Centre for Well Being

Copyright Karen Schaler All Rights Reserved

Have you ever signed up for a spa treatment and gotten in the room and the therapist starts explaining what they’ll do and you have an urge to run for the door?    Okay, most people know what they’re getting into BEFORE they sign up for a treatment but I was in a hurry and battling a cold so when I heard about this new signature treatment at The Centre for Well-Being at the world-renowned Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, I laser focused in on the “massage” part and I knew there was something about pressure points?     
The night before I had spent an amazing night being spoiled silly in the Phoenician’s new Canyon Suites, but was still feeling under the weather when I headed for the spa and couldn’t wait to bliss out with a massage. When the therapist asked if I used needles before I shook my fuzzy head several times and went, “huh”? I explained I was getting the Accusage, a new 80 minute massage focusing on pressure points, or something like that?
  She smiled and agreed and I let out a huge sigh of relief… until she started again asking about needles. I think I must have looked completely lost because she started explaining about traditional acupuncture, using needles, etc.  It took me more than a moment to realize this treatment wasn’t one of those fluffy treatments that just grabbed a catchy name but would include actual acupuncture, needles and all.    At first my heart sank because with my body aching in every direction I couldn’t even imagine spending 80 minutes getting poked by needles but she seemed so knowledgeable and kind, I figured it couldn’t hurt, since nothing else was working not even the antibiotics.
 She asked some questions about my stress level and areas of my body that held tension and about my cold and said she would tailor the treatment to work on these areas. 
The treatment table was heated and cozy so that was a great start and you start off face up.    She had a gentle touch and all I could feel as she put several dozen needles into my body was a slight prick that quickly disappeared at least until she got to my hand and that spot hurt a bit. When I asked her about it she said that spot related to my head which makes sense since I was suffering the worse head cold and headache.  Despite having tiny needles in my body I found myself relaxing and floating away to another place.    
The Accusage treatment includes a massage that incorporates the healing work that’s been done with the traditional acupuncture.  After we were through I was told the true affects would take a couple days to feel but I have to admit my headache was gone and I already felt less congested and I hadn’t coughed once. The crink in my lower back was gone and I felt better than I had all week.    
Needless to say I’m now a new fan of the needles and next time someone asks about using them during a spa treatment I will quickly answer, “yes, please!” Insider tip: The Phoenician’s spa is award winning and the therapist I had has been doing acupuncture for almost ten years so just be sure you go to a place like the Phoenician where they know what they’re doing so you, too can have a great first experience.
     
For more cutting edge spa treatments check out the TRAVEL THERAPY website at www.mytraveltherapy.com and click on the Spectacular Spa link on this blog. Enjoy!