Oakwell Health

Traditional Thai Massage

Traditional Thai massage is a natural way to treat acute and chronic conditions. Anyone can benefit, young or old, male or female. It works with the body to restore balance, and boost the immune system, thus helping prevent illness. Received regularly, Thai massage will help maintain youth in the body. Its systematic stretching and compression balances the effects of muscles on both sides of the spine and relaxes deeper parts of the body that other massage does not reach.

What can it help?

Many people receive a treatment to reduce stress levels; neck, shoulder and back pains. Emotional tension, low energy, digestive disorders and sports injuries are also common. It is an effective form of rehabilitation for various musculo-skeletal conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Spondylitis, Myalgic Encephalitis and Scoliosis. Or if you just want to treat yourself to a relaxing and rejuvenating experience.

What is Traditional Thai massage?

Traditional Thai massage is an ancient and powerful healing art, with a long history of therapeutic benefits. Alongside herbal medicine and spiritual meditation it is one of Thailand’s traditional medical practices. It treats the whole person – at physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. It is often characterised by its vast array of wonderful passive stretching and twisting movements. These flowing movements are closely linked to yoga; opening joints, increasing flexibility and stimulating internal organs. Alongside this are pressing techniques and point work, applied directly on to blockages and stiffness to increase muscle function and circulation.

Thai massage is a dynamic form of bodywork, where the practitioner must balance their energies with the client’s. Practiced in a meditative frame of mind, the massage goes beyond the physical and works to harmonise the bodies intrinsic energy. A client will leave a massage feeling relaxed and energised with a clear mind. Techniques are numerous and subtle variations are seen from practitioner to practitioner. In Thailand styles differ in the north and south, each with their own characteristics and particular merits. When presented with a new client, a Thai massage practitioner fuses together an appropriate combination of manipulations and techniques to suit the specific needs.

What is special about Thai massage?

Traditional Thai massage is not what most westerners think of as massage. Which is why it is sometimes labelled Yoga massage or Thai Bodywork. Swedish style massage is what usually comes to mind. Which works at a physical level kneading muscle and soft tissue. In fact similarities to Thai massage lie closer to physiotherapy or osteopathy from a western perspective. However these usually lack the use of an internal energy system. Therefore we need to look East to find a comparison. Chinese Tui Na and Japanese Shiatsu are certainly more like Thai massage in theory. However, it is the combination of muscle manipulation, deep stretching (sometimes called ‘lazy man’s yoga’) and work on energy lines that provide a holistic approach that makes Thai massage unique.

Thai massage is practised on a floor mat with the client dressed in comfortable clothes. The only thing a client need do is relax. Let go of your limbs and let the practitioner take control. The tools used to apply pressure are feet, palms, thumbs, elbows and knees. Differing pressure is applied depending on the condition treated and an individuals specific needs. Thai massage is concerned with the whole body. So an ideal session lasts 2 hours. 1 ½ hours is also good, and 1 hour sessions are very beneficial but tend to focus on areas of specific tension.

Prices

60 min – £45.00
90 min – 60.00

Ann Caroll

Ann is a committed therapist with over 15 years experience in Shiatsu and Thai Yoga massage. Ann initially trained in Shiatsu at the Ohashi institute in New York and soon after began studying Thai Massage with the ITTA. Since then frequent visits to Thailand have been taken to continue studying the therapy.

In 2005 Ann completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training course and has been teaching regular classes ever since.
She has also gone onto complete specific courses in pregnancy yoga.