Bodywork is a term used in alternative medicine to describe any therapeutic or personal development technique that involves working with the human body in a form involving manipulative therapy, breath work, or energy medicine. In addition bodywork techniques aim to assess or improve posture, promote awareness of the “bodymind connection” rather than the “mind-body connection”, or to manipulate a putative “energy field” surrounding the human body and affecting health.

 

Some of the best known forms of consciousness non-touch bodywork methods include: reiki, yoga, pranayama, as well as other non-touch methods: breathwork respiration techniques, therapeutic touch, Bates method for sight training, qigong, and t’ai chi.

 

The better known forms of manipulative bodywork include Alexander technique, applied kinesiology, bioenergetics, Bowen technique, chiropractic, Feldenkrais method, hakomi, postural integration, reflexology, Rolfing, shiatsu, structural integration, somatic experiencing, Trager approach, and re-balancing.

 

Massage

 

One form of bodywork is deep tissue massage therapy, and the terms massage and bodywork are often used interchangeably. While bodywork includes all forms of massage techniques, it also includes many other types of touch therapies.

 

Aromatherapy is the treatment or prevention of disease by use of essential oils. Other stated uses include pain and anxiety reduction, enhancement of energy and short-term memory, relaxation, hair loss prevention, and reduction of eczema-induced itching.