making sure you feel good and relaxed. not only about yourself, but about your own skin and bones, and improving your body so you can live a fuller and relaxed life after meeting with us. Sometimes, the society that often judges people based on their size.  I promise you that I am not passing judgement on your lifestyle or what you look like. I am just happy that you are taking time to do something good for yourself no matter what size you happen to be. Massage can actually be a great tool to help people reach and maintain a healthy weight, and it makes me sad to think of how many people don’t utilize it out of fear of judgement.  Whether you feel that you are too big, or too small, never let your size be what keeps you from getting a massage. 

3) It Is Perfectly Fine To Just Let Go And Snore a little

I feel most satisfied when I hear my clients have deep sighs or breathing or falling sleep and snore. That way I know that you are getting relaxed and already let go. I am most certain that after the massage session you will feel rejuvenated and recharged. I take it as a compliment that my place is comfortable enough, and my treatment skilled enough that you feel comfortable to drift off. It takes much more than a little snoring to offend a trained professional and you obviously need the rest anyway. Might as well catch a few sleeps on the table and wake up feeling refreshed. When you fall asleep, your nervous system still regulates, your muscle tissue and ligaments still soften, release, and let go. The manipulation of joints still creates more space, and the lymphatic and circulatory systems are still stimulated. When you awake, you may have no memory of massage. We assure you that all the glorious benefits are still reaped by physical, emotional, and mental states. With the right therapist and treatment you should wake up feeling refreshed like someone has pressed the reset button. Give yourself permission to let go and drift off. We gently wake you up when the treatment is over. At the same time, we will be here, taking care of the rest of you.

In Need For A Massage? Here’s a $25 Massage Voucher!

We would love to welcome you at our Bundaberg Massage Clinic! To help you get started, we’d love to send you a $25 Massage Voucher that you can use for any of our treatments and massage packages. Click here to claim yours now!

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Na Chen

3 Surprising Ways To Ease Your Back Pain

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Most of my clients come to our Bundaberg massage therapy clinic because of pain, predominantly back pain. These three massages are the most common, safe and effective treatment I do to help my customers with pain relief.

1. Deep Tissue Massage

A simple way to describe the treatment is that it is a massage that can feel slightly painful, yet make you feel relaxed at the same time. But first of all, what exactly is a deep tissue massage?

Deep Tissue massage is working with the layers of the back tissues and focused on relaxing and lengthening these tissues to improve their blood flow, their flexibility, and their overall function. The purpose of deep tissue massage is to work deeply into and with these back tissues in the most efficient way possible. For example, with back pain, our primary goal is less about general relaxation but more about promoting change in the back structure by releasing muscular and fascial restrictions. Generally, after the back muscles loosen up, the level of pain will be reduced significantly. My goal as a massage therapist is not to try to reverse the structural damage in the body, rather maintain the impact of these changes and manage the pain. For example, it is hard to reverse a herniated disk, but we can use different ways to maintain the pain level.

We also need to know what a deep tissue massage is NOT:

  • A hard, painful massage
  • A massage that follows the “No Pain, No Gain” motto
  • A massage requiring extraordinary strength and effort
  • A massage which causes the recipient to be sore for days afterward

Remember that properly executed deep tissue work should not cause the client to grit their teeth in agony. On the contrary, it should be performed with great sensitivity to the client’s comfort level and can be a deeply relaxing experience.

2. Dry Needling

Have you been suffering from low back pain? Have you tried so many things and nothing seems to work? I think it is time then to give dry needling a go! There are different causes of lower back pain. However, in a massage therapist’s perspective, it is caused by stiff “knots” of spinal muscles and tissues. These knots harden and squeeze the muscles to the point that it restricts movement and causes pain. In most cases, pain is not only localised on the back, but it can travel to other parts of the body such as the hip, abdomen, buttocks, and thigh. In recent times, dry needling has grown in popularity in Bundaberg, due to its effectiveness. There are a few explanations for how dry needling can help in managing your back pain. One is that dry needling stimulates blood flow. With increased blood supply in the affected muscles and tissues, there will be more nutrients and oxygen delivered to the cells, which are both essential for fast healing. Some people also believe it helps in blocking pain signals. By preventing pain receptors from receiving pain chemicals and keeping it from reaching the brain, a person receives immediate relief.

As painful as it may look, the insertion of needles is relatively painless. Every now and then, you would feel your muscle twitch as the needles reach your tissues and muscles. This twitch can sometimes feel like a cramp and it may last up to 10 seconds. Muscle soreness commonly occurs and may last up to 24 hours after your dry needling session. As this might be the case, you will soon experience the long-term benefits of dry needling.

