| Summary: | A fundamental oriental physical therapy, amma massage was originally developed in China, later passed to the Korean Peninsula, and from there it has for many ages undergone a process of refinement and sophistication. In brief, the theory on which it rests is this: organic disturbances may often be traced to nervous disorders. Through long experience and applications of various traditional methods, the peoples of the Orient have learned the places (tsubo) in the skin and musculature where certain nerves produce certain organic disorders. By stimulating these nerves it is possible to treat and cure the illness.
Western-style massage, which was introduced into Japan from France, has many points in common with oriental amma massage. Gradually the two fused to produce a new kind of purely Japanese massage that combines the best of the two sysems. In addition to these, in Japan there is a fingertip massage method called shiatsu, by means of which one presses certian points on the body to improve circulation and to stimulate the nerves. The massage presented in this book is an amalgam of al three of these methods. Using the explanations and photographs in Massage: The Oriental Method, family members can bring each other relief from headaches, stiff shoulders, pains in the hips and back, constipation, upset stomach, chilled feet and hands, numbness, weariness, insomnia, general sluggishness, and other unpleasant physical conditions. Long experience among countless Japanese families has shown that the oriental massage method is extremely effective in relieving most minor ailments.
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