News

Cupping Therapy

29 April 2022
Eric Reinhold
Categories: History, ThaiMassage-NYC, News, Thai Medicine, Theory, Practice
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Cupping Therapy

In the context of Traditional Thai Massage

Cupping Therapy at ThaiMassage-NYC

The ancient practice of cupping therapy

   is found in traditional medicine systems on every continent worldwide. There are many different ways to employ the treatment, with the most common being Fire Cupping and Suction Cupping. Fire cupping uses glass cups applied to the skin using a flame placed momentarily inside the cup to create a vacuum as the heat dissipates. Some think of this method as a reverse massage. Instead of applying pressure, the fascia is drawn up into a vacuum created inside a cup over the targeted areas. The cups may stay in place for around 5-15 minutes and may or may not be painful or uncomfortable. If you would rather not have purple marks on your body, there are specific ways to use them that do not leave a mark that lasts for more than a day. 

  Depending on where they are placed, I have a love/hate feeling in relation to the cups, but the immediate relief that I get from pain in one of my knees is incomparable. 

  Used for a countless array of problems from illness to acute and chronic injury, cupping is a versatile and effective tool that can be therapeutic and diagnostic.

  This type of treatment is considered to be just one of the tools in the Thai Medicine basket and an art of healing that originated in the area that we now know as Thailand, but civilizations there date back to some of the earliest known in the world.

•What Can You Expect During a Thai Massage Session with Cupping Therapy?

In a typical Thai massage, also called the “lazy man’s yoga”, you will be dressed in flexible clothing to allow an unrestricted range of movement for the assisted stretching and poses similar to yoga which bring relaxation and a soothing effect on your joints and muscles. Your practitioner manipulates the tissues through your clothing, which obviates the need for a massage oil to lubricate the skin.

When cupping is necessary to achieve the desired effect for the client, the bare skin must be exposed for that, so we provide specialized clothing that you can wear during the treatment that will allow us to place the cups anywhere on the body without removing your clothes.

Unlike Western table massages, Thai massage isn’t just about lying passively, it involves movement and participation on your part to achieve joint and muscle pain relief. 

The Thai massage practitioner will be helping you by manipulating the lines within your body while the cups are in place. You may even perform a series of stretches, twists, and yogic poses after placing the cups arranged along the energy pathways of your body (referred to as Sen in Thai). Acupressure and compression techniques will be performed to help ease the blockages which correspond with the placement of the cups. The therapist will be using their hands, knees, legs feet and shoulders to stimulate certain pressure points. The silicone cups can be easily dragged along pathways. When the cups are used this way, they do not leave the purple circles on your body.

Some of the benefits of Cupping Therapy include:

  • Tension relief
  • Eliminates or reduces headaches
  • Back pain relief
  • Eases muscle and joint pains or stiffness
  • Increases flexibility, mobility, and range of motion
  • Stimulates blood circulation and your lymphatic drainage system
  • Energizes
  • Calms the nervous system
  • Makes you happy

•What Makes Thai Massage with Cupping Therapy Different?

Thai massage’s origins can be traced back to Thailand over 2,500 years ago. People who lived there before that were likely already using Cupping therapy.  It is based on the concept that blockages along the pathways by which your life forces flow are preventing the smooth flow of energy which leads to pain and discomfort. By employing Traditional Thai Medicine including massage stretching, joint manipulation, cupping, and other tools, these blockages can be removed and optimal energy flow can be restored to bring you closer to perfect health.

Below are some of the key differences between Thai massage with Cupping Therapy from other massage therapies:

•You will remain fully clothed.

Unlike classic Western massages, Thai massage Cupping Therapy is done while you’re fully clothed. We provide specialized clothing for you to wear during your treatment. Sessions involve placing the cups on your bare skin and then moving your body into different positions and making various stretching exercises while being guided by the Thai massage practitioner.

•The session is performed on the floor with a padded mat and not a massage table.

Swedish massage with Cupping Therapy and other massage techniques are done while you lie on a massage table fully or partially naked. However, with Thai massage Cupping Therapy, you will lie down on the floor and remain fully clothed throughout the duration of the treatment.

•Oil or lotion will be used.

Traditional Thai massage doesn’t really need oil or lotion on your skin for lubrication. The Thai massage cupping sessions do require a little bit to create the seal on the rim with your skin. So, don’t worry, you will not be slathered in oil when the session is over either.

•It involves yoga-like poses and the application of direct pressure.

