Lately my neck has gotten really stiff, to the point that I’m not sleeping well. I’d like to get a half-hour or hour massage to loosen up, but I don’t know where to go. Any suggestions? I searched through earlier massage threads but didn’t find many specific recommendations.
Xiexie.
I like a place in Ximen, from the MRT exit 6 I think you cross the crazy overpacked pavement, pass two roads and turn right and its on your left, don’t ask me for an address I’ve no idea, the card I have says squiggle squiggle 128. Phone number is 23383088 its 400NT for 30 min although I’d reccommend an hour for 800. Gone to other places and they didn’t do much for me but that place is pretty effective, if you ask or book No. 7 for Chinese Massage she is very good and absolutely deadly, they keep wanting me to do 2 hours for 1200 but I couldn’t stand the pain that long!
Open 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
There are tonnes of places… here are some around town found via Google Maps (should be easy for you to locate afterward):
g.co/maps/2gzrm (this one is by blind people, near Dingxi MRT Stn.)
g.co/maps/6tche
The second link there is a search for “按摩” via Google Maps.
Thanks guys! Artemis, Ximen is a bit far away for me, but if I’m ever in that neck of the woods I’ll check out the place you recommended.
Shawn, that Dingxi place looks cheap! I might check it out next week.
Today I ended up going to a place right across from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Datong District. My NT$800 hour-long massage lasted a good ten minutes longer than an hour; it was quite painful at times but definitely reduced my back and neck pain. If you speak Chinese and want to check it out, call 立安按摩站 at 02-2555-1878. My masseur was a blind man from Chiayi County surnamed Guan (官); his cell number is 0918-100-123. Nicest guy in the world.
Cool… sounds like you found a good place! It’s always best to go with a blind massage therapist, too, because they don’t have too many employment options. AND, they always do a spectacular job.
I usually just go to a Chinese doctor. NT150 with the card and they know exactly how to get rid of that kind of stuff, in my experience. Just ignore whatever the doctor tells you about drinking more water or whatever and go to the Chinese chiropractor part of it. Those guys are great. They crack your whole body, give you acupuncture and baguan if you ‘need’ it and then give you a crazy massage in the affected area. I try to go at least once a month. But, then again, I don’t like massages because the idea of paying someone to just rub my body freaks me out and makes me feel like I’m wasting my money because I can just get that for free. 
wow really? cheers for the tip mike, think they can do that to fix an irritating persistent cramp?
I have precisely the same problem. Anybody have a good massage/TCM/other treatment option for frozen shoulder that’s turning into something worse?
By “Chinese chiropractor” do you mean a practitioner of tuina (推拿)? If so, I too would like to know more about that. I’ve never had that kind of treatment before, but I’ve heard friends sing its praises.
So how exactly do you manage to ignore the doc and make your way to who you want? I’ve not been to a hospital on my own yet here, only gone for the inital necessary for ARC stuff and I don’t speak Chinese. Is there a general doctor you have to go to and you have to ask him for the further stuff?
Hi there,
The classical medicine might not be the way to find those who you need. I guess the medical doctor may not give you that kind of suggestion. But you can refer to your students or students’ family, if you teach in a school. These experts of alternative medicine hide among us. They acted so low-key that even the local people had to get this access by asking fellow citizens. The other thing is that you probably need someone to go with you in case that this expert can’t understand English. This happens very often. Good luck.
Speaking Chinese would be a good start. 
My Taiwanese friend took me there one time and I’ve been going back ever since. She goes every week. The doctor there knows I only want tuina and don’t really believe in TCM (the bitter medicine part) so we usually just chat for a few minutes, he checks my pulse and muscles and then goes downstairs with me to tell the downstairs doc what to do to me. I always leave feeling great. It’s not a hospital, it’s just a clinic. Everyone there is there for the same thing. Quick consultation and then massage.
The place I always go to is at the corner of Xinhai and Muzha Rd in Muzha. They’re really nice and do the tuina thing amazingly. Highly recommend. Don’t know how much it is without the card, though, and to be honest I don’t know if anyone can speak English. I can’t imagine that it costs too much money without the card.
I don’t get it. I’ve seen Chinese massage in action and it looks incredibly painful. You’ve had it and you describe it as painful. WHY would you recommend that somebody looking for a relaxing massage? 
I don’t get it. I’ve seen Chinese massage in action and it looks incredibly painful. You’ve had it and you describe it as painful. WHY would you recommend that somebody looking for a relaxing massage? [/quote]
The point is the heaven after the excruciating pain, I guess. No pain, no gain. 
Sweet, that’s really close to where I live! So you just walk in, say what hurts, ask for tuina and get fixed up? I’ll have to try that next time I’ve got back or neck pain.
Thank you kau826 that is precisely the reason.
I’ve spent my months of being in pain in the past and having found that certain things can be completely fixed if you can put up with an hour of torture makes it worth it. It is very relaxing… I can hardly walk afterwars I’m so relaxed. You’re supposed to relax into the pain for it to work :roflmao:
Cheers I’ll try to check out that clinic with a chinese speaker in tow. I’ve got a card and I’m not a teacher and there’s almost no chance anyone I work with will know any traditional medicine places or reccommend one.
For me it’s not about getting a relaxing massage, it’s about dealing effectively with muscle tension and stiffness. If it doesn’t hurt it means they aren’t doing anything. 
I’ve had four visits with Mr. Qiu 邱乾盛 over the past week and a half. He has a tiny place on Hoping E. Road, same block that Shita is on, but over by Hsinsheng S. Road.
In four sessions, I’ve regained probably 95% mobility in my left arm, which I couldn’t raise above my shoulder when we started. :bravo:
His prices are NT$300/$600/$900 for 30/60/90 minutes. Phone 0932-324-150 or e-mail ccs818@mail.batol.net. His actual address is No. 187-4, Hoping E. Rd. Sec. 1, Taipei (it’s actually deep within a fairly narrow alley that has a “Blind Massage” banner in Chinese only hung over the entrance. I think the store on the corner is an art gallery or dealership of some sort.)
bump