One of the most effective natural healers currently are those who practice “ingers”. It refers to the region between our fingers and thumbs. The area that is used most frequently to stimulate the fingers as well as other areas of the hands. Many believe massage therapy was developed by ancient holistic practitioners to alleviate muscles pain. Massage therapy then was a part of an all natural holistic health system that included alternative techniques that first emerged around five thousand years ago.
What are the various techniques for massage that were utilized in the early days of China? Pancha Mukta Raja Yashida, an Indian doctor, is thought to be the one who invented Chinese massage. This doctor was famous for prescribing and encouraging the application of acupressure (anointing) and Chinese herbs in treating different ailments. There were many terms used for Chinese medicine, such as the term acupuncture as well as herbal remedies. Modern medicine typically employs these terms in conjunction.
Massage therapy in India is credited to the ancient yoga gurus from the Indus Valley civilization. They were the first to formulate essential oils for massage therapy. Essential oils are the pure, extracted scent of animals and plants. Aromatherapy is the practice of using of essential oils for massage therapy. There are a variety of essential oils that are used, including eucalyptus, jasmine, lavender, lemongrass, pine, sandalwood, raspberry, and rose.
Through the middle of the 19th century, massage was still a part of Indian medical treatment. In Bombay, India, this was the year the first massage salon opened. At the time, a lot of Indian men would go to London, England for specialized and exclusive instruction from top massage therapists. At the time the idea of an holistic approach to healing was still on the minds of many Indian doctors. Other countries from the East following the example of Bombay’s first massage parlor.
Reflexologists are currently massage therapists. They practice reflexology all over the United States. Massage therapy is among the most widely used forms of massage therapy in the United States in the present. Therapists who practice massage learn techniques that include Swedish massage, shiatsu aromatherapy, reflexology, acupressure and herbal treatments. All of these are forms of alternative medicine that aim to alleviate conditions like stress and pain, increase the body’s ability to heal itself, or to improve overall wellness and well-being.
Massage tables were first used by the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean massage therapists in the late 1800s. When the table first appeared in the West, it was known simply as the “Maidstone table.” It was designed to support the massage therapist during their work. This basic, yet useful design quickly transformed into the well-known and beloved massage table we use to this day.
In the eighteenth century, Dr. George Smith discovered that heating a cotton slab that was soaked in hot water might alleviate inflammation and pain. Smith invented the first myofascial massage technique which was later adopted by massage therapists from all over the world. Smith’s technique allowed him to relieve tension in muscles by pressing on the nerve endings. Smith was among the first therapists who suggested massaging the skin using oil helped relieve discomfort, speed up healing and prevent disease. The idea behind the hot stone massage is like myofascial massage. However, the application of heat to the skin may help ease pain and inflammation.