Manipulative and

Body-Based Practices

Lecture 4
Objectives

• Introduction to Manipulative and Body-Based Practices.

• Understand the basic principles of massage therapy, reflexology,
chiropractic care, aromatherapy and cupping.
• Demonstrate the possible health benefits and the risks of each
practice.
 Introduction

• Manipulative and Body-Based Practices been used for centuries

to promote wellness and relieve ailments.
• These practices encompass a variety of techniques that involve
physical manipulation of the body's tissues and structures.
• These practices aim to enhance overall well-being, alleviate
pain, and promote relaxation.
• The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
(NCCIH) conducts research on various complementary health
approaches, including manipulative and body-based practices.
 Massage Therapy
• Massage therapy is a holistic approach to health and wellness that
has been practiced for centuries, spanning cultures and continents.
• It involves the manipulation of body muscles, tendons, and
ligaments by applying pressure to alleviate tension, promote
relaxation, and enhance overall well-being.
• Massage therapy aims to reduce stress, relieve pain, improve
circulation, and restore balance to the body.
• With its roots in ancient healing practices and its evolution through
modern science, massage therapy has become recognized as a
valuable complement to conventional medical treatments, offering
a natural and non-invasive way to support physical and emotional
health.
 Types of Massage Therapy

1. Swedish Massage: This is one of the most well-known and widely

practiced forms of massage therapy. It involves long, flowing
strokes, kneading, and circular movements to relax muscles,
improve circulation, and promote overall relaxation.
2. Deep Tissue Massage: Deep tissue massage focuses on targeting
deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue to release chronic
tension and knots. It involves applying firm pressure and slow
strokes to address specific areas of discomfort or tension.
3. Sports Massage: Sports massage is tailored to athletes and
individuals engaged in physical activity. It aims to enhance
performance, prevent injury, and aid in the recovery of muscles by
incorporating techniques such as stretching, compression, and
friction.
Types of Massage Therapy
4. Trigger Point Therapy: This type of massage focuses on identifying
and releasing trigger points, which are localized areas of muscle
tightness and discomfort. Pressure is applied to these points to
alleviate pain and restore muscle function. Trigger Points

5. Thai Massage: Thai massage combines acupressure, yoga-like

stretching, and assisted movements to improve flexibility, release
tension, and promote overall well-being. It is performed on a floor mat
with the recipient fully clothed.
Thai Massage
Reflexology
Reflexology is a practice in which different amounts of pressure
are applied to specific points on the feet or hands. These points
are believed to match up with certain other parts of the body.
➢ Reflexology is claimed to cause relaxation and healing in those
parts of the body, but this has not been proven.
➢ Practitioners and proponents of reflexology claim various
potential healing benefits, such as kidney detoxification, relief
indigestion, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, There’s too little clinical
evidences on such claims.
➢ Reflexology may reduce a burning or prickling sensation
associated with Multiple Sclerosis; however, larger studies are
needed to provide a reliable conclusion.
Chiropractic Care
• Chiropractic is a licensed health care profession that emphasizes the
body’s ability to heal itself.
• Manual healing methods date back to ancient times, but the
chiropractic profession didn’t come about until the late 19th century.
• Treatment typically involves certain exercises, often including spinal
manipulation and mobilization.
• It has been proven that spinal manipulation can be beneficial for a
number of conditions ranging from back, neck, and shoulder pain.
• Other forms of treatment, such as self exercise and nutritional
counseling, may also be used
Basic principles of chiropractic care
• Chiropractic theory emphasizes the centrality of the nervous
system, especially the spinal cord. The nervous system
controls all bodily functions, and chiropractors believe
misalignments of the spine (called subluxations) can irritate
nerves and disrupt this communication.
• Chiropractic care aims to restore proper function by
manipulating the spine and other joints through adjustments.
These adjustments aim to improve nerve communication and
allow the body to heal itself.

