Massage hospital offers helping hand

Sore shoulders, necks and backs can be treated with traditional therapies, experts say. Yang Zekun reports

When Zhu Shaofeng heard a muffled sound coming from his stiff neck during his first treatment session at the Beijing Massage Hospital, he said the doctor's skillful technique relieved his stress and lifted his spirits.

The 29-year-old Tianjin native, who owns a consulting and training company in Beijing, has had pain in his neck and lower back since 2014. Although he had tried several methods to ease the pain, nothing helped.

Unlike so-called high-end services at private massage parlors that can cost hundreds or thousands of yuan, the services at the hospital in Xicheng district have no flashy additional items and each treatment session only lasts 15 minutes.

Despite that, the practitioners can usually quickly locate the source of the pain, while the cost can be reimbursed through public medical insurance, Zhu said.

According to the Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Cervical Spondylosis 2019, published by the Chinese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine, the condition affects approximately 3.8 percent to 17.6 percent of the Chinese population.

As sedentary, deskbound working styles become more prevalent in the country, a growing number of young people are seeking treatment at massage hospitals after or before work to relieve the pain of stiff shoulders, necks and backs caused by work and lifestyle, Zhu said.

"Whether working for a company or starting your own business, the pressures can have a great impact on the body. Sometimes, young people don't know how to take breaks and adjust their lifestyle. Many just find ways to relieve the pain when it becomes unbearable, and then return to work," he added.