How To Use Herbal Compress In Thai Massage
How to use herbal compress in Thai Massage
Herbal compresses may be used during the course of a Thai treatment in several ways. It’s common to use them during a session whenever we find blockages that need softening before manual techniques are used. Compresses may also be used to welcome or calm the client before beginning an otherwise “dry” Thai session, or they can be used only at the end of dry treatment, as a final technique for relaxation and integration
Compress during the Thai Massage
An effective way to use compress un Thai Treatment is to integrate them into a regular Thai massage session. Prepare your compresses , and steam them for at least 15-20 minutes at medium heat before you start using them. During a session , place the steamer so that it is within easy reach as you progress up and the body during your normal routine. In order to accomplish this, you may have to place the steamer on a tray of some sort, so that you can slide it easily on your floor surface. Food trays or cutting boards work well, and you may also need an electric extension cord. Maintain the water level in the steamer, and adjust the thermostat as needed during the session.
Begin your Thai massage treatment as usual, at the feet , and continue your sequence until you find a sport where you sense holding or tension. Reach for a compress with your free hand , test it on yourself first , and then begin to apply heat , pressure , and herbal medicine into the blocked area. Work directly on body somehow. Once you feel the area has responded to your work. Return the compress to the steamer , and continue with your palming , thumbing , or other entire session. At the end of the session, you may consider using the compress for a longer duration on neck , head , and face.
Compress before or after the Thai massage
Compress may be used on client’s entire body either before or after a regular (dry) Thai massage session. Work the sen lines with your compresses in supine position by starting with the feet , proceeding up the legs, and working the inside lines to the groin. Then work the outside lines of both legs. Proceed to the abdomen , crossing the chest and up to the shoulders. If you work in buttocks, the lower back and hips, the main back lines , then the shoulders, neck , and arms. Stay on the lines as much as possible throughout your entire routine, and hold the compresses for a few seconds in each place before moving onward along a sen line
Using compress before a Thai treatment is wonderful way to welcome your client and to warm up and open the body. Using them after a Thai treatment provides a soothing peaceful closure.
Thai massage & Thai healing arts , Bob Haddad , 2013 , P137-138
