Hair raising

A ROOT PULL or head saw may not spring to mind as obvious ways to relieve stress. But if you have faith in the pleasure and pain theory, Indian head massage is said to be helpful for a range of ailments from headaches to migraines, muscle tension, insomnia, sinusitis, vertigo and depression.

Although the treatment can be relaxing, it involves plenty of vigorous kneading and squeezing. The benefits are said to be increased joint mobility and flexibility in the neck and shoulders, improved blood circulation and lymphatic flow, easing of muscle tension and connective tissue knots, and improved hair texture.

'The sawing motion helps break down tension and lactic acid in the scalp,' says Bernadette Ante, who teaches Indian head massage at the Frederique Academy in Central. 'The root pull helps stimulate hair follicles,' she says.

Indian head massage combines physical massage with work on specific pressure points that is intended to rebalance the body's energy centres, or chakras.

There are said to be seven chakras, which act physically and psychologically, sending energy from the base of the trunk to the crown of the head. Stress, bad posture, poor dietary habits, pollution and hectic lifestyles can cause dysfunction in the chakras, affecting a person's health. In turn, this can exacerbate stress and tension in the higher chakras of the back, shoulders, neck, head and face.

Indian massage therapists try to restore balance and harmony by working on the three higher chakras - the vissuddha (base of the throat), the ajna (forehead) and the sahasrara (crown).