AMMA Therapy 

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Description: AMMA is an ancient Chinese form of massage using a combination of massage techniques including strokes, vibrations, and manipulations in order to stimulate the flow of qi energy within the body and hypothesized (mainly by therapists without any evidence) to increase lymphatic flow.  Classic AMMA massage is just that, however modern therapists have bastardized the original AMMA by adding Western techniques including chiropractic and nutrition therapy with supplements-that did not exist in the time of development of AMMA.  AMMA Therapy is a registered trademark that carries AMMA to the extreme of a medical diagnostic system plus therapy, with AMMA therapists appearing to believe they have expertise in many areas of alternative medicine and Western medicine even though many have no medical training at all.  AMMA Therapy uses the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) diagnostic methods of discerning disease and health by "looking at the tongue", taking pulses, and evaluation of signs and symptoms that reflect the state of internal organs.  TCM tenets have largely been disproven as flights of fancy of the therapist as taking Chinese pulses have been found to be extremely inconsistent from one practitioner to the next, with wildly differing diagnoses, and sending each down different therapy pathways.  ANMA is the Japanese form of AMMA that exists primarily as massage.

 

History:  AMMA Therapy (trademarked name) is a recent permutation of AMMA, being brought from Korea to the US by Tina and Robert Sohn in the early 1970s.  In 1992, a school of AMMA Therapy opened in Idaho in 1992 and subsequently moved to Oregon where it exists today.  Although many claim AMMA extends back 5,000 years but this is because those citing such are uneducated to terminology, citing the time of the Yellow Emperor (2600 BC) instead of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic Books or Huangdi Neijing (2nd century BC).   The Huangdi Neijing, is where the ideas behind Amma Massage were first recorded.  It contains both Daoist (Taoist) theory and lifestyle in addition to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) fundamental philosophies that are are enshrined in this book.  These include concepts such as Yin and Yang, Qi, and the Five Elements discussed in relation to a person’s health. The book explains that the forces of the universe that exist everywhere naturally also exist in human beings. By bringing these forces into balance within a person’s body, disease can be eliminated. 

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Touted Benefits:  Diabetes, arthritis, ligament and tendon sprains, circulatory problems, anxiety, depression, gynecological problems, autoimmune disorders, neuromuscular disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, bronchitis, hypertension, muscle strain, and neuromuscular diseases.  Also relaxation of stress, "stimulating the release of toxins", and feelings of isolation are reduced. 

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Protocol:  After subjecting the patient to an expansive TCM diagnostic realms of tongue observation, smelling the patient, taking Chinese pulses, and some Western medicine techniques, the patient is given a deep tissue massage fully clothed, and the Qi along the meridians is redirected by the practitioners hands.  Expansive nutritional counseling is administered including recommending Chinese herbs despite reports of high lead levels being found in these herbs.  

 

Training: There is one AMMA Therapy school in Portland Oregon that involves over 1125 hours of training at a cost of $16,000 that qualifies a person to be a massage therapist in Oregon.  This course teaches AMMA massage technique, a course on Vitamins and Minerals, Qigong, Western Physiology and Pathology (appears to be taught by non-physician massage therapists), T'ai Chi, Herbs and Supplements, Point Locations, Swedish Massage, Chinese Herbs, Tongue and Pulse Diagnosis, How to Build a Practice, etc.   

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LEVELS OF EVIDENCE:

None.  There are no published scientific or medical articles supporting the use of AMMA Therapy but there are a two supporting AMMA massage.

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RECOMMENDATION: Two thumbs down.  Lack of level of evidence to support any of the touted benefits.  

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