If There Isn’t a Hand Involved, it Isn’t Massage
We in the massage field are so often confused or at odds with what to call legitimate therapies. (What, for example, is medical massage? It depends on who answers the question.) But I’ll posit that the more important clarification battle should be waged with spas, who in their race to add the latest and most unique treatments to their menus of services tend to marry such things with what is traditionally the most popular spa therapy, massage.
Hence, on msnbc.com we see, “Spa unleashes snakes for your pains: Massage offers reptilian relief,” above an article that describes “snake massage.” Meanwhile, a spa in Virginia offers Dr. Fish Massage, which involves dangling legs and feet in a tub of little fish—I’ve been trying to find out exactly what kind of fish these are, without success—that nibble away at the skin. “These fish have no teeth, uses their powerful sucking lips to suck away deadskin, which can stimulate acupuncture point and modulate nervous system to relax your body and releases your fatigue,” reads the convoluted text on the Dr. Fish website.
How, exactly, is this massage?
I’d like to call on spas to by all means continue to offer sessions that are therapeutic, natural and that cultivate interest in spa-goers.
But please, leave “massage” to the massage therapists—not to the snakes, the fish, or anything else that doesn’t possess human hands.
Until next time.
August 10th, 2008 10:02
Amen sister. What people won’t try to start a new fad! Good old regular massage works…don’t ruin it with “cartoon-like” antics.
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August 20th, 2008 02:05
I agree… You know I’m all for new ideas, innovation and whatever else a Spa wants to do, but I think this is about education…
Unfortunately until all of those who truly do practice massage get on the same page, we will continue to see problems like this… This is along the same vein as, are we therapists or masseur’s??
Let’s call the thing whatever it is. If it’s therapy, call it therapy, if it’s alternative call it alternative… Even if it’s a fad, but people are willing to pay for it and they really do enjoy it, then great call it whatever it is. I’m not going to knock whether something works or not or whether it is therapy or not, but if it isn’t a true massage then don’t call it that.
Water is water and not some sort of hydration drink.. just because it is a liquid doesn’t mean it hydrates…
I recently looked into a so-called medical spa in my area and I was actually surprised to find out that medical meant, Botox and other anti-aging associated services…nothing related in anyway to the Spa industry I’m familiar with…
Oh one more thing, it’s important to remember, that many of the same people that call these outrageous (and maybe even therapeutic in it’s own way) services massage, think that a mechanical device that vibrates or kneads your muscles in some way, is just as good as massage too… NOT!
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August 20th, 2008 17:45
I don’t know about the snake massage, but the fish treatments aren’t actually listed as massage- they are an alternative to using razors to remove dead skin during pedicures. It may be unsuall, but it will (and has) drawn lots of media coverage and even more filled appointments.
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