Overall Safety: Chiropractic adjustments are generally considered safe

for most people when performed by a qualified and licensed chiropractor.
Aromatherapy
• Aromatherapy involves the use of essential oils derived from plants to
promote health and well-being.
• Inhalation or topical application of diluted form of essential oils can
affect mood and reduce stress.
• Popular oils include lavender for relaxation and peppermint for
headache relief.
• Aromatherapy primarily works through the sense of smell and skin
absorption. Diffusers and candles can be used to disperse essential
oils into the air. Body oils, creams, or lotions can be used for massage
or topical application.
 How aromatherapy works?1

• The penetration potential of these oils to reach the subcutaneous tissues is one of the
important characters of this therapy.
• Their effects are also complex and subtle due to their complex structure and chemical
properties. The mechanism of their action involves integration of essential oils into a
biological signal of the receptor cells in the nose when inhaled.
• The signal is transmitted to limbic and hypothalamus parts of the brain via olfactory bulb.
These signals cause brain to release neuro messengers like serotonin, endorphin etc., to
link our nervous and other body systems assuring a desired change and to provide a feeling
of relief.
• Serotonin, endorphin and noradrenalin are released from calming oil, euphoric, and
stimulating oil respectively to give expected effect on mind and body.

(1) Babar Ali, Naser Ali Al-Wabel, Saiba Shams, Aftab Ahamad, Shah Alam Khan, Firoz Anwar, Essential oils used in aromatherapy: A systemic review, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical
Biomedicine, Volume 5, Issue 8,2015,Pages 601-611,ISSN 2221-1691,
 Some plant-based oils used in
aromatherapy
• Eucalyptus oil: helps with respiratory issues such as bronchitis and
sinusitis. It also relieves muscle and joint pain.
• Lavender oil: Known for relaxation and stress relief.
• Peppermint oil: relieve pain spasms and arthritic problems.
• Chamomile oil: it is known for its anxiolytic properties.
• Rosemary oil: excellent for hair growth, treatment for dandruff and
greasy hair.
• Ylang-ylang: endemic to tropical rainforests of Indonesia and the
Philippines. Known for its sedative and calming effects. Relive anxiety
and improves sleep quality.
 Efficacy and safety of aromatherapy
• A systematic review of 16 clinical trials examining the anxiolytic effects of
aromatherapy for individuals with anxiety symptoms. The results were based
on 16 randomized controlled trials examining the anxiolytic effects of
aromatherapy among people with anxiety symptoms. Most of the studies
indicated positive effects to quell anxiety. No adverse events were reported.1

(1) Lee YL, Wu Y, Tsang HW, Leung AY, Cheung WM. A systematic review on the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy in people with anxiety symptoms. J Altern Complement Med. 2011
Feb;17(2):101-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0277. Epub 2011 Feb 10. PMID: 21309711.
Cupping Therapy
• Cupping is a practice used in traditional medicine in several parts of the
world, including China and the Middle East.
• It involves creating suction on the skin using a glass, ceramic, bamboo,
or plastic cup.
• Negative pressure is created in the cup either by applying a flame to the
cup to remove oxygen before placing it on the skin or by attaching a
suction device to the cup after it is placed on the skin.
• Cupping can be performed wet and dry: In “wet cupping,” the skin is
pierced, and blood flows into the cup. “Dry cupping” doesn’t involve
piercing the skin.
Safety of cupping
• Cupping leaves temporary marks on the skin.
• Cupping can cause side effects such as persistent skin discoloration,
scars, burns, and infections, and may worsen eczema or psoriasis.
• Rare cases of severe side effects have been reported, such as bleeding
inside the skull (after cupping on the scalp) and anemia from blood loss
(after repeated wet cupping).
• Because cupping equipment can become contaminated with blood
(wet cupping), using the same equipment on more than one person,
without sterilization between patients, can spread bloodborne
diseases such as hepatitis B and C.
More information about cupping

https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jtcme.2018.03.003