We know that most customers wanting a massage in London have a wide range of choice. The first decision is whether to book a massage at home through one of the popular at-home providers, or to visit one of the many massage shops or spas in the capital. We do not provide an at-home (sometimes called “out-call”) service, because we would worry about guaranteeing the safety of our staff (plus the licensing requirements are different). But we thought we would write up our opinion of the advantages and disadvantages of getting your regular massage fix at home.
There is no doubt that the convenience of having a therapist show up at your home is a luxury – the time saving probably means you could enjoy a 90-minute massage instead of your normal 60 minutes. And the cost, while certainly a bit higher, is not that much greater. One of the most popular at-home massage services in London costs around £70 for an hour compared to our price of £65.
For some, a massage at home might be an impossibility – for example if you do not have enough space (a massage table with space for the therapist to work around takes up more room than you might expect!). Or perhaps noisy flatmates or shared living areas mean you could not create a peaceful and relaxing space for the massage.
There are other drawbacks to consider too. You could go to the effort of creating a particular ambience (lighting, sound and scent), but that starts to erode the convenience of the home massage experience; and why not just leave that to the spa? You also have the oily towels and sheets to deal with afterwards, whereas we deal with those for you.
And consider your comfort: the folding massage tables used by mobile massage therapists are generally comfortable but they are smaller than the stationary tables in most shops like ours. For the majority of customers, the portable massage tables are sufficient but for larger customers perhaps not; and the smaller and lighter tables do limit some of the more expansive stretches that feature in Thai massage.
Lastly, safety must be a factor. Lying face down, partially clothed, and in a state of relaxation is a vulnerable state for anyone to be in. And to be in that state in your home with only a stranger is, we think, daunting from a safety perspective. We have no doubt the big majority of mobile therapists are professional but there are certainly some horror stories of theft, and much worse.
Overall, you want your massage to be both convenient and relaxing, and we think (we would say this of course!) that the best overall massage experience is to visit a spa or massage shop in person – preferably one of the Thai Kosai branches!
Just a quick message to confirm opening times over this Easter (2023) weekend:
We want to wish you all a very happy Easter (and Songkran to our Thai friends), and hope we will see you for a massage soon!
Central to the traditions of Thai medicine, spanning more than 2,000 years, is the concept of ‘Sen lines’. These lines are believed to play a vital role in maintaining health, both physical and emotional. Here we explore a little more of the tradition of Sen lines and how they are used in Thai massage therapy.
Traditionally Sen lines are believed to be ‘channels’ through which the body’s life force flowed. Ancient practitioners thought that when these channels were blocked or out of balance, that physical or emotional ailments would result. Holistic Thai traditional medicine involves various practices such as herbal remedies, diet, meditation, as well as massage therapy to restore balance and harmony to the system of Sen lines.
Practitioners describe more than 70,000 Sen lines in the body, each with a particular function and relation to an aspect of the body, such as the nervous system or circulatory system. Thai traditional massage focuses on just ten of them, the greatest difference can be made by applying pressure or manipulation. The Thai massage therapist uses pressure (finger, palm, forearm, elbow, knee or foot), as well as stretching, to work along the major Sen lines. By manipulating the Sen lines in this way, Thai massage therapy aims to improve wellbeing, flexibility, and promote relaxation.
One example, the Sen Sumana line, is considered the most important. This runs from the navel to the crown of the head and is associated with the heart, lungs, and emotional balance. It is believed that blockages in the Sen Sumana line can lead to physical and emotional imbalances, such as anxiety, depression, or respiratory problems.
Another important Sen line – particularly to the practice of Thai massage – is the Sen Kalathari, running along the spine. This line is believed to be linked to the body's ability to heal and is often used in Thai massage therapy to treat chronic pain conditions.
One of Bangkok’s most famous attractions is “Wat Pho”, or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. Traditional Thai massage is taught and demonstrated there, and on its walls can been seen ancient illustrations of the Sen lines (see picture above!)
The Office of National Statistics estimate over 2 million people in the UK are (as of October 2022) suffering from “Long COVID” – symptoms continuing at least a month after infection. Over 1 million of these people reported having been infected at least a year earlier. That is an awfully long time to be suffering with any condition, and for as long as formal and well-tested treatments remain elusive, many sufferers are sharing their own symptoms, treatments, self-care tips and recommendations online
The most common symptoms for long COVID sufferers are weakness and tiredness, shortness of breath, and loss of smell but there is a long and very varied list of other symptoms including anxiety, trouble sleeping, muscle aches, and headaches. Sufferers also report some stranger symptoms including “brain fog”, dizziness, skin rashes and even hair loss
We are certainly not advocating massage as a cure for Long COVID. The structural results of a Covid infection, such as damaged lung tissue or neurological alterations, almost certainly cannot be helped by massage. Your first port of call should absolutely by your GP! However, we do believe that a regular massage could help alleviate some of the direct or indirect symptoms. After all, some of those symptoms – like muscle aches, anxiety and sleeping problems – are typical reasons why people see us for regular massages
Indeed, a small study of 20 patients found that a course of 9-10 weekly massages (as well as self-massage by the patients) “significantly reduced fatigue related to Long COVID”. It is still early days of course, but while we wait for larger scale surveys and research to establish formal courses of treatment, we hope our massage might help some long Covid sufferers; it can’t hurt to try! Feel free to discuss your long Covid symptoms with our team of massage professionals and we will do our best to help
Your lymph system is a network of vessels and nodes that transports lymphatic fluid (called lymph) around the body. The system has a range of functions including transport of: fats from the digestive system, white blood cells that help fight infections, and waste and toxins from cells. It is a little bit like your cardiovascular system but unlike the cardiovascular system lymph is not pumped; there is no heart for the lymphatic system. Keeping the lymphatic system functioning effectively is essential to maintain overall health
Massage has long been a popular way of helping the flow of lymph around the network. This can be everything from amateur “at home” massage techniques, through to specialist medical lymphatic massage. At Thai Kosai we do not provide specialist lymphatic drainage massage, but any kind of massage strokes along the direction of lymph flow can help alleviate symptoms of problems with the lymphatic system
Lymphoedema is a diagnosed condition that results from a malfunctioning lymphatic system. The usual symptoms include swelling in the arms or legs, and an aching heavy feeling
More generally though, if your daily routine involves being sedentary for long periods, or does not include plenty of exercise or movement, then it is possible for lymph fluid to pool in certain areas causing swelling or discomfort
So, what is the benefit? Massage is often prescribed to treat lymphoedema and this can be anything from monthly to weekly. As for trying to treat symptoms, we often see massage being effective in helping with swelling and fluid retention, especially in arms and legs. Other popular claims by lymphatic massage specialists include improvements to metabolic rate, improvements to blood circulation, cleaner skin pores, accelerated scar healing and reduction of cellulite, although we have not seen evidence to back up these claims!
Only gentle massage pressure is required – it does not require deep tissue techniques. If you are having a massage to help with swelling/aching symptoms you should also make sure to drink plenty of water after your massage. If you do come to visit Thai Kosai for a massage to help with any of these symptoms, make sure to discuss the problem areas with your therapist