Adjunctive therapies enhance the efficacy of massage supports

1. Medicinal substances

In massage therapy, most wellness can be supports solely with massage techniques, while for some wellness, such as Qi Stagnation and deficiency-consumption wellness, appropriate medications should be used to enhance the therapeutic effect.

2.Traction, physiotherapy, hot compress

(1) Traction Traction method involves using traction to moderately stretch the human body, with the aim of widening the intervertebral spaces. This facilitates the reduction of herniated intervertebral discs, slipped, protruding, or deviated spinous processes, and dislocated articular heads, thereby relieving pressure on the affected tissues.

(2) Physiotherapy refers to the use of electrothermal physiotherapy equipment such as TDP therapeutic apparatus or far-infrared therapeutic apparatus acting on the human body to dispel wind and cold, eliminate dampness and unblock the collaterals, warm the meridians and helps with occasional pain, as well as reduce inflammation and kill bacteria, thereby relieving muscle spasms, dilating constricted blood vessels, unblocking obstructed meridians, and promoting blood flow to helps with occasional pain. It is mainly used to supports wind, cold, and dampness syndromes, as well as new and old soft tissue injuries, congestion, swelling, and other conditions in various parts of the body.

(3) Hot compress: There are two methods: First, decoct Chinese herbal medicines into a liquid, immerse a towel in the pot, boil it, then take it out, wring it dry, fold it into a square or strip shape, and apply it to the supports area. Replace it with a new one when it cools down, repeating the process multiple times. Second, fill a high-temperature bottle or hot water bag with boiling water to two-thirds of its capacity, seal it tightly, wrap it with a towel, and place it on the supports area. Both methods have the effects of warming meridians and unblocking collaterals, promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, and moving qi to helps with occasional pain.

3. Cupping supports

It includes three types: fire cupping, air cupping, and sliding cupping.

(1) Fire cupping Cupping that adheres the cup to the surface of the human body by ignition is called fire cupping.

(2) Pneumatic cupping device: A cupping device that is attached to the body surface using the principle of vacuum by means of a spiral or air gun is called a pneumatic cupping device.

(3) Pulling cupping Trim and polish the end with nozzle of a 20-ml syringe, insert the piston of the syringe from this end, then attach the other end of the syringe to the supports area applied with lubricant, and move it while pulling the piston. This method is called pulling cupping or pulling cylinder.

(4) Cupping therapy has the effects of expelling wind and dispelling cold, and is commonly used to supports exterior excess syndrome due to exogenous pathogens.

4. Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Steam Therapy

“Chinese herbal steam therapy” refers to the use of hot steam generated from decocting Chinese herbs to steam the human body, thereby opening blocked sweat pores to facilitate the expulsion of pathogenic factors through sweating, while also unblocking obstructed meridians to achieve analgesic effects. This method is primarily used to supports exterior excess syndrome of wind-cold cold, severe cases of wind-dampness syndromes, old injuries, and chronic fatigue-related conditions. Commonly used steam therapy equipment includes steam beds, steam chairs, and steam devices.

[Appendix] Herbal Medicine Prescriptions for Fumigation and Hot Compress

Prescription 1: Notopterygium root (Notopterygium incisum) 30 grams, Pubescent angelica root (Angelica pubescens) 30 grams, Saposhnikovia root (Saposhnikovia divaricata) 30 grams, Camphor wood (Cinnamomum camphora) 50 grams, Sappan wood (Caesalpinia sappan) 50 grams, Common gromwell root (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) 15 grams, Lycopodium (Lycopodium japonicum) 15 grams, Common clubmoss herb (Lycopodium clavatum) 15 grams, Homalomena rhizome (Homalomena occulta) 15 grams, Fruit of Liquidambar (Liquidambar formosana) 15 grams, Akebia stem (Akebia quinata) 15 grams, Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) 15 grams, Cassia twig (Cinnamomum cassia) 15 grams, Cyathula root (Cyathula officinalis) 30 grams, Olibanum (Boswellia carterii) and Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) 10 grams each, Perilla fruit (Perilla frutescens) 50 grams, Dried tangerine peel (Citrus reticulata) 15 grams, 3 – 5 green onions, 1 – 2 pieces of ginger

Prescription 2: Ramulus Mori 50g, Herba Siegesbeckiae 50g, Camphor Wood 50g, Rhizoma Polygoni Cuspidati 50g, Radix Saposhnikoviae 50g, Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii 50g, Radix Angelicae Pubescentis 50g, Caulis Clematidis Armandii 50g, Radix Cyathulae 50g, Flos Carthami 50g, Nodus Pini 50g, Rhizoma Arisaematis Amurensis 40g

5. Exercise

For some chronic and stubborn wellness, in addition to adhering to massage therapy, it is also necessary to enhance appropriate physical exercise, such as walking, jogging, mountain climbing, doing calisthenics, practicing Tai Chi, etc., to enhance the therapeutic effect.

6.Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is the most effective method for supports some chronic and critical wellness. When a person falls ill, especially with a critical condition, what they need most is spiritual comfort. If the patient has a positive mindset and actively cooperates with the masseur’s supports, the wellness can recover soon; if the patient has an unstable mindset, lacks the strong belief to tenaciously fight against the wellness, and remains in a state of mental lethargy and worry for a long time, the condition may rapidly deteriorate and even lead to death!

Take a patient with Liver cancer as an example. During the examination and supports at a large hospital, the doctors and the patient’s family concealed his actual condition from him, stating that he only had gallbladder inflammation. Since the patient was unaware of the true nature of his wellness and experienced no mental stress, his condition significantly improved, and he was discharged from the hospital to return home, leading a very relaxed and happy life. However, one day, he encountered a relative on the road who inadvertently revealed his true condition. Due to the overwhelming psychological pressure, the patient took to his bed upon returning home and passed away a week later.