The Wisdom of Thai Massage: A Case Study of Folk Healer in Chae Ramae Sub - District, Mueang Ubon Ratchathani District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

          The wisdom of Thai massage which is the treatment of pain since ancient time is registered as a world heritage. Thai massage was invented by the accumulation of experience and knowledge from ancestors. This research aimed to study and gathered wisdom from folk healer of Thai massage in Chae Ramae sub - district, Mueang Ubon Ratchathani district, Ubon Ratchathani province and compared the treatment with academic documents on Thai traditional medicine. The research methods included in-depth interviews, observations, and note-taking. Thereafter, these treatment data were analyzed for the content and compared with the court type Thai traditional massage, the ten lines and the anatomical position. The research results from the study of all 3 folk healers, it was found that the folk healers had different expertise in treating diseases. The first folk healer specializes in low back pain, the second folk healer specializes in herniated nucleus pulposus and the third folk healer specializes in frozen shoulder. There were three treatment methods including, 1) general massage to stimulate the nervous system and relax any muscles, 2) stretching, and 3) herbal compress. When compared to the royal Thai massage, the ten lines and anatomical position, it was found to be consistent in terms of the lines, signal points, muscle, blood vessels and tendon. Therefore, the diversity of wisdom that folk healers treat the patients with massage is interesting and suitable for practitioners of Thai traditional medicine who can apply this wisdom to the treatment of patients and study the effectiveness of the treatment in clinical research.