Chinese massage promotes blood and qi flows, smoothes meridians and regulates organs, and thus benefits the overall physical condition. By selecting the appropriate acupoints and techniques, Chinese massage can be an effective complementary treatment for many health problems. Generally, you just need to select an appropriate massage plan that suits your health need, perform it in the morning and evening and make it last 20-30 minutes each time. When kneading or pressing on particular points, there should be enough force to bring about numbness or soreness, while rubbing or wiping should create a feeling of warmth. This section introduces massage plans for some common health problems, which are recommended to be used once or twice a day.
Massage to relieve headache
Headache is a symptom of many acute and chronic conditions. TCM claims that headache is either due to pathogenic obstructions or inadequate nourishment in the head region. Chinese massage is most suited for headache due to flu, migraine or muscular tension.
| 1. |
Press and knead between the eyebrows 30 times. |
| 2. |
Wipe the forehead with the middle knuckles of the index fingers, 30 times. |
| 3. |
Thumb-knead the temples 30 times, then wipe back towards the hairline 30 times. |
| 4. |
Press and knead the depressions below the occipital bone (Gb20), at the bottom of the skull, 30 times. |
| 5. |
Clench the fists and beat the middle of the back of the opposite shoulder (Gb21), 15 times on each side. |
| 6. |
Nip and knead the middle part of the palm web, between the thumb and the index finger (Li4), 30 times on each hand. |
Add the following steps for individuals with:
| Migraine |
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Use the middle fingers to knead the corners of the forehead inside the hairline (St8), 30 times. |
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Firmly wipe again the temple of the affected side, 20 times. |
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Nip and knead the back of forearm 2-finger-breadths above the wrist (Sj5), 30 times on each side. |
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Nip and knead on the back of the palm between the ring and little finger (Sj3), 30 times on each side. |
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| Headache located in the crown |
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Knead the center of the crown of the head (Du20), 30 times. |
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Knead the front of the forearm, 2-finger-breadths above the midline of the wrist (Pc6), 30 times on each side. |
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Knead the dorsum of the foot in the depression between the big toe and the second toe (Lr3), 30 times on each side. |
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Rub the center of the sole of the foot (Kl1), 30 times on each side. |
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| Headache located in the back of the neck |
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Knead the back of the head with the thumbs, 30 times. |
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Knead the base of the little finger (Si3), 30 times on each side. |
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| Massage to relieve headache |
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