In other table massage modalities where cupping is used, you will likely only be face up or face down and will just lie down passively on the massage table throughout the entire session. In a Thai massage cupping session, the practitioner will manipulate and guide you in making various yoga poses and stretches to reveal the tightness in your body and improve energy flow.

Also, the therapist will apply direct, rhythmic movements and hand techniques on specific pressure points to bring comfort.

•Does Thai Massage with Cupping Therapy Hurt?

The intensity of the massage will actually be adjusted according to your preferences. Just make sure to communicate with your Thai massage therapists so they can gauge the intensity exactly how you like it.

In fact, even if you have some physical limitations, are pregnant, or have some medical issues, your Thai massage Cupping session can be tailored according to your situation and needs. So if you’re not that flexible, the Thai massage therapist will only make you perform the stretches as far as your body will allow.

•Final Thoughts

Thai Massage Cupping Therapy involves a holistic approach and can help address specific problems naturally without any medications or surgery. 

By understanding what it’s like to get a Thai massage with Cupping, you will be able to prepare yourself and fully enjoy the experience. If you’re looking for the best Thai massage cupping therapist in New York, check out Thai Massage New York City. They offer various Thai massage techniques such as Traditional Thai massage, Four Hands, Herbal Compress, and Couples Thai. You may also book a home visit if you’re too busy.
Ready to explore your options and enjoy the health benefits of Thai massage? Get in touch with us today!

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Cupping Therapy at ThaiMassage-NYC
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HSA and FSA save money on Thai massage

11 November 2020
Eric Reinhold
Categories: News
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HSA and FSA

Your Ticket To A Rejuvenating Massage Therapy Journey

Getting Thai massage on a regular basis may be more affordable than you thought.
What if you could pay for it with pre-tax dollars that are automatically taken out of your paycheck?
Saving up for healthcare costs and wellness services, including massage therapy, isn’t as fun as saving up for a vacation or the latest gadget. Here is where HSA and FSA enter as the hero to increase your self-care time and turn your massage game around.

If you are reading this blog on a weekday with your tasks pending,

chances are the work blues are already upon you, and your brain has skipped to the weekend mode daydreaming about a great and utterly relaxing Thai massage. However, when booking a professional massage therapist in NYC, our fingers fail to be swift. It is what most of us would describe as “a luxurious expedition.” 
Bring it down to earth and make a plan so that you know that you will be taking care of yourself.


Unlock savings on taxes

Flexible Savings Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) are accounts used to unlock savings on taxes and pay for qualified medical, prescription, dental and vision expenses. And yes, massage is covered under them as well. Apart from the rejuvenating and luxury aspect, massages are highly therapeutic. Considering their intensive health benefits, including improved blood circulation, and alleviating stress, pain, and inflammation while unlocking several health benefits for the heart, one can pay through these healthcare plans.

In case you are new to this, here’s what you need to know about FSA and HSA:

~These are special healthcare payment arrangements present as a part of an employee’s healthcare welfare plans.
~These healthcare plans usually come with a debit card that includes both employee and employer contributions. In most cases, the funds are already present on the flex debit card, and one needn’t worry about reimbursements. 
~Since these savings are automated, it takes away the calculation and manual effort to set a specific amount apart as we go on with our month’s expenses and splurging (while saving for our health). 
~HSA has a rollover (meaning you can use and apply the current year’s savings for the upcoming one).  However, FSAs do not have a rollover.
~Every contribution made is pre-tax, meaning that you end up saving a lot of money in the long run. 

How to Unlock the Benefit for the Massage? 

Massage is a qualified medical expense, especially if you are getting it to overcome a physical injury or an ailment. The IRS regulations clearly state that any medical care expense primarily involved treating or preventing physical conditions (including stress, anxiety, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic fatigue, back pain, arthritis, hypertension, and pain management). Start with your HR department to learn about the coverage benefits. Next, schedule an appointment with your primary care physician and explain the symptoms that qualify you for a massage. Once you get the prescription, support your FSA/ HSA claim with the reason for massage, duration, and the number of sessions required.  

Fine print

~These are special healthcare payment arrangements present as a part of an employee’s healthcare welfare plans.
There are many fine print considerations and plan benefits that you need to consider before applying for them. Consult with your HR department and check every cost expense that will be covered under your plan. You can even refer to your state’s IRS tax scheme and regulations for further information. 

Book now.  

Finally, you can book a session with a reliable, certified massage therapist like Thai Massage NYC experts to unlock a relaxing massage treatment.

