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| PADI | Professional Association of Diving Instructors; PADI courses are often offered by resorts to certify beginning scuba divers |
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| pain-spasm cycle | Steady contraction of muscles causing ischemia and stimulating pain receptors in muscles. The pain, in turn, initiates more spasms, setting up a vicious circle. |
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| palpation | Assessment through touch. |
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| panchakarma | Cleansing and rejuvenating program for the body, mind, and consciousness based on Ayurvedic medicine and meant to clear the body of toxins, restore balance, strengthen the immune system, and promote calm. May involve massage, sweat therapy, yoga, diet, etc. |
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| parafango | Volcanic mud is mixed with paraffin wax to alleviate aches and pains caused by such illnesses as rheumatism and arthritis. |
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| paraffin treatment | Heated paraffin wax is brushed over the body to soothe muscles and, by drawing out the dirt, removing the dead skin, and drawing out perspiration through the head, leave skin clean and soft. |
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| parasympathetic nervous system | A term which describesthe part of the autonomic nervous system that contains chiefly cholinergic fibers, that tends to induce secretion, to increase the tone and contractility of smooth muscle, and to slow heart rate, and that consists of a cranial and a sacral part. |
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| petrissage | Kneading, lifting, squeezing, pressing, or rolling in a rhythmic movement. Both hands or thumbs are used alternately to lift and stimulate the skin and muscle tissue away from the bone. Often the hands move in a circular motion toward each other as petrissage is performed. The pressure can be increased or decreased, depending on the tone of the muscle and the depth of penetration desired. Petrissage improves circulation by stimulating blood flow to the heart on a deeper level than effleurage. This technique assists in the removal of fluids that cause swelling and increases the removal and elimination of cellular waste materials and toxins. Nerve endings are stimulated and the tone of the entire body is improved. |
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| photo rejuvenation | Treatment with laser light to smooth wrinkles, diminish the appearance of age spots, broken capillaries, and rosacea |
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| physical therapy/physiotherapy | A hands-on form of rehabilitative therapy. Treatment may include massage, hydrotherapy, corrective exercise, traction or electrical stimulation to relieve pain, increase strength, and improve range of motion. Physical therapy is key in helping people recover from injury, surgery, or disease. |
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| phytotherapy | Healing treatment with plants, such as herbs and seaweed, and in the form of aromatic essential oils and herbal and floral extracts, applied in conjunction with massage, packs and wraps, water and steam therapies, inhalation treatments, and homeopathy. |
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| Pilates | Body conditioning program developed by Joseph Pilates meant to develop flexibility and strength without building bulk via a system of controlled movements and specially designed exercise equipment. |
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| placebo | Inactive substance or treatment that has no known medical value that nonetheless creates a heath improvement that can be observed, measured or felt-called "the placebo effect"-due to patients expectation of getting well. |
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| polarity massage | Therapeutic, relaxing treatment involving hands placed along the energy meridians, stretching, and light rocking to bring the body's own energy into balance. |
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| portion-controlled meals | Weight-loss program technique used to limit the amount of calories or fat consumed. |
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| post-event massage | Massage provided after an athletic event. |
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| poultice | Consisting of a paste-like substance spread on or between layers of cloth, poultices are a long-standing traditional remedy used most often to relieve swelling and inflammation. Contemporary spas incorporate this venerable technique (often with all-natural ingredients such as muds, herbs and botanicals) into massage treatments and other therapeutic modalities. |
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| power walking | See race walking ...More |
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| power yoga | Energetic workout involving a sequence of postures (asanas) that flow into one another and that emphasize building body heat and breaching mindfully. Stretches and strengthens muscle while creating a calm and clear mind. |
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| primordial sound meditation | Ancient Vedic meditation technique revived by Deepak Chopra and David Simon, MD. Practiced in silence, it uses a personal sound mantra to achieve deep peace, balance, and harmony. |
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| psychotherapy | The application of psychological knowledge and techniques to effect change in behavior or mood in a patient. The patient focuses on experiences, recalls forgotten traumatic events or re-experiences mind states which accompanied past traumas in the presence of an attentive listener. There are countless forms of psychotherapy and counselling. |
