Massage is the manipulation of soft tissues in the body. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows , knees , forearms , feet, or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. A person who was professionally trained to give massages was traditionally known as a masseur male or a masseuse female , but those titles are outmoded, and carry some negative connotations.
In the United States, the title massage therapist has been recognized as a business norm for those who have been professionally trained to give massages. In professional settings, clients are treated while lying on a massage table , sitting in a massage chair , or lying on a mat on the floor. In amateur settings, a general purpose surface like a bed or the floor is more common.
Aquatic massage and bodywork is performed with recipients submersed or floating in a warm-water therapy pool. Archaeological evidence of massage has been found in many ancient civilizations including China , India , Japan , Korea , Egypt , Rome , Greece , and Mesopotamia.
BC The Tomb of Akmanthor [6] also known as "The Tomb of the Physician" in Saqqara , Egypt, depicts two men having work done on their feet and hands, possibly massage. The Nei-jing is a compilation of medical knowledge known up to that date, and is the foundation of traditional Chinese medicine. Massage is referred to in 30 different chapters of the Nei Jing. It specifies the use of different massage techniques and how they should be used in the treatment of specific ailments, and injuries.
Also known as "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon", the text refers to previous medical knowledge from the time of the Yellow Emperor approx BC , misleading some into believing the text itself was written during the time of the Yellow Emperor which would predate written history. BC "In the Iliad and the Odyssey the massage with oils and aromatic substances is mentioned as a means to relax the tired limbs of warriors and a way to help the treatment of wounds," [5]. BC Bian Que , the earliest known Chinese physician uses massage in medical practice.