And voila! We are done.

Connect with us directly if you want to know more about how you can leverage your HSA/ FSA benefits to relax your tense muscles with Thai Massage NYC licensed therapists.  

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Contemplating bodywork during a pandemic?

5 August 2020
Eric Reinhold
Categories: News
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Contemplating bodywork during a pandemic?

Here’s what we do to maximize your safety.

I appreciate any hesitation

…contemplating bodywork during a pandemic is quite involved and not easy to do.
Most of my pre-pandemic client base feels the same way you do. The things I want to say here are in response to this very topic.
I hope that all of your questions are answered.

I am fully vaccinated

Masks are Required

At all times by Everyone.
All persons in the studio will be wearing a face mask at all times, including during the massage therapy session itself. This was originally mandated by NYS for the New York Forward reopening plan back in July 2020. The mask can be any type of face-covering including cloth masks, surgical masks, etc.
N-95 and respirator-type masks are not required.
 Therapists and other professionals in my ecosystem are required to wear masks at all times when interacting with clients, even when you and a therapist are socially distanced and further than 6 feet apart.
While we understand that it might be slightly less relaxing to wear a mask during your session, both you and I wearing a mask is one of the single most effective safety measures that can be taken.
In order to make lying face down more comfortable, we will be using pillowcases as a drape shield on the mat.

Covid Safety Measures:

Strict Hygiene & Disinfection Protocols 
As a licensed massage therapist in NYS, I already had fairly strict virus protection hygiene practices in the studio. Hand-washing, sanitizing, not touching the face were instilled in us since massage school, and wiping down touched surfaces after sessions were already part of the normal daily routine. In addition, every client always received a freshly laundered set of linens for their session, but since resume, I have decided to eliminate the linens altogether and am enjoying the simplicity and added traction that is afforded by the comfortable mat that has always existed under the mattress topper that I used to have under the sheets. The mat is made of a non-porous, closed-cell rubber material and it can be cleaned more thoroughly between sessions.  The new studio also is free from the carpeting we once had in MidTown too, so the whole floor gets sanitized between clients.
In addition to the existing practices,  our new COVID-19 safety plan includes hand sanitizer prominently placed in the studio for you to use any time you need it.
All sanitizers used at the studio have at least 60% alcohol content as recommended by the CDC. In addition, I have checked to make sure they are not on the FDA recall list.
Reducing unnecessary points of contact such as credit cards and cash. All checkouts will be available on Venmo or Zelle and we will only use the credit cards if these are not possible. We ask that you use hand sanitizer after signing at the end of the checkout process.
We have an additional 15 minutes of time between appointments to allow for extra cleaning time.

 Before NYC went to phase III reopen, I had already completed a special training course designed for healthcare workers that addressed all of the necessary precautions to prevent disease transmission and increase safety for myself and my clients. During the #stayhome I also completed the Contact Tracer Training Program, which includes even more specific details about Covid 19. Before reopening, I studied all state and local requirements under the NY Forward Phase III, which are quite extensive protocols for safety. My NY Forward plan is in place, and all of the other professionals in my ecosystem are in cooperation and compliance with these efforts as well.

  I have been rendering treatments since July 6 and have a perfect track record of operation in regard to Covid and have not been called by any contact tracers. Every client is thoroughly screened before every appointment and I continue to sanitize all touch surfaces between clients as well. I limit my exposure as much as possible throughout the day and my wife continues to work from home since March 2020. I get tested regularly and my clientele is fully traceable.

The Goal is to Make The Studio as Safe As Possible, and Always

As a practitioner, I’ve made sure to keep up to date with the latest practices and have always taken my responsibilities as a licensed massage therapist seriously.  In the past, this included strict hygiene protocols on handwashing and disinfecting, laundering our linens at hospital grade levels, and asking both staff and clients to self-screen for cold and flu, and other communicable diseases.

This specific coronavirus does require a new and stricter COVID-19 safety plan for massage therapy to prevent transmission than businesses had engaged in before. Preventing colds or flu is always a worthwhile goal. But like this virus, not 100% possible. The consequences for flu were both known and less severe.

Among my network of bodyworkers, I have still not heard of anyone who has gotten sick from one of their clients, nor am I aware of anyone who has gotten sick after getting a massage from a therapist.

Our COVID-19 Safety Plan for Massage Therapy Needs Everyone to Work Properly

Our new COVID-19 safety measures, as well as any further measures that become recommended, will make the likelihood of getting the virus at our studio extremely low. We will be continually monitoring their effectiveness and making decisions to open up further, stay open, or potentially partially or fully close down again, entirely based on science and data.

