Indian Naturopathy, Naturopathy in India, Naturopathy Hospital India

Throat. The throat may be massaged with the patient lying on the back or sitting. If he is reclining it is better for the operator to sit at the patient’s head, in order that smoother movements may be made. The throat, having delicate struc¬tures within and not being protected by heavy muscle pad¬ding, is more sensitive than the regions so far discussed. The heels of the hands are dropped along the side of the neck, the palmar surfaces of the fingers resting on the upper throat, the index fingers being immediately under the jaw. Stroking is done smoothly down the throat to the collar-bone. If one is careful there may be light kneading with the balls of one or two fingers on each side. After a few simple preliminary strokes, a gentle vibratory movement of the hands may be made dur¬ing these stroking movements.

If the patient is sitting, the operator faces him, having the ringers of one hand on one side of the throat, the thumb of that hand on the other side. The stroking is done as suggested, and slight kneading may also be done. The larynx, or “voice-box,” may be lightly grasped and vibrated, and vibratory strokes to the entire throat may be given. In this po¬sition of operator, and patient it is best that the op¬erator’s free hand support the pa¬tient at the back of the neck, espe¬cially during the vibration. Some masseurs stard behind the pa¬tient for throat massage, a suit¬able way when using the proper technique.

Neck. The neck may be ma¬nipulated with the patient reclining face downward or face upward, or sitting erect. This movement usually terminates the general massage, or the neck may be the last part manipulated ex¬cept for the throat, which may be the final part treated. If the patient is reclining the oper¬ator stands at his head, facing the feet. The strok¬ing and friction are downward from the base of the skull to the base of the neck, then on downward and outward over the trapezius muscle. One hand may massage one side of the neck at a time, or both hands may be used for double massage. In the kneading, the palmar surfaces of the fingers and the thumbs grasp the muscle masses of the back of the neck, pinch¬ing them and lifting them from the bones, from the base of the skull to the base of the neck, then travel over the trapezius muscles to the top of the shoulder.

Or the fingers alone may be used, giving a double rotary movement to these muscles (circularly outward and inward, and “depth” circles). If he prefers, the operator may stand to one side of the patient, with the hand nearest the patient’s head holding the forehead, the other passing over the face to grasp the far neck muscles, to knead and roll them over and from the vertebra?.
Another method of neck massage is for the operator to face the patient and, with the hands or fingers at the sides of the top of the neck, give downward stroking on the sides of the neck and out on the trapezius muscles to the shoulders. In a third method the operator stands behind the patient, the move¬ments being similar to those just described. In either of these positions kneading may also be done, but it is better for the operator to stand slightly to one side for this manipulation, whether in front of or behind the patient.

Hip. The hip muscles, or glutei, may be massaged with the patient lying face down, but the better position is with patient standing at the end of a table and leaning forward with the abdomen and chest on the table. In either case the manipulations are the same. The stroking is outward and downward from the spine with both hands, followed by fric- tion of one side at a time in the same directions, with one hand. The fleshy mass of muscles may be grasped between the fingers and thumb and kneaded. The heel of the hand, alternating with opposite pressure by the fingers, may. also be used. The beating is done on one side at a time, with both hands clenched. Stroking may terminate the treatment.

Back. In massaging the back, the first movement is strok- ing from the base of the skull to the sacrum, one hand on each side of the spinal column. In small children, especially in cases of infantile paralysis, the first and second fingers of one hand are used for spinal friction, one finger being on each side of the spine. In adult patients, the back may be treated in three divisions: first, about the spine, then for several inches on each side of the spine, and finally the sides or outer portions of the back. Friction follows stroking, one side at a time, using the palm of the hand from the base of the neck to the hip muscles, followed on each side by stroking. The thumbs, one on each side, knead the tissues immediately adjacent, and down the entire length of the spine, the hands being spread over the back and the movement being in progressing circles: outward, upward, inward, downward—the thumbs, of course working in opposite directions. Then the fingers and thumbs roll the skin and subcutaneous,tissues up in a sliding, pinch¬ing movement.

Hacking along or crosswise of the spine now follows, going both up and down from the neck to the pelvic bones. Clapping with cupped palm directly over and on each side of the spine (one side at a time) now follows. Stroking then terminates the spinal treatment, the hands working one after the other in rhythm. The pressure is light, but the speed varies according to the effect desired—-being quick for stimu¬lation, slow and with more firm pressure for sedation. This stroking may be reserved for the final movement in the mas¬sage of the entire back. It consists of the movements already described.

