Clearing the Negative Energy: The Benefits of Thai Massage

Thai massage is a 2,500 year-old Indian technique that combines yoga, acupressure and massage to clear the negative energies within the physical body. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, when the body is encumbered with negative or stagnated energy, one will feel physical pain, tightness, cold hands and feet, emotional imbalances, and/or discoloration of the skin that a trained practitioner will be careful to observe. Issues such as stiff neck, irritability, tight hamstrings or an achy back can be seen as a stagnation of the energy, which we call Qi, being held within channels throughout the body. In order to treat this stagnated Qi, a Chinese Medicine practitioner will need to facilitate the guidance of Qi into its correct flow with either acupuncture needles, herbs, acupressure, or massage. 

Derived from Chinese Tui Na massage, Thai massage focuses on removing blockages and nourishing deficiencies; harmonizing imbalances in the flow of energy through the body. Unlike most massage types, Thai massage is unique because it can be performed on the floor or table with the client fully dressed in loose comfortable clothing. In addition to hands, the therapist would use his or her knees, legs and feet to move the client into various stretches similar to yogic stretches. Many of the techniques in this modality target particular acu-points or meridians of the body. Treatment with Thai massage has provable benefits to a person’s overall well being and benefit to the circulatory system. A recent sports medicine study, referenced below, showed positive efficacy in vascular compliance (artery flexibility) when administering either Thai or Tui Na massage. Vascular compliance is a very important consideration in the treatment of vascular stiffening, which comes with age and can lead to poor or blocked circulation of the arteries. 

Considering the benefits of Thai massage, licensed massage therapists strive to not only to help a client relax, but to help relieve the constant wear and tear of the body, helping to steer the health and wellbeing of the client in a better direction. 

References: Kang, S. H., Kim, I. K., Choi, E. J., & So, W. Y. (2018). Effects of the Tui-na and Thai Massage Techniques on Vascular Arterial Compliance in Middle-aged Korean Men. Iranian journal of public health, 47(2), 292–294.