We hope that all of this information helps you stay informed and allows you to make your own decisions about your health and safety. Choosing whether to come to our studio to get a massage is an individual choice based on a number of important factors for each of you. As we all start poking our heads out of full quarantine, we will each have our own needs and risk tolerances.

Our hope is to be able to provide the pain and stress relief that you’ve come to count on at our studio to you in the safest way possible. So that it is there for you whenever you are ready.

  I understand that the next two details do not eliminate all possible risks. However, I want you to know from a recent test after donating convalescent plasma that I still have antibodies in my blood even though I recovered from Covid almost a year ago. I am scheduled to get my second dose of the Covid vaccine in about two weeks. 

Sources

  1. NYS Guidelines for Personal Care Services
  2. OSHA Guidance for Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
  3. CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses
  4. CDC How Coronavirus Spreads
  5. Amid the Coronavirus Crisis, a Regimen for Reëntry
  6. CDC FAQ
  7. NYS COVID-19 Tracker on Fatalities
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Session Duration

6 July 2020
Eric Reinhold
Categories: News
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Session Duration

Consider these options

Your therapist will take an inventory of your individual condition and devise a plan to address your objectives.

Arrive early enough to fill out the health history questionnaire before your session time begins.

“Intro” $135

A one-hour treatment is also a good option for “first-timers” who wish to satisfy their curiosity about the form of bodywork. If you are a small person and you just want to enjoy the benefits of man overall wellness treatment, this might be the best choice for you every time. Choose 60 minutes if do not have a specific problem area of the body that you wish to have addressed but you just like to have a Thai Massage as often as possible.
I always prefer to have a longer appointment whenever I get a Thai Massage, but the hardest part is getting in the door. 
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“Basic” $168

75 minutes is a good choice for clients who are small and in great shape. When I say, “In great shape” I DO NOT mean slim and slender. I mean, a body that is not suffering from stiffness or restriction of movement. Possibly, you were considering the description of the 1-hour treatment but you happen to be a medium-sized person.
Just 15 min. added to the “Intro” option makes a lot of difference in a Thai Massage experience.
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Incredible benefits

restore the mind, body, and spirit.

“Therapeutic” $201

In Thailand, 90 minutes is the typical duration for massage treatments.
If you have specific issues that you would like to have addressed by therapeutic massage during your session, 90 minutes is always a good choice because this will give us enough time to complete a full-body sequence AND give additional specific attention to your chief complaint.
If you don’t have specific issues which need to be addressed but are rather large, book 90 minutes to make sure we have time to cover all of the real estate.
If you are elderly, book 90 minutes to make sure we can move slowly through the sequence and not have to leave anything out because of it.

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The benefits of Thai Massage are numerous

the most predominant being the maintenance of good health and its ability to treat a wide spectrum of physical concerns in addition to its ability to calm the mind and elevate your mood.

“Thorough” $267

I used to call this option “The Whole Thing” but now I find that I can no longer complete everything inside of 120 minutes unless my client is quite small or already very well experienced with this kind of bodywork. Do your body a favor, give us the time we need to work out the trouble spots. 
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“More Thorough” $396

Thai Massage actually goes by surprisingly fast. Consider adding on another hour just to make sure you don’t miss the chance to be more thorough. In Thailand, it is not uncommon to get 3 hours of massage. Not too many places on earth are further from Chiang Mai than NYC and the two could hardly be more different. Find out how “far away” from NYC you can get inside of 180 min. without ever leaving the massage studio.
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“The Whole Thing” $528

Take a day” and spend it on yourself. Four hours will give us enough time to thoroughly go over everything and then go back to the areas that are particularly troublesome and do some more to treat them.
Four-hour time-slots come with a complimentary Herbal Compress, deep heat application, Tok Sen, and Cupping therapies.
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Walk-in

If you are already in the area and you don’t have much time.
The 30 and 45-minute sessions are not available for advance booking.

30 min. $68

A proper Thai Massage including face-up, face-down, side-lying, seated, and inverted takes 90 minutes or more, but that does not mean that we can’t realize some good benefits within small amounts of time. 

45 min. $99

Sometimes we want to have a small sample before we commit larger amounts of time and money. Sessions lasting less than 1 hour are not available for advance booking, but you can call or text on the day you want to try us out, and we will try to squeeze you in.
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