- Trim your fingernails and wash your hands with warm water before starting. Remove all accessories that may interfere with the operation in advance.
- Be amiable, earnest and meticulous. Explain the patient’s condition patiently to gain their full cooperation.
- Arrange positions properly for both the therapist and the patient. Ensure the patient’s sitting or lying posture is comfortable and convenient for treatment.
- Adjust massage pressure appropriately. Keep observing the patient’s reaction to make sure they feel relaxed and comfortable throughout the session.
- Each massage session lasts 20 to 30 minutes. A standard course of treatment includes 12 sessions.
- Do not perform massage immediately when the patient is in extreme emotional states, such as rage, excessive joy, fright or grief.
- Avoid massage right after a heavy meal. It is recommended to start the treatment two hours after eating.
- Some patients may fall asleep during massage. Cover them with a towel to prevent catching cold, and maintain a proper room temperature. Never conduct massage in drafty areas.
Tuina for Detoxification
As society advances, people pay more attention to personal health and gain deeper insights into diseases. Scholars at home and abroad have proposed the toxin-induced illness theory. Therapies like intestinal cleansing and intermittent fasting have achieved remarkable results in eliminating toxins from the body.
Clinical practice has proven that Tuina is an effective approach to expel internal toxins and maintain wellness. Regular professional or self-massage can regulate nervous system function, balance the excitation and inhibition of the cerebral cortex, and relieve mental stress and fatigue. It also boosts blood circulation, accelerates the excretion of metabolic waste, and improves digestion, absorption and nutrient metabolism.
In addition, Tui Na eases muscle spasms, relieves physical tiredness and enhances muscle endurance. It strengthens the body’s immunity and helps people recover from sub-health conditions. Clinical observations show that Tui Na delivers satisfactory effects on fatigue-related sub-health issues.
Overall, Tui Na effectively relieves fatigue, refreshes the mind, restores physical strength, prevents diseases and delays aging. The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that TuiNa will play an essential role in global healthcare in the 21st century.
Wellness Massage and Physical & Mental Health
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common psychosomatic disorder affecting young and middle-aged adults. Psychosomatic disorders refer to conditions with physical symptoms, whose onset, development, recovery and treatment are closely associated with psychological and social factors.
More than 40 types of psychosomatic disorders are widely recognized, including essential hypertension, coronary heart disease, asthma, peptic ulcers, migraine, anorexia nervosa, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, stroke and its sequelae, enuresis, dysmenorrhea, menopause syndrome, lumbodorsal pain, neurodermatitis and pruritus.
Full-body and foot wellness massage can relieve both physical and mental exhaustion. Therefore, it is highly recommended for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, menopause syndrome and other psychosomatic illnesses.
Differences Between Therapeutic Massage and Wellness Massage
It is inappropriate to refer to blind massage service centers as “massage clinics”. There are clear distinctions between wellness massage and therapeutic massage:
1. Qualification & Approval
Venues providing wellness massage mainly employ visually impaired therapists, and are usually named blind wellness massage centers or parlors. Such businesses are approved by the market supervision administration and federations for the disabled. Therapists must complete professional training and obtain work permits issued by labor authorities.
By contrast, medical massage clinics are licensed by health authorities. Practitioners are required to hold a bachelor’s degree and pass national professional examinations to obtain a formal medical practitioner license.
2. Purpose & Techniques
Therapeutic massage, also known as clinical Tui Na or traumatology massage, is a traditional Chinese external therapy. As one of the oldest physical treatments, its core purpose is to treat diseases.
Wellness massage is a TCM health preservation method, focusing on fitness and disease prevention, with minor symptom relief as an auxiliary function. Traditional wellness massage mainly acts on meridians and acupoints. Modern techniques have expanded to manipulate joints, fascia, muscles and skin directly.
Available services include full-body massage, local massage, beauty & weight-loss massage, pediatric massage, sports massage and device-assisted massage. A full-body wellness massage takes 40–80 minutes, while a local massage lasts 15–40 minutes.
3. Functions & Scope
Wellness massage is a branch of preventive healthcare. It relieves physical and mental fatigue and helps clients relax completely. Poor posture from long hours of work or study often causes physical discomfort. Regular wellness massage dredges meridians, activates qi and blood, regulates visceral functions and balances yin and yang, so as to prevent illnesses and keep the body healthy.
Wellness massage therapists may detect physical discomfort during service, but they are not authorized to make formal medical diagnoses or provide clinical treatment. They will advise clients to seek professional medical examination instead. To sum up, blind massage venues are wellness service facilities, not medical institutions.