Yoga Massage Therapy Oriental Massage Therapy Oriental Massage Tools

Related Articles

• New To Hot Stone Massages? Here's What You Need to Know In other words, the hot stones are used manually as tools to massage the body. The hot ...
• Difference between Palm Therapy and Reflexology Palm therapy and reflexology are both forms of alternative medicine. Both palm therapy and...
• Are You Interested In Being a Massage Therapist? A massage therapist is a person who provides therapeutic massages. A massage therapist can...
• Full Body Massage What is a full body massage? A full body massage as the name implies, is a massage therapy...

• Tweet
• 

In this article we will look at some of the more widely used tools in oriental massages.

Cups

Cupping is one of the earliest techniques used in Oriental massages. The Chinese use the cupping technique to minimize pain and to cure conditions affecting the respiratory system. These include illnesses like asthma, bronchitis, and chest congestion.   

Centuries ago hollow cups made of animal horns were used, but today plastic or thick glass is used to make these cups. Pottery cups and cups made of iron and bamboo are used in some countries, but glass cups are more popular. Neither do they break as easily as pottery cups, nor do they decay like bamboo cups. Moreover, since glass cups are transparent, the masseur can see the body part and also assess the effect that the treatment is having on the body or the skin.

In the process of cupping there is a possibility where the body may get bruised. This is because this technique involves creating a vacuum in the part where the glass is placed (mostly on the back), and drawing up the skin into the cup. Apparently, the bruises are an indication that bad energy has been eliminated from the body and the area is beginning to heal.

Reflexology Rollers

The idea behind Reflexology is to apply pressure and stimulate and energize the feet and hands, the benefits of which are extended to other parts of the body too. Mostly reflexology tools are used on the feet, rather than the hands. The foot has many pressure points and nerve endings which are connected to other parts of the body.

Reflexology Rollers for the foot generally come in two styles, first being the single roller.

These rollers are cylindrical, typically made of wood, the surface is bumpy and the edges are rounded off, thus allowing a person to easily manage and manipulate the roller on the floor or anywhere else.    

The other type contains multiple rollers in one frame. They look almost like the Abacus, which is used for counting. Multiple single rollers are fixed into one frame, providing the person more comfort.

Both these types of rollers are very easy to use and easy to maintain. 

The bumps on the rollers provide pressure to all the reflex points, thereby stimulating it.  The rollers are used to massage tired and painful feet, reduce stress in the body and revitalize it by increasing blood circulation.

Stones

A stone massage is different from all the other massages, in the sense that, it is best suited to be performed in a spa environment by a masseur trained especially for this purpose. Though there are people who get a stone massage at home with the help of a friend, it is best avoided. The stones used in this technique are flat and smooth, varying in size and weight. They are mostly made of basalt, but sometimes marble too. The stones are immersed in hot water and then applied to the body (usually on the back). The muscles in the body are stimulated when the heat from the stone penetrates the body. At times, depending on many factors, cold stone massages are also performed.  

Shiatsu Point Tools

Shiatsu point tools assist the massage therapist during a shiatsu massage. These tools have round edges which are used to press into the pressure points in the body.

Find Pose

Select Pose Accomplished Pose Alternate Nostril Breathing Apaan Mudra Apan Vayu Mudra Arm Pressing Posture Balancing Stick Pose Bharadvaja's Twist Big Toe Pose Bound Angle Pose Bow Pose Bridge Pose Butterfly Pose Camel Pose Cat Pose Chair Pose Child's Pose Chin Mudra Corn Tree Pose Corpse Pose Cow Face Pose Crane Pose Crocodile Pose Dolphin Plank Pose Downward Facing Dog Pose Eagle Pose Easy Pose Eight-Angle Pose Extended Hand To Big Toe Pose Extended Puppy Pose Extended Side Angle Pose Feathered Peacock Pose Firefly Pose Fish Pose Four Limbed Staff Pose Ganesha Mudra Garland Pose Gate Pose Gyan Mudra Half Frog Pose Half Lord of the Fishes Pose Half Moon Pose Half Tortoise Pose Handstand Happy Baby Pose Hare Pose Head To Knee Forward Bend Hero Pose Heron Pose High Lunge King Pigeon Pose Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose Linga Mudra Locust Pose Lord of the Dance Pose Lotus Pose Low Lunge Mandala Mudra Mantra Meditation Monkey Pose Mountain Pose Noose Pose One Legged King Pigeon Pose II One-Legged King Pigeon Pose Peacock Pose Plough Pose Prana Mudra Prithvi Mudra Raised Foot Pose Reclining Big Toe Pose Reclining Bound Angle Pose Revolved Abdomen Pose Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose Revolved Side Angle Pose Revolved Twist Rudra Mudra Scale Pose Scorpion Pose Seated Forward Bend Seated Wide Angle Forward Bend Shankh Mudra Shoulder Pressing Pose Shunya Mudra Side Crane Pose Side Plank Pose Single Nostril Breath Skull Brightener Breath Spread Leg Forward Fold Staff Pose Standing Split Supported Headstand Supported Shoulderstand Surabhi Mudra Surahi Mudra Surya Mudra The Shooting Bow Pose Tree Pose Upward Bow or Wheel Pose Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose Upward Forward Fold Upward-Facing Dog Urdhva Mukha Pinch Mayurasana Vayu Mudra Warrior I Pose Warrior II Pose Warrior Seal Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend Wide Legged Forward Bend Wind Removing Pose

Oriental Massage Tools

• Oriental Massage Tips