July 2002 [Volume 1, Issue 5]
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In this issue of To Your Health:
What Is Shiatsu Massage?
Shiatsu massage/acupressure are systems of finger-pressure massage based
on the Asian system of healing, which treats special points along "meridians"
- channels of energy flow (referred to as "qi" or "chi")
in the body.
The underlying belief is that blocked meridians can cause physical discomfort, and that techniques applied to specific meridian points can "release" the blockage, thereby balancing energy flow.
Shiatsu literally means "fingerpressure." The therapist applies his or her body weight to the patient using the tips of the fingers along the meridians in an attempt to release chi and maximize the flow of energy through the patient's body.
To learn more about shiatsu massage and other forms of massage therapy, go to https://www.massagetoday.com/aboutmt.
Doctors Recommend, Use Massage Therapy
Massage is known as a form of complementary and alternative medicine -- otherwise known as CAM. As such, it's distinguished in many circles from traditional medicine; despite growing interdisiplinary collaboration, medical doctors, massage therapists, and other CAM providers don't always see eye to eye when it comes to health care.
But things are definitely changing. Take as example a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. A mailed survey of 751 physicians in the Denver, Colorado area revealed, among other trends, that 48% of doctors had recommended massage therapy to patients and that 24% had personally received a massage.
Talk to your doctor about the benefits of massage therapy. If you're receiving medical treatment for a condition that causes pain, stiffness or soreness, massage may be particularly effective. Your doctor should be able to recommend a massage therapist in your area, or you can find one on line by visiting https://www.massagetoday.com/locator.
Reference: Winslow LC, Shapiro H. Physicians want education about complementary and alternative medicine to enhance communication with their patients. Archives of Internal Medicine 2002:162, pp1176-81.
This Month's Massage Q & A
Question: What is going on when a massage therapist "strips the muscles"? My chiropractor referred me to an MT and says this should be done.
Answer: Stripping, or stripping massage, is a basic technique of clinical massage therapy in which moving pressure is applied along the fiber of the whole length of the muscle. This is differentiated from cross-fiber friction, which is a back-and-forth pressure across the fiber. Usually the thumbs or fingertips are used in stripping massage, although the elbow may be used for deep work on large muscles.
Question: Can someone receiving radiation for cancer still get a massage?
Answer: There's no evidence that cancer is a contraindication to massage, and it may well alleviate pain and provide a certain measure of relaxation. However, the irradiated areas may be uncomfortable, and any surgical sites should be avoided until healing is well underway.
Note: Information provided in the Massage Q & A section is drawn from comments posted on the "Ask a Massage Therapist" forum, located at https://www.massagetoday.com/ask/
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