Table of Contents
Welcome back to yet another post! Hope 2022 has been a banger of a year so far. It’s July and summer is in full swing. The birds are chirping, the sun shining, and there’s an exuberance of life this time of the year.
I find it really helps deal when things get a tad too hectic. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about massaging in winter time to help overcome the winter blues, but I think massages are also great this time of the year as well.
If you’re up for keeping things fresh and exciting, why not try out a totally new massage experience!? And what better a time than the summer season to do this, right! It’s a great segue into what today’s post is all about.
True to its name, the Thai Herbal Compress massage is a kind where a cloth (typically white) is filled with specially selected herbs, wrapped into a ball like shape, and then used to massage the receiver on various parts of the body.
Hard to say with a 100% certainty, but some say it’s a form of Ayurvedic treatment brought into Thailand by Indian monks on their quest to spread Buddhism. Some say it’s a very ancient form of treatment that was birthed in Thailand itself.
And I think that says something!
For those of you who’ve tried a Thai Herbal Compress massage before, I’m willing to bet that you probably inquired, am I correct!?
I mean isn’t it intriguing? It’s interesting how a cloth ball with some herbs tossed in at the right temperatures can invigorate the senses – I’m talking aroma galore, and the touch of something special!
If you were to look inside a traditional Thai herbal compress massage ball, you would likely find the following: turmeric and ginger roots, kaffir lime leaves (crushed), lemongrass (crushed or uncrushed), tamarind, and sometimes camphor.
Of course there are variations to this and not every therapist prepares the same ingredients in their massage ball. Some will add a few extra herbs to the aforementioned list – such as such as spider lily or bergamot, for example. It’s all about experimenting and seeing what works best for you, really!
Are these herbs actually beneficial to you when applied and massaged over the body, or is it just something of a placebo effect? And then there’s also the massage aspect and employing the hot ball to deliver a compress style massage on various parts of the body.
Let’s look at all of this a little more in the benefits below!
One of the biggest reasons someone may choose to try a Thai herbal compress massage is because they want to experience something new and different!
It’s this element of mystery that keeps things fresh and exciting. In addition to this, there’s something about Thai herbal compress massage that’s incredibly stimulating to the senses – whether it’s the sensation of a steamy ball packed with herbs traversing up and down your body, or the incredibly pleasant aroma of lemongrass, turmeric, ginger etc.!
It may not be as effective (from a massage standpoint) as some of the others like Swedish, Thai, or deep tissue massage, but it’s definitely more sensual!
In that sense, I do think (in my opinion at least) that it’s probably a much more enjoyable massage experience compared to some of the others.
I might become unpopular for saying this, but I am not certain about the “healing properties” of the herbs when employed in a hot compress ball.
Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely in favor of turmeric for example having phenomenal healing properties, and I can vouch for this firsthand being a daily consumer of turmeric for the last 3 years every single day!
I think if there was direct contact with body then we might see more benefit, but a bunch of herbs wrapped in a cloth? Hmm I don’t know about you, but I am a little doubtful.
That being said, I still think the application of a hot steamy ball compressed on various tissue and muscles will definitely help with pain relief. I think this is probably where the pain relief benefit comes from.
What do you guys think? Especially if you’ve experimented with Thai herbal compress massage before, we’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment down below!
We already know that application of turmeric on the skin has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits (Source: Healthline). If you’re not one for Science, then these are things you should consider experimenting with. As with anything, you should of course do your research first!
Lots of people have had positive experiences with using turmeric as a kind of paste to be applied on various parts of the body. I won’t say much more, other than you’d be surprised at the healing power some of these herbs hold!
Apologies for the digression! Coming back to herbal compress massage, even though the herbs may not be in direct contact with the recipient’s body, there still could be healing benefits to the skin – contributing from the hot steamy ball and maybe some elements of herbs. However, I think it’s difficult to establish how much, or to what extent.
It’s worthwhile noting that some of the oils in these herbs might, as a result of the steam, escape and make their way onto the cloth ball thereby having direct contact with the body. Again, it’s not the same as direct application as per my earlier point!
Pain relief is another important benefit of Thai herbal compress massage. It does baffle me a little as to what exactly is alleviating pain – is it the application of a hot steamy ball, or the contents inside the ball?
Whether it’s the ball or the herbs inside, I guess it doesn’t really matter as long as it helps with your pain, right!? Maybe it might be a combination of both – the steamy hot ball could help reduce inflammation, and the oils from the herbs may further assist with that.
I certainly think so!
For one, there’s not very many contraindications, but if you suffer from any medical or skin conditions, you should make your therapist aware beforehand.
For two, it’s a great way of keeping things fresh and exciting. Sure, it’s always a good idea to have a set routine to lean on over the months, but making a change every now and then isn’t a bad thing either!
Anyways, that’s all from me for today. I do hope you enjoyed reading and got some value out of today’s post. If you did, please consider sharing on the social platforms as it really does go a long way in helping our site. Many thanks, and we’ll see you real soon!
(Note: This is an affiliate link.) Last week we looked at the Positive Posture Sol: a compact massage chair which…
(Note: This is an affiliate link.) Welcome back to yet another massage chair review! I've been slacking of this year…
(Note: This is an affiliate link to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.) Last week we…
(Note: This is an affiliate link.) Welcome back to yet another review post! It's been a while boys and girls,…
(Note: This is an affiliate link.) It's been a while since the folks over at Human Touch have released a…
I was on a bit of a hiatus which is why I wasn't posting in the last month and a…