Liver. In giving massage to the liver, the patient lies on the left posterior “corner” of the body (that is, mid-way be¬tween lying upon the back and lying upon the side). The operator is at the patient’s right, that is, facing the patient’s back. Large circular stroking and friction strokes over the entire liver area begin the treatment. Then the region below the floating ribs is kneaded with the heel of the hand, followed by kneading with the finger tips up under these ribs.

The cupped hands are used for clapping over the entire liver area. Following this the palm of one hand is placed over the liver area in front and the other at the back. Then vibration is given through the liver area. The treatment is terminated by placing the partially flexed fingers under the floating ribs and giving vibration to this region. Massage of the spleen is per¬formed in the same manner as that of the liver, the patient lying on the right side.

When the anterior portions of the body have been mas¬saged, the patient turns so as to lie on face and abdomen, the head being without special support and the arms alongside the body, or, if the table is narrow enough, hanging downward. The legs and the thighs may now be manipulated if they have not been completely “covered” during the massage given with the patient lying on the back. In this case the same proce¬dures described above should be employed; stroking, friction, kneading, pinching and hacking. Beating, with the clenched hands, is usually given to the backs of the thighs.

Stomach. Special massage of the stomach, liver and spleen may be given after general abdominal massage. The stomach may be massaged with the patient in the position taken for general abdominal massage. The massage consists of finger¬tip stroking and friction from left to right with the fingers starting below the left ribs. In case of prolapsed stomach the ulnar surface of both hands may be placed across the abdomen, below the umbilicus, the palms of both hands resting lightly on the abdomen over the umbilicus and giving gentle, but grad¬ually deepening pressure as they are brought toward the chest. Care must always be taken in working over the stomach proper. -In definite inflammatory disorders of this organ all manipula¬tions over it, except stroking and light friction, should be avoided.

The bladder should be emptied before the abdo¬men is worked on and in case of con¬stipation it is a good plan to have the patient take an enema before the first few ab¬dominal treat¬ments. Never less than an hour should elapse after a meal before ab¬dominal massage.

After this movement has been done two or three times (sliding the hands across the lower abdomen from the right to the left side for repetition), the hand may be placed cross¬wise over the abdomen and the heel of the hand used for kneading, with gradually increasing force. Alternating with this heel pressure on the near side, pressure may be mades toward the opera¬tor with the fin¬gers on the other side of the abdo¬men. A rocking motion over the entire abdomen is excellent, pressure to the left being made with the heel of the hand, merg¬ing into pressure with the radial (in¬dex-finger) side of the hand to¬ward the rectum, merging into pres¬sure to the right with the finger ends, this merging into pressure to¬ward the chest with the ulnar (littlefinger) edge of the hand. This rocking motion is repeated.

The two hands may be placed flat upon the abdomen, then moved cross¬wise in opposite directions, both inkneading and friction movements. One hand may be placed under the patient’s back while the other hand kneads, thus giving a comfortable feeling of support to the patient. Vibration may now be given over the entire abdomen, if the operator has mastered this “tremor pressing,” as it is some¬times called. If used, the vibration should be given directly downward, from side to side and during the rocking motion, clockwise. Also, one hand may be over the spleen and the other over the liver and the vibration given with the two hands toward each other.

The kneading is done in various ways during the same treatment. Beginning in the lower left side of the abdomen (at the sigmoid flexure of the colon), knead with increasing depth of stroke with the finger-tips, making small circular motions and giving greater pressure on that part of the stroke that is toward the bowel outlet—in this case downward. After three or four circles here, slide the hands up the left side slightly and continue the circular strokes, then ascend to the lower ribs of the left side in this manner. Then continue the small circles while crossing the upper abdomen, now giving the greater pressure during the strokes toward the left.

Carry these circles down to the lower right side of the abdomen, on this side giving greater pressure on the upward part of the circular strokes. Throughout this movement there is no ces¬sation in the circular motions, the hand being slid along the skin in advancing to a new area without checking the circular action. The object of this manipulation is to break up any solid residue which may be in the colon. .

Abdomen. In giving massage to the abdomen the patient lies without head support and has the heels drawn toward the hips, with knees up, to relax the abdomen. Most operators work better on the right side of the patient. Stroking may gradually merge into light friction which may also gradually increase in force, in a clockwise direction; then, placing the right hand flat over the abdomen, press upward along the ascending colon to the transverse colon with the heel of the hand; then with the index-finger border of the hand stroke across the abdomen to the beginning of the descending colon; then with the finger-tips stroke the region of the descending colon as far down as the pubic bone.