Herbal Compress Massage, in Thailand called Luk Pra Kob, and also referred to as Herbal Ball Massage, can be applied hot or cold.
A Thai herbal compress treatment can be used as is, stand-alone, or in conjunction with Thai Massage, and treatments are applied to relieve pain and inflammations, or to prepare or soothe the body or body parts before or after deeper therapeutic massage therapy, Sen Energy Line treatments, and acupressure work.
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Important in the application of herbal packs and compresses is the selection of herbs with certain therapeutic qualities, which depends on the kind of ailment or discomfort the therapist intends to treat. Typically, a mix of dry herbs is wrapped in a compress (traditionally a cotton cloth), then steamed (in a bamboo or electrical steamer), and when hot, applied to the body by pressing, gliding or smearing it in circular, linear or rolling movements.
In modern societies, people are often rather tensed, having lots of muscle tissue contractions, while experiencing stiffness, poorly functioning articulations, and a poor blood circulation, and the like. Subsequently, when giving Thai Massage, it’s often not possible to immediately start with deep acupressure work on the Thai Sen Energy Lines; one simply cannot penetrate and reach the Sen Lines, besides of the extra pain with doing so would inflict.
Thus, in cases such as mentioned above, applying hot therapies beforehand can prove to be very beneficial to prepare a client for deeper therapeutic work. Thai hot herbal compresses applied along the Sen Lines and joints are an excellent way to do this.
Mind that cold herbal compresses may also be applied, depending on the goal of the treatment. In any case, cold compresses are commonly used with acute inflammations, wounds, or other injuries to “cool down” body parts to lead surplus or stagnant energy away from the area.
