Traditional Thai massage, also called Nuad Thai, is usually done on a floor mat with you in loose, comfortable clothing and little or no oil. The therapist moves you through assisted stretches and applies rhythmic pressure, using hands, elbows, knees and feet.
Thai tradition names Jivaka, said in the Pali Buddhist canon to have been the Buddha’s personal physician, as the spirit behind traditional Thai massage, according to Wikipedia. UNESCO’s description points to a plainer root: self-care in village life, where massage healers helped people with muscle aches from working in the fields. The practice is closely linked with Wat Pho, a temple in Bangkok that the Bangkok Post described in 2019 as a center of learning of Thai massage. Thai tradition, as UNESCO and Cleveland Clinic describe it, understands the body to have energy pathways called sen, and the practice aims to work along those sen lines.
In 2019, UNESCO added traditional Thai massage to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The listing recognizes Nuad Thai as cultural heritage, which is a different question from whether Thai massage works.
In its traditional form, you lie on a floor mat in loose, comfortable clothing. Cleveland Clinic describes a mat or massage mattress on the floor, with the therapist guiding you through passive stretches and yoga poses. Medical News Today says clients usually lie on the floor fully clothed while the therapist works the body through various stretches.
“Assisted” means the therapist moves you through the stretches. According to UNESCO’s description of the tradition, practitioners use their hands, elbows, knees and feet.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Cleveland Clinic says loose-fitting clothes are preferred, and Medical News Today says clients usually stay fully clothed.
Setups differ from spa to spa, so ask what to wear when you call to book.
Thai massage shouldn’t cause pain or discomfort, according to Medical News Today. If it does, tell your therapist.
You can ask for lighter or firmer pressure at any point in the session. No session can be promised as pain-free.
The biggest differences are where the massage happens and whether oil is involved. Traditional Thai massage is typically done on a mat with little or no oil, while Swedish massage is typically done on a table with oil.
| Feature | Traditional Thai massage | Swedish massage |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is done | Floor mat | Typically a massage table |
| Oil | Little or no oil | Typically oil |
| What one small trial reported | More energizing | More relaxing |
The last row comes from a small 2018 crossover trial of 20 people with fatigue, so treat it as a hint that may not apply to you. The first two rows describe the general styles, and a spa’s own version of either one can vary.
The studies of Thai massage are small and the evidence is mixed:
Put together, the research is modest and suggests some people may have less pain in the short term, though it doesn’t show that Thai massage resolves a medical problem.
Check with your doctor before booking Thai massage if you are pregnant or have a health condition or recent injury.
Between them, Cleveland Clinic and Medical News Today name these conditions to raise with a doctor before Thai massage:
Cleveland Clinic says Thai massage isn’t recommended during pregnancy, and Medical News Today says people who are pregnant should not have it. If you are pregnant, talk with your doctor before booking any massage. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health names a blood clot, nerve injury or bone fracture as rare serious effects of massage in general.
Before you book
Pregnant, or is anything on the list above true for you? Talk with your doctor first, then book.
It depends on what you’re after. For low-back pain, a 2016 federal review cited by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health found the evidence insufficient to show whether any type of massage works better than another. One small 2018 trial reported Thai massage as more energizing and Swedish massage as more relaxing, so your choice may come down to how you want to feel afterward. Reviews of massage for low-back pain rate the evidence low quality overall.
The risk of harm from massage appears low, and serious side effects are rare, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Tell your therapist if anything hurts, and check with your doctor first if you are pregnant or have a health condition or recent injury.
So Young Day Spa in Plano offers Thai Massage. The spa describes it as assisted stretching and rhythmic compression that work through the whole body and may ease stiffness. It’s a good fit if you carry full-body tension or want something more active than a table massage.
Details differ from one spa to the next, so ask what a session involves when you call. To book, call (469) 988-9050, or look through the full list of massage services at So Young Day Spa.
