Thermal massage

Most of us could do with a massage at this time of the year. Health24's André Britz found the perfect lunch-hour option that's convenient and within everyone's budget.

How it works
The thermal-massage bed from Migun combines the effects of acupressure, acupuncture, heat therapy, chiropractic and massage in a single session.

The therapy doesn’t require oil or a masseuse/masseur. You simply lie on a bed that does all the work. This is ideal for the more bashful among us – you don’t have to take your clothes off, except for belts and shoes (so, make sure your socks are respectable).

The massage is 'performed' by helium-based light bulbs with jade massage heads. This creates infrared heat which, the Migun people claim, penetrates up to 7cm into the body. The bed is FDA-approved and endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association.

With regular use, its proponents claim better health, addressing issues such as arthritis, headaches/migraine, back pain, sleep problems and muscle pains.

There are seven massage settings available, each with a different focus:

• Full massage (35 minutes) – combines massage and acupressure equally all over the back
• Upper back massage (30 minutes) – massage and acupressure on the entire back, with some extra time spent on upper back and neck
• Lower back massage (30 minutes) – massage and acupressure on the entire back, with some extra time spent on lower back and hip area
• Acupressure massage (24 minutes) – holds for 50 to 60 seconds on various acupressure points over the back
• Basic massage (15 minutes) – continuous movement up and down the back
• Abdominal massage (16 minutes) – gently massages the abdominal area
• Manual mode

What it felt like
I thoroughly enjoyed the massage. The moving bed feels a bit strange at first, but as soon as it started unknotting those knots, I relaxed and enjoyed every moment.

I was a little tender immediately afterwards, and I dutifully drank a lot of water to avoid a headache. By the evening, my back was sore, and I treated it with gel and heat. I went to bed at a decent hour and felt much better the following day.

I decided I’ll go on a regular basis because: a) it’s affordable; b) it's effective; and c) I’d like to prevent my back from getting knotted up again.

Migun Thermal Massages are R50 per session or R299 for a month’s unlimited sessions. A session lasts just over 30 minutes. It’s clean, hygienic and non-intrusive.

For more information or to book a session, contact:
Migun Wellness Centre
63A Somerset Road
Greenpoint
Cape Town
Tel: (021) 421 6900
e-mail: info@migun.co.za

Source:
http://www.migun.co.za

(André Britz, Health24, November 2007)