WCIF a cheap relaxing massage in Taipei?

[haokaiyang]

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.

[Artemis]

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.

[shawn_c]

There are tonnes of places... here are some around town found via Google Maps (should be easy for you to locate afterward):

http://g.co/maps/2gzrm (this one is by blind people, near Dingxi MRT Stn.)
http://g.co/maps/6tche

The second link there is a search for "按摩" via Google Maps.

[haokaiyang]

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 Jiayi County surnamed Guan (官); his cell number is 0918-100-123. Nicest guy in the world.

[shawn_c]

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.

[mike029]

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. :-)

[Artemis]

wow really? cheers for the tip mike, think they can do that to fix an irritating persistent cramp?

[ironlady]

I have precisely the same problem. Anybody have a good massage/TCM/other treatment option for frozen shoulder that's turning into something worse?

[haokaiyang]

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. :-)

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.

[Artemis]

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?