Dheva Spa at the Mandarin Oriental,Thailand

The spa Set within an exotic plantation resort in northern Thailand's most cosmopolitan city, this destination spa specialises in personalised holistic treatments. Its Asian-influenced list includes traditional Thai massages, Indian dosha analysis and various Ayurvedic therapies, its name is Sanskrit for "celestial beings". Heaven surely awaits.

Spa's symptoms Moving house – packing and carrying what feels like hundreds of boxes – has left a dull ache from the neck and shoulders, down to the calves and feet. Who knew that pushing furniture could cause so much damage?

The prescription Dheva Spa's signature treatment is the Lanna massage (£75 for 1 hour 20 minutes). Said to relieve muscle and joint problems, increase flexibility and balance the body's energy system, it was traditionally used on Thai rice farmers after long and arduous days working in the fields. Spy knows how they must feel.

The procedure Using a dubious-looking wooden stick made from the bark of a tamarind tree, Spy's muscles from head to toe are tapped firmly and rhythmically – hard enough to have an effect, but not so hard as to actually cause pain. This yelp-free tap-tapping has a strangely relaxing effect, as though the muscles are loosening up in response. This is followed by a deep massage using hot compresses of herbal oil.

The verdict The combination of the tapping and compresses makes Spy's muscles feel like they have almost melted – in a good way. For the following week, Spy walks around feeling lighter than before moving house.

The medical opinion "While I'd not recommend tapping stiff muscles with a stick, the medicinal effects of massage, which has been used worldwide for thousands of years, are clear, if unproven," writes Dr Omri Gottesman. "It can be a great way to soothe everyday muscle pain, with effects thought, in part, to be due to the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain-killer. The medical community remains undecided, with the body of reliable evidence lacking. There is however, no doubt as to the anecdotal effects of massage, with recipients left feeling relaxed and refreshed – never a bad thing."

The feel-good factor With two beautiful pools, a library housing thousands of books and DVDs, and a superb dim sum restaurant styled like a 1930s Shanghai mansion, this spectacular resort knows how to wow. Candlelit dinners in the resort's own paddy field are particularly special.