Acorn Health Blog

Indian Head Massage – a
wonderful treatment in its own right

This is a wonderfully relaxing massage treatment in a class all of it’s
own!

The client is comfortably seated in a low-backed chair for this massage,
which makes it perfect for the less able-bodied amongst us.

And it can be with or without
massage oils making it ideal for home visits or the workplace, as well as the
treatment room.

It provides a wealth of physical and psychological benefits .. and you
needn’t go all the way to India for one either!

So what is it?

Indian Head Massage (or “Champissage”) combines stimulation of acupressure
points with a wonderful range of
relaxing massage moves to release stress that has accumulated in the tissues,
muscles and joints of the neck, shoulders, upper back, arms, neck, face, and scalp.

What are its origins?

Indian Head Massage has
derived from the ancient Ayurvedic healing system and dates back more than
4,000 years. The art is still passed
down the generations by Indian women today,
being taught to children so that they can return the favour to their
parents and other relatives!

In the West, Indian Head
Massage has been adapted to help eliminate stress and tension in our hectic
lives, and will usually combine both traditional Indian and western massage
techniques.

It is a true “holistic” treatment as it can be
applied purely for deep relaxation, or from a healing approach involving work
on the energy centres referred to as chakras.

An Indian Head Massage is carried
out as a separate treatment in its own right, yet can also be combined with
other treatments and is often used alongside conventional care in hospices,
hospitals and other healthcare settings.

What are the benefits?

* Gently relieves muscular stiffness and
tension

* Helps you let stress
and anxiety melt softly away

* Can help relieve
depression, and improve concentration

* Lifts the emotions and
helps you feel deeply calm and peaceful

* Can help release
endorphins to help with positive thinking

* Promotes deeper,
calmer breathing

* Aids relief from
tension headaches, eyestrain and migraines.

* Softens and nourishes
the skin and assists healthier hair

* Stimulates circulation
and lymph drainage aiding elimination of toxins and odema
* Can helps relieve sinus congestion and headaches

* Assists deep, peaceful
sleep

Can everyone enjoy and Indian Head Massage?

There are certain
conditions where you should avoid massage e.g. epilepsy, certain heart
conditions, contagious skin diseases or
if you have had recent surgery. A full consultation will take place prior to
your treatment, which will provide me with the opportunity to ensure massage is
right for you. However, if in any doubt, please talk to your doctor
before arranging a treatment.

What happens in a treatment?

The client is seated on a low-backed chair
for Indian Head Massage, making it ideal for the less able bodied client. As a treatment couch is not essential, it is
also suitable for treatments at home or in the workplace. (Contact Eileen for more information on
arranging office/home treatments)

An Indian Head Massage can be carried out either with or without massage oils. Without oils, the client can remain fully
clothed, wearing a loose-fitting, comfortable tee-shirt or something similar.

When oils are used, the client removes upper outer-clothing
and a large towel wrapped around to
ensure modesty. Oils help ensure a
smoother massage and a range of beautifully aromatic, blended oils are
available to help enhance your massage experience.

A full Indian Head Massage lasts around 40
minutes, but do allow a full hour for your appointment so you can take time
after your massage session to drink a glass of water whilst you sit quietly,
gently bring your awareness fully back to the present.

Shorter taster sessions are also available if
you’d like to come along and give it a try for the first time. Contact Acorn for details on latest Taster
Session offers!

Aftercare

Some clients can
feel extremely tired or slightly dizzy after treatment, so it is essential to arrange
your Indian Head Massage for a time when you can return to a relaxing
environment afterwards and keep warm, as massage reduces your blood pressure. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding
caffeine/alcohol will help your body de-tox so you get maximum benefits from
your treatment. You will receive full
free aftercare advice following your treatment.

How many treatments do I need?

A single treatment
will be deeply relaxing and beneficial for you and it can be tailored to
provide an emphasis on specific areas of concern e.g. congested sinuses, stiff
neck etc.

You can also
include a regular monthly Indian Head Massage treatment as part of your own health
and wellbeing regime.

By Maz Harvey

The term massage encompasses a large and varied
number of techniques and approaches.
Massage in its simplest form entails any
hands on techniques involving stroking, rubbing, lifting and squeezing of the
tissues with or without a skin lubricant. More advanced forms of techniques
practiced under the umbrella term of massage include techniques used by Physiotherapists,
Osteopaths, Chiropractors and even Acupuncturists.

I believe the time is right for the massage bodies
/ authorities to distinguish between the

various forms of massage so as to enable the public
to know which type of massage practitioner to go to for treatment. A simple
split may be Spa massage and Clinical massage?

Who can benefit from massage and what can it treat?

The answer to this question would fill a very long
blog post so I will give a few random examples of who / what I have treated
this week.

I have helped a lady recovering from a stroke, a
more mature gent struggling with a thigh problem that was keeping him awake at
night and ‘more importantly’ stopping him play golf, a G.P. with a painful
neck, a talented teenage footballer desperate to play in a final this weekend,
another mature gent still turning out to play veterans football and several
neck and shoulder problems, some with related headaches and some with related
nerve sensations down the arm.

As you can see ‘Massage’ can help with many types
of soft tissue, joint and nerve pain. It may well take several sessions to get
to the root of the problem and it may involve lifestyle changes by the client
but don’t underestimate the potential effectiveness of massage.

www.acornnaturalhealth.co.uk

By Anne Marie Allen

What is it?

Reiki is a Japanese form of hands on energy healing which helps your body to release stress and tension by creating a state of deep relaxation. By creating this state, Reiki helps your body to heal and balance and clear any negative or blocked energy, boosting your body’s energy levels, restoring harmony and feelings of wellbeing.

So, what does it do?

Reiki gets to work on the areas that your body needs the most, including;
*Promoting health & wellbeing
*Pain management
*Helps to reduce stress and tension
*Promotes feelings of peace, serenity and wellbeing
*Enhances any medical and complimentary treatments you may be receiving
*Helps to relieve and eliminate the side effects of conventional medical treatment, such as chemotherapy.
*Helps with post operative healing
*Encourages mental clarity
*Relieved symptoms of stress and tension
*Calms the mind and emotions, relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety
*Improves sleep quality
*Soothes digestion
*Strengthens self esteem
*Heightens self awareness and intuition
*Helps to balance emotions

What will it feel like?

Often during a Reiki session, people report feeling;
Heat
Coolness
Pins and needles
Tingling
Pressure
Energy moving in their body
Deep sense of peace & relaxation
Feeling of floating

So what happens during a Reiki treatment?

During your first Reiki session, there will be a short consultation where we will have a chat and you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
After the consultation, you’ll be taken over to the comfortable treatment bed, where you’ll be asked to take your shoes off and lie fully clothed under a wonderfully soft blanket. The lights will be dimmed and soft music will be played, whilst you lie back and relax.
Through a series of light, non invasive touches, I will channel the energy through myself and into you.
After your treatment, you’ll be offered a glass of water, whilst we have a chat about how your treatment went.

Do I have to believe in Reiki for it to work?

Reiki is not a religion and is not based on any religion, although the energy is spiritual in nature. You do not need to believe in Reiki for it to work, but you do need to be willing and open to it working.

If you’d like to try Reiki for yourself, you can take advantage of the special offer for March.
For the whole of March, I am offering thirty minute Reiki taster sessions for just £15!

www.acornnaturalhealth.co.uk