3. Cupping

Cupping is a very effective and safe treatment for back pain. Cupping is able to loosen stiff muscles, unblock pinched nerves, and unbind myofascial adhesions. In traditional cupping, a small fire is inserted into a glass cup which creates a vacuum. The cup is quickly placed onto the patient’s back, shoulders, hips or legs. The cup instantly pulls on the muscles and tissues up into the cup. This suction draws the blood to the surface and helps to relax tight and bound muscle tissue. This therapy is very good for when there is a lot of stagnant blood and Qi. For safety reasons we use vacuum cupping which has the same effect, but doesn’t make the smoke alarm go off.

Cupping is often used together with acupuncture and massage therapy to increase the muscle relaxing and pain-relieving effects. When used together, these three treatments can provide powerful pain relief and loosening of tight muscle tissues, and thus help with reducing pain realign spine. Often Cupping will tend to leave a circular bruise which should last about 3 to 5 days. Cupping is not overly painful however a little bit of pain is absolutely normal. It feels like a really good deep tissue massage, unwinding deep knots in your muscles. In China, we also use Cupping to treat common cold or for detoxing. Cupping draws toxins out of the tissues and out through the skin. It improves lymphatic drainage to help the body fight off infections and muscle tension.

In Need For A Massage? Here’s a $25 Massage Voucher!

We would love to welcome you at our Bundaberg Massage Clinic! To help you get started, we’d love to send you a $25 Massage Voucher that you can use for any of our treatments and massage packages. Click here to claim yours now!

Traditional Chinese Massage Therapy Bundaberg
Na Chen

What Is Chinese Massage? Bringing Holistic Healing to Bundaberg

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Practitioners have developed and refined Chinese massage, including the tui na and zhi ya traditions, for more than 4,000 years. These styles share similar techniques with Western massage but also take a Chinese medicine approach. You can find Chinese massage practitioners in Bundaberg who specialise in more physical or more energetic healing modalities (depending on their particular type of training) to suit your unique needs and situation.

What Is Chinese Massage?

Na Chen, a traditional Chinese massage therapy practitioner in Bundaberg, says body energy must continuously flow to prevent stress and disease. Over many millennia, these therapists have developed a variety of related bodywork therapies, including acupuncture, acupressure, and Chinese massage.

Traditional Chinese healers manipulate the meridian system (inner energy points and pathways) to encourage the flow of “qi” (body energy) and blood throughout the body. Not only does “qi” flow through bodies, but the belief is that it also animates the entire world. Practitioners balance their clients’ “qi” by clearing energy pathways called jing luo of blockages that cause pain and disease. Massage practitioners identify pathways with limited flow and use hand pressure to restore balance and energy circulation.

Today, therapists practice Chinese massage all over the world. Western clients enjoy the mental and physical benefits of this practice, including stress relief and musculoskeletal realignment. Chinese massage practitioners typically focus on the therapeutic benefits of massage, as opposed to the Western model of stress relief and relaxation. Chinese massage therapists address and balance their clients’ entire holistic health, not just specific symptoms.

Tui Na and Zhi Ya

People in the West may refer to Chinese massage as tui na. However, this is only one of two main styles of traditional Chinese bodywork. Much like Western massage, tui na involves pushing, kneading, and stretching muscles. Zhi ya practitioners, however, use pinching and pressing techniques similar to acupressure, reflexology, and qigong.

Both tui na and zhi ya practitioners use a variety of shou fa (hand techniques) that may either stimulate (yang) or sedate (yin) the patient. Chinese massage practitioners try to balance the yin and yang energies to encourage health and lifestyle benefits.

Acupoints of Traditional Chinese Medicine - Male Chart

Acupoints of Traditional Chinese Medicine – Male Chart

Chinese Pediatric Massage

Because children have fewer physical and emotional barriers to care, xiao er tui na (Chinese pediatric massage) practitioners find their qi easier to treat. Xiao er tui na therapists often treat kids more quickly than adults, use a different system of acupoints, and typically use massage oils.

Experts have found regular holistic massage therapy improves children’s health in many ways. For example, one researcher discovered kids with cerebral palsy benefited significantly from a combination of this technique and music therapy. Chinese massage practitioners provided pinching, footplate, and segmental massage along with soothing background music to participants. The researcher found significant, measurable differences in gross motor function, range of motion, and spasm control in participants.

Benefits of Chinese Massage

Chinese massage can remove layers of emotional stress while breaking down scar tissue, increasing range of motion, and reducing pain. Other benefits of Chinese Massage Therapy include:

  • Renewed energy, vigor, and strength
  • Soothed lower back pain and sciatica
  • Better cardiovascular health
  • Lowered hypertension (blood pressure)
  • Opened up frozen shoulders
  • Relieved rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
  • Increased immunity
  • Better sleep
  • Healthier organ function
  • Hormone release
  • Improved respiration and circulation
  • Released lactic acid buildups
  • Accelerated injury and surgical recovery

What to Expect from a Chinese Massage Session

Both tui na and zhi ya sessions typically last more than a half hour and can take up to an hour or more. Talk with your therapist before the session to establish appropriate communication and trust. It is advised to first discuss your health history and goals, and it may also be beneficial to find out which techniques your practitioner will use.

