The spread of massages: the role of the internet
Foot reflexology assumes that the whole body is under the foot. The facial (Dien cham) contemplates the same with regard to the face. The tui na is the Traditional Chinese Medicine massage that follows the lines of the meridians and acupuncture points. Ayurvedic massage is one of the fundamental areas of application of the extraordinary science of life which is Ayurvedic medicine. Shiatsu has been accompanied by the watsu of water for a few years now.
And then the Do-in, the classic Thai massage, the reflexology connective tissue, the zonal massage, the circulatory massage, the decontracting one, the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi . Or the variants that work directly on a piscophysical aspect, such as bio-emotional or psychosomatic massage. The choice is wide and the possibilities are within reach of the telephone or computer keyboard. Next to sites dedicated to natural cures that may also house specific sections dedicated to massages and wellness, we find portals that have the real function of bulletin board for special offers in this sense.
Just think of the spread of sites like Groupon, platforms that sell coupons to save on the purchase of products and services. Taking a look at this type of site, numerous offers that involve professionals in the field of alternative medicine, especially in the section on coupons for massages, catch the eye: probably also this type of activity has had a small role in raising awareness common opinion also in relation to treatments coming from the East, rather than not just Western massage techniques.
Massages and complementary medicine
The massages belonging to millenary traditions are often real treatments, they differ from sessions with purely aesthetic or relaxing nature and purpose. The therapist's fingers convey well-being based on principles that require a thorough knowledge of the internal energy and physiological mechanisms. Attention to the treatments of complementary medicine and oriental medical traditions is not only that of users, but also that of researchers, who study specific cases of healing through therapies that are not part of conventional medicine. And every step of the research that goes in this direction is an important "brick" in view of a real integrated medicine.
Several recent studies are revealing the effectiveness of natural and holistic treatments and their potential application in the medical field. For example, it seems that plantar reflexology can be extremely useful in alleviating the symptoms of cancer patients. According to a study funded by the National Cancer Institute and conducted by Michigan State University in the United States, plantar reflexology is a great tool to alleviate problems derived from cancer symptoms. 385 women were recruited for the experiment, with advanced breast cancer and undergoing chemotherapy or hormone therapy. The study subjects were divided into three groups : one subjected to plantar reflexology treatments, a second subjected to a series of simple foot massage treatments, while the third continued with standard care, without any type of extra treatment.
Five weeks after the start of treatment, the results revealed that the patients in the first group had far fewer problems related to breathing. The benefit was positively reflected in daily activities and raised the quality of life. Also in the second group there were significant improvements in terms of breathing. Before the start of this experiment, one would normally have expected an improvement in the condition of the patients concerning exclusively the emotional state, while this research has allowed to discover that the foot reflexology has implications also in terms of physical symptoms.
