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Nuad Thai, traditional Thai massage
Nuad Thai is regarded as part of the art, science and culture of Thai traditional healthcare. As a non-medicinal remedy and a manual therapy, it involves body manipulation in which the practitioner helps rebalance the patients’ body, energy and structure in order to treat illnesses believed to be caused by the obstruction of energy flow along sen, or lines. This manipulation aims to normalize dhatu or the four body elements, namely, earth, water, wind and fire. Though being described as energy lines, sen is a concept distinct from the meridians of traditional Chinese medicine and nadi of yoga. Traditional Thai massage theory holds that there is a web of sen lines running and crisscrossing throughout the human body, totaling 72,000, ten of which are primary and known as ten primary lines. Diagnosis and treatment in Nuad Thai are based on the principle of sen prathan sib. To open up blocked routes, Nuad Thai therapists perform a combination of pressing, kneading, squeezing, pounding, chopping, bending, stretching, etc. using their hands, elbows, knees, feet, together with self-massaging tools, and herbal hot compress to reduce inflammation and relax affected muscles. Practitioners also treat patients with compassion, giving encouragement to lift physical constitution and morale. Presently, Nuad Thai is classified into two main types: Nuad Thai therapy and Nuad Thai for health promotion.
Thailand
2019