Nothing twee about these treatments

February 2008: The Sunday Business Post

by Helen Boylan

Tucked away from Dublin’s traffic-choked streets between Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedral is a respite from the hard knocks of city living. Here, the compact health studio Dan-Tien offers a range of Chinese-based treatments for all sorts of ailments.

As I waited for my therapist, I leafed through a massage menu which would help me decide on my treatment. While I wasn’t suffering from any particular ailment, the treatments each promised help in areas that wouldn’t have gone to waste on me - such as a deep tissue massage, which offered detox, an energy boost and a bit of ‘‘harmonious balance’’.

All of them sounded appealing, but I settled on one that I hadn’t experienced before.

Tui-Na, pronounced ‘twee-na’, which translates from Chinese as ‘‘pushing and grasping’’ is a full body massage that uses techniques similar to those in Shiatsu.

My Mauritian therapist Rishi clearly knew his stuff. The fact that English isn’t his first language didn’t stop him from finding out where my ‘‘trouble’’ spots were.

Within minutes of kneading my feet, using pressure with his strong fingers, he told me I had weak eyesight (I wasn’t wearing glasses or contacts that might have tipped him off), problems with my left sinus (I’ve had chronic sinus problems which twice resulted in surgery) and a few digestive problems (loud stomach rumblings often affect me during at inopportune times).

Still working on my feet, he also detected a strain in my lower intestine and asked if I had lifted anything heavy (I had been lifting heavy boxes the previous weekend).

Given the chance, I would let a foot massage go on forever. But all good things come to an end and, after a blissful 20 minutes spent on each foot, Rishi probably knew more about my make-up than most ever would. Once he had determined my weak areas, he spent the subsequent hour attending to whatever needed tweaking, kneading and adjusting.

Ambient music gently soothed away the muffled din from outside and the ‘pushing and grasping’ - acupressure and manipulation of muscles and joints from toes to scalp - sent me into a deep state of relaxation.

As I spaced out, I was unaware of just what my body was going through. Although it felt like I was just lying there, the theory is that the massage releases endorphins (natural painkillers found in the body), drains lymphatic vessels, breaks down lactic acid build-up in the muscles and gets ‘chi’ - body energy - flowing more freely.

Having practised professional massage techniques for 12 years, Rishi has a range of skilled techniques at his disposal, which he applies as he thinks are needed. He displays absolute confidence and faith in what he does.

Using the Tui-Na technique as a base treatment, he also applied a variety of techniques including reflexology and Swedish massage.

Rishi’s Chinese diagnostics are similar to those used in acupuncture and acupressure, and can be used to treat a range of internal and external ailments including digestive, menstrual, muscular and sleeping problems, eczema, colds and coughing among all ages, including young children.

Dan-Tien is run by Dave Shipsey, an honours graduate in biochemistry and an expert on the eastern philosophy of acupuncture

The facts

What it is: Tui-Na massage

What it promises: a Chinese form of massage that uses acupressure and manipulations to promote relaxation and wellbeing. The treatment can help ease a range of disorders such as migraine, digestive problems, pain relief, sleeping problems, colds, coughs and eczema for people of any age, including young children.

What it delivers: total relaxation and an insight into overall physical wellbeing.

How much it costs: €70 for 60 minutes.

Pleasure rating: *****

Where to get it: Dan-Tien Complementary Health Studio, 30-31 Bride Street, Dublin 8. Tel: 01-4738845 ; www.dan-tien.com. Dan-Tien is registered with the Acupuncture Foundation, and is approved by Bupa and VHI.

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