I am a physician, who saw a few doctors for body pain related to aging. I figured it was time to…read morelook into them and face the bad news of a possible nerve compression, or a ruptured disc. My doctors relied on imaging and electronic signals (EMG) to assess the problem. No one performed a physical examination on the problem areas because western medical doctors are not skilled to determine the difference between soft tissue, bone or nerve problems by touch, and MRI, X-Ray and CT scan don't detect soft tissue problems (muscle, tendon, ligaments and fascia). If I followed their advise I'd be getting spinal shots, back surgery or loading up with pain medicine. As opposed to these very good doctors, Rey relies on the tone and feel of muscles, and assesses response to her massage techniques. I won't need surgery, shots or pain medication because, judging from the result of several of Rey's massages, my problems are clearly due to soft tissue de-conditioning. Rey's weekly treatments have made a huge difference in comfort with my body, sleep, flexibility and freedom from pain.
Rey is a wonderful, intuitive, professional masseuse who has studied her craft and takes pride in her work. Less talented masseuses are not as expert in gauging when to press and when to ease off. Rey seems to use her sense of touch to detect the right amount and duration of pressure. The pain is tolerable because you feel health returning to underused, constricted muscles immediately upon release. I prefer my massage without conversation, so we haven't talked about what she does, but it seems once she softens a muscle with hard lateral pressure, she extends the muscles along the bone by applying pressure on tendons and their insertions into the joints. She doesn't just massage the muscle, which will contract again once it gets a chance. She stretches the connective tissues allowing the muscle to elongate. This leads to a sustained relaxation, because the muscle has more room, and it normalizes physiological function. I have had other Thai massages, but Rey has a gift. She knows how to introduce pressure to stiffness, then return several times to the problem area, each time assessing how much more energy the area will take. I have never been bruised and have never been sore from her work. I appreciate how she has helped me.
