Amma therapy is a form of Chinese massage therapy that uses the same principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine to unblock the body's life force or qi. Many forms of Oriental massage therapy are based on the concept that energy flows throughout the body through pathways sometimes referred to as meridians. When this energy becomes blocked it causes pain and disease. This ancient concept is used in shiatsu and Thai massage too. Whether or not you believe in qi, these forms of massage are quite relaxing and can be beneficial.
Amma is an old Chinese world that means push-pull. You may be familiar with the Chinese massage called tuina. Tuina has a similar meaning, but amma is the oldest Chinese word used for massage. It is thought be date back 5000 years to the time of the famed Yellow Emperor of China. The roots of all Traditional Chinese Medicine come from this very old form of therapy.
Amma massage concerns itself not only with treatment of disease but with disease prevention. It is a holistic therapy. Therapists will sometimes give you herbs to take or teach about proper nutrition that will help your condition. Assessing not only your body, but also your lifestyle will help the therapist more fully treat your area of dysfunction. Before a treatment the therapist will have you fill out an intake form and then have a discussion with you about why you've come for therapy. The therapist will assess everything from the tone of your voice, to scent along with more obvious concerns like areas of pain.
Your session will usually take place on a table. The therapist uses a combination of finger pressure and deep circular massage strokes to unblock life energy and manipulate soft tissue. Amma therapy also uses other techniques that are currently found in many modern types of massage including connective tissue manipulation and myofascial release. Your session will usually also include foot reflexology.
Over the years Amma therapy has changed a bit. The way Amma is currently practiced was introduced by Tina Sohn a traditional medicine healer from Korea. Sohn introduced the concepts of Amma to the West in the 1960s.
Sohn came from the a long tradition of traditional healers in Korea. She practiced healing in a intuitive manner combining different styles of bodywork and medical philosophies. It is because of Sohn's influence that Amma therapy now combines methods used in Swedish massage, rolfing, and even some chiropractic techniques. The combination of soft tissue manipulation and manipulation of qi provides you with a relaxing massage that helps you move towards healing.
This therapy can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including:
Therapists believe in getting all the information they possibly can. They use a variety of Chinese and Western diagnostic tools when they examine you. Your therapist will observe your posture and movement. They will also take your pulse, check your tongue, and palpate various parts of your body. They will ask questions about your diet and lifestyle to help them figure out what may be ailing you. They also gather information about your diet, emotions, likes and dislikes, complexion, posture, and bowel movements. Your practitioner will take time at the beginning of your first session to completely evaluate you.