Chinese Massage Therapy in Bundaberg

A Chinese massage therapist practicing acupressure on a patient.

Your practitioner will allow you privacy to disrobe and drape a sheet over yourself before your session. You always have the option to wear what you are most comfortable in during a session, pause or end your massage at any point, and ask for changes of music and scent.

Chinese massage practitioners may be more likely than other massage therapists to encourage talking during your massage. Not only does this provide them with feedback and increase your comfort, it may also help you release emotions that arise during the session.

Your Chinese massage therapist will likely work on your jin. This soft tissue connects the body and can affect the flow of chi. Practitioners also typically work on xue (acupoints), which connect the body’s various organs via the meridian system. In Chinese medicine, the meridian system is a distribution network that resembles a web and links the body’s various parts together.

Some ancient massage techniques bear similarities to Western massage, like pressing, stretching, squeezing, pushing, and kneading. However, your practitioner may also knead, dig, knuckle, and gently pluck your soft tissue. Your practitioner may even employ hammering and vibrating methods, or even walk on your back.

Chinese massage, with its wide range of treatments, thousands of years of tradition, and a unique set of techniques and approaches, can offer the benefit of improved health and an overall sense of greater well-being to many.

 

References:

  1. Arellano, V. (2015). What is Chinese massage? Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/119168-chinese-massage/
  2. Braverman, J. (2013). Chinese massage benefits. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/123084-benefits- chinese-massage/
  3. Chinese massage. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://learn.healthpro.com/chinese-massage/
  4. Liu, Z. (2011). Clinical study of traditional Chinese massage combined with music therapy in treatment of cerebral palsy. Pediatric Research, 70, 336. doi:10.1038/pr.2011.561
  5. What to expect at your massage session. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/expect.html
  6. This article first appeared on https://www.massagetique.com/types/chinese-massage/
Holistic Therapies Bundaberg
Na Chen

4 Surprising Benefits Of Holistic Massage Therapy

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For many people, holistic massage therapy is a luxury that is often thought of as an occasional treat or reward on special occasions. But should it be? If I consider the countless benefits of receiving a massage, especially with a holistic approach, I believe massages should be available to everyone and as part of a lifestyle routine.

The treatments at our Bundaberg massage studio are so much more than just relaxation or pain management. By integrating massage therapy into your life as a weekly routine, you are not only going to improve your overall health, but also enjoy increased focus and happiness. But that’s not all. Here are 4 surprising benefits of regular holistic massage therapy.

1. Increased Clarity

Holistic massage therapy’s surprising benefits on your mind

Life can get pretty hectic at times and if we are not careful, we can end up feeling absolutely drained. Not just physically, but emotionally, too. Massage therapy allows us to distance ourselves from the stresses of everyday and untangle from any emotional baggage. It quite literally clears our mind and emotional energy. It increases our capacity to think and solve problems, allowing us to make better decisions in our personal lives and at work.

You will be leaving each session feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, able to focus on what matters most to you.

2. Increased Energy Levels

Holistic massage therapy’s surprising effect on your metabolism

Did you ever take a nap and then woke up feeling even more tired than before? Just like a used battery, our body loses it’s capacity to recharge at times. Holistic Massage Therapy will help you release any blocks that prevent your energy (in Chinese we call this ‘qi’) from flowing freely.

This improved energy flow results in better sleep which allows your body to recharge fully in a shorter period of time. The result: You will have more energy for longer periods of time.

3. Better, Deeper Sleep

Holistic massage therapy’s surprising effect on your sleep patterns

Research has shown that massages help decrease cortisol levels (cortisol is a hormone that is an integral part of your stress response) while increasing serotonin and dopamine production in your body (the hormones that contribute to good sleep and happiness). You will wake up feeling well rested and enjoy those increase happiness levels.  

4. Improved Self-Esteem

Holistic massage therapy’s surprising effect on your self-esteem

We all have that voice in our head that sometimes undermines our self-worth. The one that’s telling us we’re not good enough, too fat, too dumb, too selfish, too (fill in the blank)?

Massage therapy helps to silence that inner self-critic for a while.

Human touch and connection of a massage has been found to be soothing, to relieve pain and release any tension in your body. This too will help you feel better about yourself, increasing your confidence.

Taking that time out to treat yourself will have many surprising effects on your body and mind. Have you experienced any improvements or noticed any other benefits after a massage? Then leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear about it!

If you are looking to try a holistic approach to improving your mental and physical health, and to live a happier, pain-free life, come and try our massage therapy at our Bundaberg massage centre. We look forward to meeting you!

To you health & well-being,
Na