Increasingly, many suffer from cervical spine soreness yet hesitate to take medication due to concerns about "medicines having some toxicity." Massage therapy, a traditional non-invasive Chinese medicine approach, uses physical techniques to treat pain. However, massage should never be performed blindly. Let's explore common misconceptions about massage.
Common Massage Misconceptions to Avoid
1. Seeking massage therapy without identifying the cause of pain
The most common mistake is immediately seeking massage therapy upon experiencing pain, assuming it will eliminate discomfort. This is a misconception. During acute pain episodes, especially when localized tissue contains blood clots or swelling, massage should not be performed indiscriminately. Doing so may worsen the condition and intensify pain.When pain occurs in any body part, one should seek medical diagnosis to identify the cause before considering massage therapy. 2. Believing more frequent massage is better, opting for daily sessions Some mistakenly think more massage sessions are always beneficial. However, excessive repetitive stimulation of nerves can cause fatigue, weaken meridian regulation capabilities, and subject the body to prolonged overstimulation. This reduces bodily sensitivity and diminishes tolerance levels.For therapeutic purposes, daily or bi-daily massage is sufficient; for routine wellness maintenance, weekly sessions are adequate.As the weather turns cooler, the body becomes prone to qi stagnation and blood stasis, cold-induced muscle pain, poor peripheral circulation leading to colds, and epigastric discomfort. Some physical discomforts are directly caused by low temperatures. Consistent foot massage not only promotes qi and blood circulation, alleviates cold extremities, and dilates capillaries, but also enhances cerebral blood supply to a certain extent.Many believe foot baths can be done at foot massage shops or outside the home, but this is not the case. The feet contain over 60 reflex zones corresponding to major organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, spleen, eyes, ears, and nose. Proper massage can alleviate discomfort by stimulating these reflex zones, but improper stimulation may directly impact health.
Through observation and palpation of the feet, a professional practitioner can identify which organs may be experiencing discomfort and consciously adjust the massage to address these issues. For instance, by examining the color of the feet, the firmness of the subcutaneous tissue, and the degree of tenderness, one can assess whether the corresponding reflex zones are functioning normally. However, without specialized medical knowledge—including anatomy, physiology, pathology, and relevant clinical experience—it is difficult to determine the health status of corresponding organs based solely on such reactions.