~Pure Relaxation~

What is the first thing you think of when someone suggests getting a massage? For those who haven’t tried a genuine massage, it probably sounds dirty, but don’t let the negative press fool you. Massage is genuinely useful and even plays a substantial role in Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques. After a long week of work on my computer or dealing with university stress, I find that a professional body massage really helps. If you play sports regularly or receive an injury, a mix of acupuncture and light massage can bring your muscles back to their healthy state much faster[*]. People with poor circulation can get blood moving again with regular medicinal massage too. My mother often reminds me of the benefit her legs received in 2008, the last time she was in China.

Choices: While in China, you can pay between $10-15 per hour for a quality, full-body massage. Aroma therapy oil is a nice option and it’s great for your skin. (Don’t shower it off immediately… the oil should stay on your body for the rest of the day or through the night.) An inexpensive leg and foot massage costs about $4 per hour (2011). Fire cupping is a great 20 minute procedure  and only costs $5. And the choices don’t end here, but these are the ones I usually get.

In the US, I’ve seen masseuses advertise services for $30-40 per half hour. It can cost more in bigger cities… Maybe this is one reason we misunderstand it, because most people choose not to spend money on it… or just equate it with prostitution. My first visit to Thailand made that assumption brutally clear for me after seeing the line-ups outside massage parlors in touristy beach towns there. But with all of these reasons to avoid massage, is there a time when it might be appropriate to get a massage in the US?

Sometimes it’s OK: Friends of mine who have had sports injuries were later told by doctors to get physical therapy. Massage seems to be acceptable at this point because it has scientifically-proven benefits; although, paying a physical therapist $75+ per hour seems pretty outrageous to me. Depending on the price you are quoted at the hospital, you may want to consider flying out to an Asian country for 1-2 week resort stay. You could even get your physical therapy treatment next to the pool sipping a Margarita. Now that’s a treatment plan worth the money!

If you have experience cutting the cost of physical therapy by travelling to the Far East, please share your story with us. Thanks!

Jake and Me in Phuket

If Phuket was a sound it would be “Ngaaaaa,” which starts low and gets high pitched. That is the sound walking down any major street near the beach village. What is making this strange sound you ask? That would be the masseuse/working girls which wear the look of a decade’s experience and heavy make-up on their faces.  My cousin and I were curious about the “massage” that was being offered, but decided against it. On a budget, and getting “taxed” as Jake likes to say, the prices of most things in Phuket didn’t allow us a chance to make it rain, so-to-speak. So we had more beer instead.

Thai "Massage" Girls

It only took a day for me to realize where the anti-massage culture comes from in America. We equate massage with sex rather than physical therapy or Chinese medical practices. But, why? First of all, the locals thought we were either beach-goers, navy-men, or both. Like much of Asia, the military used to come here for R&R reasons, had their on “Wild On…” experiences, and probably returned to the US to brag to their buddies. And just like how the Internet got started (with porn sharing), a star was born. Unfortunately, the somewhat conservative aspect of American culture threw the baby out with the bath water… meaning the true benefits of massage became equated with cheating on your wife. But don’t worry, at least this article will have a happy ending!

Noodle Condiments

Hedonism is not the only thing Phuket, or Thailand in general, has to offer. Some of the most amazingly blue water splashing on white sand can be found here. Beach after beach dots this beautiful coastline. The locals are very chill and take life as it comes, which seems to be the standard for tropical people. Thai food is delicious too! Jake and I had a bowl of noodles with spicy paste, raw vegetables, and dried fish on the morning of departure. And I could picture myself preparing this simple noodle breakfast for myself back in the US, when I go back.

Chang Beer

Not only is Thai cuisine delicious, but the beer can be quite potent! Chang is a major local brew which is labeled 6.4% and can be bought in 640mL(22oz.) bottles for about $1.25 each.  So, you could guess that our beverage of choice for 6 days was indeed Chang!

We definitely enjoyed our visit to Thailand, but we were ready to go when the last day arrived. Some travelers stay for weeks or months (or years!), but the beach-bum lifestyle started making us crazy! To see more pics about our trip to Thailand, visit my photo albums on Shutterfly.

Happy Travels!

My problem area

Although holistic medicine is generally frowned upon in the US, I have grown up with a chiropractor since birth. Dr. Henry is one of the greatest male figures in my life and I make a point of it to see him every time I go back to the US. His practice is not mystics or voodoo; it’s purely anatomical brilliance.

With a painful, achy shoulder for nearly two months, I decided my problem was not just about sore muscles after some strenuous upper-body workouts. My sleeping was also effected because my posture caused continual pain in the same area. Whatever the reason, I felt it needed to be checked out by a chiropractor rather than a general practitioner.

When I finally got around to visiting the People’s Hospital of Zhuhai, I was prepared for anything. I had never seen a chiropractor in China before, but I was determined to experience it and make some comparisons. After all, Dr. Henry’s practice stems from Chinese medicine. Getting in line was easy; as usual, it only cost 4RMB ($0.70) to register. When I got into the doctor’s office I found a vacant stool next to his desk, which I decided was where visitors were expected to squat on. Actually, it kept my back quite straight during the consultation. After I described my condition, he walked around me and grabbed my neck bones with his left hand. His right hand began to massage the sides, perhaps in order to check for dislocation or abnormalities. When he was finished, he suggested a medical massage and an x-ray.

The People's Hospital of Zhuhai

I laughed a little at the x-ray and began to make my case against it. Dr. Henry would never require me to get an x-ray for this kind of discomfort. (Maybe it was just offered to make me feel better… who knows.) When the only option was a “massage”, I felt a natural flight-response pull me towards the door. I tried to make it clear that my chiropractor in the US would never prescribe a massage for this kind of bone-related issue. However, this Chinese doctor couldn’t imagine any other way of dealing with it.

After I politely shifted into the hallway and said “Zai Jian”, I found myself at the elevator, waiting with a random group of patients. A curiosity began tugging at me. “How wrong could this massage be? What if it could help? What would be so wrong with trying this?” The others entered the elevator and waited for me. I stepped back, and let curiosity take me into the doctor’s office again.

Chinese Chiropractic (Part 2) continues here…